Community reacts to prosecutor’s guilty plea in domestic violence case
FRANKLIN, Ind. (WISH) — The Johnson County prosecutor on Monday pleaded guilty to three felony charges after a domestic violence incident.
But Bradley Cooper won’t spend a day in jail.
Cooper was booked at the Johnson County Jail after he accepted a guilty plea deal.
The charges he faces are in connection to accusations that he beat his former fiancee and held her against her will inside his Trafalgar home.
According to court documents, Cooper hit his fiancee, causing an injury to her right eye, and held her against her will in his Trafalgar home. That’s when she escaped to a nearby neighbor’s home to call 911.
“I know we are kind of shocked, surprised to hear. In a little town like this, you don’t hear a lot of stuff like this,” said Franklin resident Will Endris.
Court documents show Cooper also pretended to be the victim in text messages he sent to someone else.
“It is almost a double standard. You know, here is a man who is the one who is supposed to protect us and charge us and yet he was out doing the same thing,” said Endris.
Cooper was charged with criminal confinement, domestic battery, identity deception, and official misconduct.
He accepted a plea deal. As part of that deal he will not serve any time in jail. Instead, he will serve 540 days of supervised probation, pay a domestic violence fee and will have to participate in treatment.
“He has always seemed like a nice man, so it’s just, I am shocked,” said Endris.
The Decatur County Prosecutor relased a statement after the plea hearing in reference to the victim that said in part:
“The plea agreement accomplishes her desire for privacy, healing, and moving forward. The plea also accomplishes the State’s interest in justice.”
“It is a little concerning and I hope we take the right steps in order to fix the problem,” said Endris.
Cooper will remain the acting prosecutor until he is convicted or until action from the licensing board removes him from his elected position.
A sentencing hearing is set for July 12 in Hancock County.
If Cooper meets all the conditions of his plea agreement, after three years he could end up with no felonies on his record.
