The caller, EJC, an adult female resident, reported her husband, identified as ROBERT DONALD COOPER JR., [DOB REDACTED], the defendant herein, had strangled her during an argument over her phone. In a recorded statement, EJC reported she had given the defendant her phone, but when she wanted it back, he would not give it to her. The argument started in the kitchen where the defendant pushed her onto the dining room table and choked her. In the family room, he pushed her again. EJC fell behind the chair and ottoman where the defendant choked her again.
EJC remembers him saying something like, “Let’s just end it here” and "I'd gladly go to jail". EJC said she was afraid he was going to kill her. After she was able to push him off, he went into the kitchen with her phone. The defendant pushed EJC onto the counter/stove and choked her a third time. Once he stopped, he smashed her glasses into her face. EJC said she remembers scratching at the defendant when she was trying to get free each time he was choking her. EJC reported she remembers pulling the defendant’s glasses off his face one of the times to get him to stop applying pressure to her throat because she could not breathe.
EJC said she was scared and her heart was racing. At one point, EJC tried calling her daughter on her watch, but her daughter did not answer. EJC was not sure how she got her phone back from the defendant. Once she did, she called 911 and put it on speakerphone. Once the defendant realized it was 911, he ran upstairs and said he was packing a bag and leaving. In a post-Miranda statement the defendant reported EJC had initially given her phone to him, but when she wanted it back, he would not give it to her.
The defendant reported that EJC got her phone back because at some point, he threw it on the table. The defendant denied choking EJC and said he was never physical with her. PLEASE TAKE NOTICE: Pursuant to Minn. Stat. 609.49, intentional failure to appear for duly scheduled court appearances may result in additional criminal charges, and in addition to any arrest warrant that may otherwise be issued by the Court.
