Man accused of raping adult family member in 2016 appears in court for first time

Clifton Littlesam "Kippie" Poulton
Clifton Littlesam "Kippie" Poulton

TEXARKANA, Texas - A man accused of breaking an adult relative's neck during an alleged sexual assault in a Texarkana, Texas, hotel room made his first court appearance Monday.

Clifton Littlesam "Kippie" Poulton, 44, appeared before 202nd District Judge John Tidwell without a lawyer. He was indicted in January by a Bowie County grand jury for aggravated sexual assault; aggravated sexual assault-threaten/place in fear; burglary of a habitation in the commission of felony aggravated assault; and burglary of a habitation in the commission of felony sexual assault.

At the hearing Monday, Poulton said he is unable to hire his own lawyer, which led Tidwell to appoint Texarkana lawyer Jeff Harrelson to represent him. Because Harrelson was not present in court for the hearing, Tidwell rescheduled the case for arraignment in September.

Poulton has been in Bowie County custody since Aug. 11, court records show. According to officials, Poulton was located by U.S. Marshals in Cambodia prior to his arrest.

The alleged victim, a blood relative of Poulton's, was found lying naked on the floor of a hotel room in Texarkana, Texas, and calling for help at about 5 a.m. July 19, 2016, according to a probable cause affidavit. Texarkana police who responded to a call for a welfare check and Lifenet personnel observed multiple bruises on the woman's arms and legs.

The woman allegedly reported that Poulton broke into her locked hotel room and climbed on top of her, placing his knees on the backs of her arms to hold her down on her stomach. Poulton allegedly broke two vertebrae in the woman's neck when he punched her in the back of her head. The woman underwent neck surgery to repair the fractured bones.

Poulton allegedly assaulted the woman sexually as well.

All four of the felony charges Poulton faces are punishable by five to 99 years or life in prison.

 

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