The Door County Clerk of Courts is estimating it will cost close to $20,000 to bring a jury from Wood County to Door County to sit in judgement of Brian Cooper, the 36 year old Illinois man accused of double homicide & third degree sexual assault in the deaths of 21 year old Alisha Bromfield & her unborn child at a southern Door County resort last August.
In a letter to the Finance & Administrative Committees, Clerk of Courts Nancy Robillard notes that the last out of county court case cost about $13,000 to administer, but, with inflation, the April trial could cost between $16,000 & $20,000. Robillard said she will be joined by the judge & a court reporter for the trip to wood County for jury selection on the Friday before the trial begins. The jury will have to be transported to the county, fed & lodged for the duration of the trial, then transported back to their homes in Wood County. In addition, a male & female bailiff will be needed & the jurors will be paid at a higher rate than Door County jurors are paid.
The Door County Board Tuesday will vote on a resolution allowing the transfer of up to $20,000 to cover the court costs related to the trial. Cooper’s attorney, Shane Brabazon, was granted a request for a change of venue after he argued that Cooper could not get a fair trial with a Door County jury.
