Cape woman faces assault charge

A 26-year-old Cape Girardeau woman is in custody after reportedly stabbing her boyfriend in the chest Friday.

Beverly D. Haley, of 735 William St., Apt. 7, is in Cape Girardeau County Jail on a $50,000 cash-only bond, charged with first-degree domestic assault. The charge carries a maximum prison sentence of 15 years if convicted.

The bond order stipulates that Haley is to remain more than 1,000 feet away from the residence and place of employment of the victim and have no direct or indirect contact with him.

According to the probable-cause statement, police officers responded to a domestic dispute call during which Haley allegedly told police she attacked her boyfriend after he hit her in the back of the head.

Cape Girardeau County Prosecuting Attorney Morley Swingle said police found the knife in the back yard. He said it was bent from the impact of hitting the victim's collarbone.

"The wound did turn out to be not a serious condition because it hit the clavicle [collarbone]," Swingle said.

Swingle said the victim did not want to give police a written statement because he did not want to get Haley in trouble.

Haley has an initial court appearance scheduled Thursday before Associate Circuit Court Judge Gary Kamp.