Man Held on $50,000 Bail After Two Cats Are Beheaded

A 38-year-old San Clemente man pleaded not guilty Friday to charges that he beheaded his two cats.

Danny Drake, who remains in Orange County Jail, was charged with two misdemeanor counts of cruelty to animals, and bail was set at $50,000, Deputy Dist. Atty. Michelle Cipolletti said.

Authorities said that Drake, who was arrested Wednesday, had been told by his landlord to get rid of his cats, so he chopped off their heads with a machete in his backyard. A horrified neighbor called police after witnessing the incident, police said.

Property manager Steve Humphries said Thursday that he gave no ultimatum. He said he just asked about the cats because they weren’t mentioned in the lease.

“I love cats,” Humphries said. “If it came down to ‘the cats get it or you take the cats,’ I would have taken the cats.”

Bruce Patterson, supervising deputy district attorney, acknowledged that numerous animal rights groups had called urging that Drake be charged with a felony. But Patterson said that after analyzing the case, he determined that misdemeanor charges were more appropriate.

If Drake is found guilty, he could receive a maximum of one year in jail, a fine of $20,000 and three years’ probation.

“We’ve explained our position to a lot of animal rights groups,” Patterson said. “I think they would like a maximum charge against Drake, but I think they understand where we’re coming from.”

Ava Park, founder of Orange County People for Animals, was among those calling for more serious charges.

“We also want the remaining pets that include a cat and two Australian sheep dogs to be placed elsewhere,” Park said. “Clearly, this man is not responsible with living beings.”

Park said that with so many animal agencies, Drake had many options.

“It would have taken him less time to find us than to decapitate these animals,” she added. “We would have placed them in foster homes.”

Deputy Public Defender Michael McClellan said, “It was fast and it was clean. We think he should have been released on his own recognizance.”

A bail reduction hearing has been set for Tuesday in Municipal Court in Laguna Niguel.