Denver Broncos linebacker Jonathon Cooper pleaded not guilty to a felony assault charge for allegedly strangling his ex-girlfriend and other lesser charges in Douglas County District Court on Monday afternoon.
Cooper, 28, appeared in a black dress shirt, tie and slacks alongside his attorney, Harvey Steinberg, and did not speak during or after the hearing. Steinberg declined to comment as he walked with Cooper out of the courthouse.
Steinberg asked for a trial as soon as possible because of the case’s “very negative impact on my client’s ability to make a living.”
“We would like to resolve this quickly,” he told District Court Judge Daniel Warhola.
Warhola set Cooper’s trial for Nov. 10, 12 and 13.
Cooper was first arrested June 5 and again June 12, first following an argument with his now former girlfriend which resulted, eventually, in a felony assault charge alleging strangulation, according to court records and arrest affidavits. Then he was arrested again a week later for violating a protection order after he sent his girlfriend 20 unreturned messages, some graphic in nature, and knocked on her apartment door for “5-10 minutes,” according to a separate arrest affidavit.
The Broncos opted not to release Cooper in the immediate aftermath of the pair of arrests. Instead, he went to an inpatient clinic near Vail for more than a month and then reported with the rest of the Broncos veterans for training camp on July 29.
He is set to appear in court again on Sept. 14.
The setting of Cooper’s trial comes one day after NFL commissioner Roger Goodell placed Cooper on the commissioner’s exempt list, which means he cannot practice with Denver or play in games.
This is a developing story and may be updated.
