Police: Austin woman, 61, pulled butcher knife on brother for eating her BBQ ribs

Ethel Jean Banks, 61, has been charged with aggravated assault — family violence, a second-degree felony punishable by a maximum 20-year prison sentence. She has been accused of pulling a knife on her brother and threatening to kill him after he ate her barbecue ribs. less Ethel Jean Banks, 61, has been charged with aggravated assault — family violence, a second-degree felony punishable by a maximum 20-year prison sentence. She has been accused of pulling a knife on her brother ... more Photo: Austin Police Department Photo: Austin Police Department Image 1 of / 30 Caption Close Police: Austin woman, 61, pulled butcher knife on brother for eating her BBQ ribs 1 / 30 Back to Gallery

An Austin woman allegedly pulled a butcher knife on her brother and threatened to kill him after he ate her barbecued ribs, according to an arrest affidavit.

Ethel Jean Banks, 61, has been charged with aggravated assault — family violence, a second-degree felony punishable by a maximum 20-year prison sentence.

Banks' brother Melvin Magee, who lives with Banks, told police that he ate some ribs that he didn't know belonged to Banks, the affidavit reads.

RELATED: Affidavit: Known meat thief caught on camera stuffing $102 worth of steak in pants at H-E-B

Banks then got in Magee's face and pushed him following an argument in the living room of their East Austin residence, according to the affidavit. Magee then pushed Jean back and knocked her down.

The 61-year-old woman then grabbed a butcher knife from the kitchen, held it over her head and told her brother, "I'm going to kill you" before charging at him, Magee told police.

Magee said ran out the front door and held it shut so Banks couldn't open it, according to police.

RELATED: San Antonio BBQ joints hit by string of brisket, meat thefts

Banks initally told police that nothing happened after she fell down, the affidavit reads. She later said Magee thought she was chasing him with a knife, but claimed she never had a knife.

Police later found a knife matching Magee's description of the weapon.

Banks had been accused by another family member of the same behavior in June, according to the affidavit.

jfechter@mySA.com

Twitter: @JFreports