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Denver Broncos linebacker Jonathon Cooper pleaded not guilty to a domestic violence charge on Monday, June 8, according to multiple reports
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Cooper and his girlfriend were arrested on Thursday, June 4, after a “domestic incident” in Parker, Colo.
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The Broncos player is due for a hearing on July 6 and a jury trial is scheduled for July 22
Denver Broncos linebacker Jonathon Cooper has pleaded not guilty to a charge of domestic violence, according to multiple reports.
Cooper, 28, was accused of criminal mischief as a crime of domestic violence after he and his girlfriend were arrested following a “domestic incident” on Thursday, June 4, in Parker, Colo., according to ESPN and The Denver Post. The Broncos player will go to a jury trial in July, both outlets reported.
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According to NBC affiliate WCMH, Cooper and a woman identified as Jade Fiegen were arrested on charges of domestic violence and criminal mischief.
ESPN reported that a motions hearing is scheduled for July 6, and the trial is potentially set for July 22. Cooper is required to participate in Broncos training camp that same month. Cooper’s attorney, Harvey Steinberg, requested a trial date “as early as possible” and said his team does not plan to file a motion to dismiss charges, according to The Denver Post.
Credit: Jorge Lemus/NurPhoto/Shutterstock
The athlete’s girlfriend was reportedly arrested on suspicion of misdemeanor domestic violence and a charge of petty criminal mischief, per ESPN. Cooper remained in Douglas County Jail through Friday morning and was later released on a personal recognizance bond that day.
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The incident, which resulted in a physical confrontation between Cooper and his girlfriend, reportedly began over the couple’s cellphones, which were damaged in the argument, according to the outlet.
ESPN reported that Cooper and his girlfriend described contradicting scenarios to the police. Cooper reportedly said in his arrest affidavit that his girlfriend took his phone after she confronted him about cheating allegations. Cooper told police his girlfriend allegedly threw his phone across the room, according to the outlet, and he claimed he grabbed her by the upper arm to regain possession of his phone.
Also in the affidavit, Cooper told police he “braced his neck against her neck” during the incident, per ESPN. When Cooper’s girlfriend allegedly refused his demand to leave his apartment, the Broncos player bit the phone and caused “disabling damage,” he reportedly told police.
Cooper’s girlfriend reportedly told police he “grabbed her by the neck and held her against the wall for about a minute,” according to ESPN. The woman reportedly told police the athlete also threw her to the ground three times and punched a wall next to her head. The affidavit reportedly says police observed marks on the woman’s arm that are not consistent with her claims of assault, per ESPN.
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Following his arrest, Cooper reportedly took to social media with a message of regret. According to ESPN, Cooper posted a bible verse on Instagram, writing, “Do not let your anger lead you into sin, and do not let the sun go down on your anger,” quoting Ephesians 4:26.
After posting the verse, Cooper reportedly wrote, “I realize posting a Bible. [sic] Quote right after something very serious happens does not just mean everything is okay. I apologize to my family, to my friends, and my community. And so many others.”
Read the original article on People
