Cooper, Iromuanya summary
The story begins with an argument over shot glasses. By the end of the first chapter, a 21-year-old Nebraska soccer player and honor student dies from a gunshot wound. A close friend is seriously injured by the same bullet. And another youth is in police custody facing charges in the shooting.
Middle chapters in the tragic tale of Jenna Cooper and Lucky Iromuanya include his trial and conviction for her death and for the wounding of UNL student Nolan Jenkins.
Yet to be written is the outcome of Iromuanya's legal appeals — not to mention the ongoing emotional fallout for the families and friends of Cooper, Jenkins and Iromuanya.
Cooper was struck by a bullet fired by Iromuanya around 2 a.m. April 25, 2004, as she stood on a sidewalk outside of the south Lincoln house she rented with a soccer teammate. The troubles began minutes earlier when Jenkins confronted Iromuanya about shot glasses stolen from the house.
Another student later confessed to taking the glasses, but that did little to calm a now-volatile scene.
Prosecutors and defense attorneys dispute what happened next, and why, but both sides agree Iromuanya fired a Derringer-style handgun. The bullet ricocheted off Jenkins' skull and struck Cooper in the throat. She died that evening at a Lincoln hospital.
Iromuanya was arrested shortly after the shooting, and eventually he was charged with second-degree murder, attempted second-degree murder and two felony weapons charges.
The trial began Dec. 6 in Lancaster County District Court. The jury returned guilty verdicts on all four counts Dec. 20.
On Feb. 24, District Judge John A. Colborn sentenced Iromuanya to life in prison for Cooper's death and to a consecutive term of 25 to 35 years in prison for shooting Jenkins. The judge imposed two sentences of 10 to 20 years on the weapons charges.
The case now goes before the Nebraska Supreme Court, where Iromuanya's attorneys are expected to raise a number of arguments.
Among them is a claim that emotional testimony from Cooper's mother and from others about the young woman's character was not only irrelevant, but prejudiced the jury against Iromuanya.
Reach Butch Mabin at 473-7234 or at bmabin@journalstar.com.
Middle chapters in the tragic tale of Jenna Cooper and Lucky Iromuanya include his trial and conviction for her death and for the wounding of UNL student Nolan Jenkins.
Yet to be written is the outcome of Iromuanya's legal appeals — not to mention the ongoing emotional fallout for the families and friends of Cooper, Jenkins and Iromuanya.
Cooper was struck by a bullet fired by Iromuanya around 2 a.m. April 25, 2004, as she stood on a sidewalk outside of the south Lincoln house she rented with a soccer teammate. The troubles began minutes earlier when Jenkins confronted Iromuanya about shot glasses stolen from the house.
Another student later confessed to taking the glasses, but that did little to calm a now-volatile scene.
Prosecutors and defense attorneys dispute what happened next, and why, but both sides agree Iromuanya fired a Derringer-style handgun. The bullet ricocheted off Jenkins' skull and struck Cooper in the throat. She died that evening at a Lincoln hospital.
Iromuanya was arrested shortly after the shooting, and eventually he was charged with second-degree murder, attempted second-degree murder and two felony weapons charges.
The trial began Dec. 6 in Lancaster County District Court. The jury returned guilty verdicts on all four counts Dec. 20.
On Feb. 24, District Judge John A. Colborn sentenced Iromuanya to life in prison for Cooper's death and to a consecutive term of 25 to 35 years in prison for shooting Jenkins. The judge imposed two sentences of 10 to 20 years on the weapons charges.
The case now goes before the Nebraska Supreme Court, where Iromuanya's attorneys are expected to raise a number of arguments.
Among them is a claim that emotional testimony from Cooper's mother and from others about the young woman's character was not only irrelevant, but prejudiced the jury against Iromuanya.
Reach Butch Mabin at 473-7234 or at bmabin@journalstar.com.
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