Landlord Used Stun Gun on Her, Tenant Charges

A landlord accused of “zapping” one of his tenants with a stun gun in order to teach the woman a lesson in home security was released from County Jail on $15,000 bail Thursday.

Harold Caryle McLeod, 44, pleaded not guilty Wednesday before El Cajon Municipal Judge Lantz Lewis to charges of burglary and assault with a stun gun in an alleged attack on Melissa Middleton, 21, on Monday.

McLeod is accused of entering Middleton’s apartment in Alpine while wearing a ski mask and of “zapping” her, sending 120,000 volts of electricity through her body several times, authorities said.

Middleton said she was asleep in her bedroom about 1 a.m., her 7-month-old son lying only a few feet away, when she was awakened by the pain of a stun gun pressed against her stomach.

“I thought I was going to die,” she said. “I thought it was an attacker.”

Middleton said the man continued to stun her several times on the stomach, each time leaving burn marks. She said he picked her up by the shoulders, threw her on the ground and stunned her a few more times.

Middleton said that, at that point, the man ripped off his mask and said, “Next time you will learn to keep your doors locked. Next time I will take your baby.”

Middleton said she stayed up in her room, wondering where her attacker had gone. Later, she said she found him asleep on her living room couch.

McLeod was arrested Monday night.