Coen pleads out. Attempted murder charges fall by the wayside

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: Feb. 14, 2011
Contact: Deputy District Attorney Arnie Klein
Phone: 707-268-2584

Coen Acknowledges Responsibility for July 2, 2010 Shooting

On Monday, Feb. 14, 1011, Michael Coen changed his plea from not guilty to guilty when he pleaded no contest to assault with a deadly weapon.

The charges stemmed from a shooting that occurred on July 2, 2010. He has also admitted to the special allegations of use of a firearm and inflicting great bodily injury. In addition, Coen admitted to a prior “strike” as defined by the California Three Strikes Law.

Under the terms of the agreement, Coen waived his right to an appeal and will be sentenced to state prison for a minimum of ten years to a maximum of 21 years. Because Coen was convicted of a violent offence, he will be required to serve at least 85 percent of his sentence, which will be handed down by Judge Bruce Watson on March 28, 2011.

Prosecuting Deputy District Attorney Arnie Klein said: “The successful prosecution of this case {did this case get prosecuted?) is due, in large part, to the cooperative efforts of various law enforcement agencies and the contribution made by local citizens in catching and apprehending Mr. Coen,”

Jury selection was about to begin on the July 2, 2010 incident when Coen entered his plea. “I want to, especially, acknowledge the members of the community who sacrificed their time by coming in for jury selection,” noted District Attorney Paul Gallegos. “The accused often delays the process until he or she understands that the community is there to render judgment.”
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Note that Coen was accused of attempted murder, assault with a firearm, illegal possession of a firearm by a felon and resisting arrest.
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◼ Fortuna man pleads no contest to assault with a deadly weapon

A Fortuna man pleaded no contest Monday to a host of charges stemming from a shooting last July that landed one man in the hospital.

Michael Alan Coen pleaded no contest to assault with a deadly weapon likely to produce great bodily injury, with a special allegation of using a firearm and a second special allegation of inflicting great bodily injury against Christopher “Shane” Cooper. Coen was originally charged with attempted murder after being apprehended during a multi-agency manhunt on July 2 and faces a minimum of 10 years in prison at his sentencing next month...

”We'll be asking for the most serious sentence the court can impose, based on the evidence provided,” Klein said, adding that he was pleased with the deal, in which Coen waived his right to appeal his sentence. Coen also pleaded no contest to felony counts of grand theft auto and evading a peace officer with willful disregard for the safety of others, charges stemming from separate incidents last year, as well as no contest to damaging jail property when he kicked out the Plexiglas panel in his cell last January.

”It's an effort to reach a just resolution in the case,” Klein said, adding that the motive for the shooting remains unclear but could be the culmination of an argument over a girlfriend of Coen's.

”That's just speculation at this point,” Klein said, adding that Coen was wearing a bulletproof vest as well as a wig to conceal his identity when he entered Cooper's home.

Investigator William Honsal said the district attorney's office investigation into the case began before Coen's arrest, when the Fortuna Police Department was seeking information on the whereabouts of Coen, who was wanted for a parole violation.

Coen was arrested off Highway 36 on July 2, more than 10 hours after allegedly shooting Cooper once in the chest with a .22-caliber handgun at his home on the 3400 block of Hillras Way in Fortuna....

Coen's plea of no contest technically admits no wrongdoing but will be treated by the court as a guilty plea. With a prior felony conviction of assault with a deadly weapon other than a firearm resulting in great bodily injury in 2009, the length of Coen's sentence for the July assault will be doubled for a maximum of 21 years.

Lee declined to comment on specifics of how the plea deal was reached. Coen will be required to serve 85 percent of his sentence before being considered eligible for parole. He is due back in court for sentencing on March 28.....

Another plea deal. Klein still unclear. We can hope that the Judge will once again make sure some kind of justice is done. Let's hope Klein at least did his job correctly in that dept.