Denver Broncos linebacker Jonathon Cooper has pleaded not guilty to domestic violence charges after multiple June arrests.
Cooper, 28, now awaits trial, scheduled to begin on Tuesday, November 10. A pretrial hearing is scheduled for Friday, October 30.
The sixth-year pro faces a felony charge of second-degree assault by strangulation and three misdemeanors after he was arrested on June 4 and again on June 11.
The first arrest came after an alleged altercation that occurred after Cooper’s then-girlfriend accused him of cheating and subsequently threw his phone against a wall.
Both Cooper and his ex were arrested following the incident. An arrest affidavit obtained by ESPN revealed that a nurse who examined his girlfriend found she had been choked, leading to an injury that carried a “substantial risk of death,” including possible traumatic brain injury.
A week later, he allegedly violated a protection order by attempting to contact his ex, allegedly sending 20 text messages and calling her twice.
The weekend after his arrests, Cooper took to Instagram, where he posted a bible verse followed by a public statement.
“I apologize to my family and my friends and my community. … And so many others,” he wrote. “I realize positing a bible (verse) after something very serious happens does not just mean everything is okay.”
He added in another post, “I apologize. This situation is not who I am.”
Cooper could face between five and 16 years in prison if convicted.
The NFL placed Cooper on the commissioner’s exempt list on Sunday, August 30, meaning he cannot play in games or practice with the team, but will still be paid while the NFL reviews whether he violated the league’s personal conduct policy. A suspension from the NFL is also possible.
“’It’s part of the process,’ Broncos general manager George Paton told reporters. ‘We continue to take this very seriously. We’re going to continue to monitor all the legal developments and continue to support Jonathon. Jonathon’s worked very hard to better himself and it’ll be good to have him in the building, be in meetings and just be a part of the team.”
Head coach Sean Payton said that part of the conditions the team laid out for Cooper was for him to attend therapy. He added that while Cooper cannot play in games or practice, he is making the most out of still being able to use the team facility.
“We wait on the league,” Payton, 62, said. In the meantime, the difference now is he’s in the facility, he’s lifting, he’s in the meetings. He can’t practice, and then we just wait for this process to play out.”
Prior to going on the exempt list, Cooper played in the Broncos’ preseason games, including against the Minnesota Vikings on Friday, August 28.
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 for confidential support.
