A 36-year old Plainfield, Illinois man, charged with with two counts of first degree intentional homicide, could have his day in Door County Circuit Court, for the second time, in May of 2014. Brian Cooper is accused in the deaths of 21-year old Alisha Bromfield, also from Plainfield, & her unborn child, at a southern Door County resort in August of 2012. His first trial ended in a mistrial in June when a jury selected in Wood County could not reach a decision on the murder charges. The jury did find him guilty of third degree sexual assault.
Cooper & his defense attorneys, public defenders Jeffrey Cano & Gregory Gerbers, joined Assistant Door County District Attorney Joan Korb for a court hearing before Judge D. Todd Ehlers Tuesday morning. Judge Ehlers suggested that the trial could be held in Sturgeon Bay on either May 5th through the 9th or May 19th through the 23rd, with the jury selected before each time frame. The judge said he preferred the earlier schedule in May. Both sides were told to contact their witnesses in order to determine the best dates for the second trial. Cooper entered not guilty pleas to the homicide charges in the last go-round, but his new legal counsels indicated that nothing has been taken off the table for the second trial. At this point, no decision has been made as to where the new jury would be selected. In the meantime, Cooper remains in the Door County jail.
