Cape man's trial scheduled in felony animal abuse case

A Cape Girardeau man accused of killing a cat faces an April trial on felony animal abuse charges.

Eric L. Ford, 45, appeared Thursday before New Madrid County Circuit Judge Fred Copeland, who ordered a one-day trial on April 13.

Ford withdrew a guilty plea in October after Circuit Judge David Dolan rejected probation in the case and said he would impose prison time for the Aug. 14, 2004, incident.

Ford is accused of taking a cat owned by Camilla Coy of Cape Girardeau and squeezing it, throwing it against a wall and stomping on it.

The case is before Copeland on a change of venue, the second to be ordered for Ford. His trial was originally moved from Cape Girardeau County to Mississippi County during 2005.