Man charged for animal abuse found in doghouse

A Cape Girardeau man who caught the attention of the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals when he was charged with animal abuse in addition to three felony counts of domestic abuse was charged with another felony Friday.

Paul Clifton Oakley, 43, in court for a preliminary hearing on the charges that he abused his live-in girlfriend and her kitten, reportedly escaped from custody and was captured minutes later in a doghouse on Bast Street in Jackson.

According to the probable cause statement submitted by sheriff's deputy John Dace, who was acting as bailiff in Judge Gary Kamp's courtroom, Kamp had just informed Oakley that he was revoking Oakley's $25,000 bond and was taking him into custody. He ordered Oakley to take a seat in the courtroom.

Dace turned his back momentarily, he said, and Oakley ran from the courtroom. Assistant prosecuting attorney Jack Koester saw Oakley bolt from the courtroom and alerted Dace and others nearby. Seconds later, Koester looked out a courtroom window and saw Oakley running across Main street and heading west.

Meanwhile a Jackson resident sitting on his back porch that faces Bast Street saw a man he thought was acting suspicious. The resident, who declined to be identified, said he watched the man for a few minutes and alerted Jackson police when he noticed the man's head "bobbing in and out" of his neighbor's doghouse. The owners of the doghouse were away at the time.

Jackson police notified the Cape Girardeau Sheriff's Department, who found Oakley hiding in the doghouse.

Cape Girardeau County Prosecuting Attorney Morley Swingle issued a warrant against Oakley for a class D felony of escape from custody. Kamp set bond at $25,000. Kamp also raised Oakley's bond on the original charges to $250,000 cash only.

Swingle added that anyone who knowingly provides a place for a person to hide when he is wanted could be committing the crime of hindering prosecution.

"It is unclear to me whether or not the dog was home," Swingle said, joking. "I would suspect that while the dog may not be invoking the right to remain silent, I doubt it is talking either."

lredeffer@semissourian.com

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