Former Akron police officer Eric Paull, who pleaded guilty last fall to assaulting his ex-girlfriend and stalking her and other women, won an early release from prison Tuesday afternoon.
Summit County Common Pleas Judge Amy Corrigall Jones granted Paull’s release request, but put him on five years of probation and GPS monitoring that will basically equate to house arrest.
Alexis Dekany, Paull’s ex-girlfriend who begged Jones to keep him behind bars, was distraught after the decision.
“I don’t know what to say,” Dekany said, tears streaming down her face. “I’m just terrified.”
Paull, in court Tuesday dressed in an orange jail jumpsuit, likely will be released Wednesday, after his GPS monitoring is arranged. He plans to live with an aunt who resides in Summit County and hopes to work at a cousin’s construction company.
Paull, 44, a sergeant who had been an Akron officer for 19 years, was sentenced last October to four years in prison after he pleaded guilty to felony charges of aggravated assault, tampering with evidence, menacing by stalking and other crimes in connection with a series of incidents involving Dekany and other women.
Three of the charges involved the illegal use of the police department computer to obtain information on Dekany, 32 female students at the University of Akron where he taught law enforcement classes, and 21 area nightclub dancers.
Paull requested early release on June 24, arguing that he has made progress while incarcerated, including completing several programs. Jones ruled in August that Paull should move to the second phase of the early-release process that involves the inmate appearing in court and arguing his case.
Brian Pierce, Paull’s attorney, said he doesn’t think he’s ever had a client who took more advantage of the programming available to him in prison than Paull. He said Paull has the support of his family, including his ex-wife and two teenage daughters, with whom he has had regular contact. He said he doesn’t think Paull poses any danger to Dekany.
Dekany, who during the first early-release hearing told Jones she feared for her life if Paull was released, reminded Jones that she wasn’t Paull’s only victim.
“I can’t explain to you how terrified I am,” she said, fighting tears. “I think it’s fair to let him finish his sentence. If I did this, I would have to finish the term.”
Paull told Jones that he found three types of people in prison — those who feel the system is stacked against them, those who hide and do their time, and those who work hard to improve themselves. He said he fell into the third group and took part in all of the available programming, including Narcotics Anonymous, counseling and victim-awareness classes.
“I did everything I could, realizing I needed to work on myself,” he said. “I don’t plan on stopping.”
Jones gave Paull a long list of requirements for his early release, including GPS monitoring that will confine him to where he is living except to go to court or to appointments, an alcohol-consumption-monitoring device, mental-health, anger-management and chemical-dependency assessments and regular attendance at Narcotics Anonymous meetings.
Jones ordered that he have no contact with Dekany or her family. She said Paull will be required to appear before her regularly, with his first status hearing at 8:45 a.m. Nov. 16.
Paull’s family members, including several who traveled from out of town to attend the hearing, were ecstatic about Jones’ decision. Many of them thought Paull was treated more harshly than others would have been because he was an officer.
“Miracles do happen!” said Clark Mack, Paull’s uncle. “He’s paid his price.”
Stephanie Warsmith can be reached at 330-996-3705, swarsmith@thebeaconjournal.com and on Twitter: @swarsmithabj .