ANOTHER PLEA DEAL

◼ INITIALLY CHARGED WITH ATTEMPTED MURDER, PLEADS no contest to assault with a firearm. Coen gets 21 years in prison
Coen was apprehended during a multi-agency manhunt July 2 -- about 11 hours after Coen donned a bullet-proof vest and a wig, sneaked into the home of Christopher “Shane” Cooper on the 3400 block of Hillras Way in Fortuna and shot him once in the chest with a .22-caliber handgun while Cooper lay in bed.

The Fortuna Police Department was already searching for Coen, who at the time was wanted for a parole violation stemming from an assault with a deadly weapon other than a firearm conviction in 2009.

Initially charged with attempted murder, Coen pleaded no contest to a charge of assault with a firearm with special allegations and enhancements that he has served a prior prison term, used a firearm during the offense and that he inflicted great bodily injury in committing the crime. Under the agreement, Coen faced a prison sentence of between 10 years and 21 years.

Coen's attorney, David Lee, argued that the lesser sentence was appropriate due to a “peculiarity” in the law that allowed Coen to be convicted of both assault with a firearmand a special allegation that a firearm was used in the offense. Lee argued Coen was recently married and now feels he has something to live for.

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.

Trial for Michael Coen under way - will Gallegos let him go again?

The jury selection phase of the trial for a Fortuna man accused of attempted murder got under way Wednesday.

Michael Alan Coen faces numerous charges stemming from a July incident in which he allegedly shot Michael Cooper at a home on the 3400 block of Hillras Way, prompting a multi-agency manhunt for his capture. Coen is accused of attempted murder, assault with a firearm, illegal possession of a firearm by a felon and resisting arrest.

He pleaded not guilty to all the charges, and is in custody at the Humboldt County jail. Coen's criminal trial will trail a revocation hearing, and is slated to begin after the jury is selected.

◼ Trial for Michael Coen under way

◼ Trial for man accused of attempted murder to start next week; case will likely be delayed until April
Coen's attorney, alternate conflict counsel David Lee No word on who the prosecutor is.
◼ 'Armed and dangerous' -- authorities arrest suspect in connection with Fortuna shooting
◼ Suspect in Fortuna attempted murder arraigned in Humboldt County court
◼ Hearing pushed back for Fortuna man 8/11/201
◼ Fortuna Police are searching for person of interest

◼ Work with me to rebuild our District Attorney's Office
Remember Coen? C'mon reporters!

In July, a man named Michael Coen was arrested for attempted murder. This was not his first brush with the law. He'd been sent to prison for eight years for an assault that left a man in a coma. This was before Gallegos was elected.

Coen was paroled in 2007, but in March 2008 was picked up for participating in a gang. No charges were filed, and instead the new offense was treated as a parole violation.

In July 2008, he was arrested for his involvement in another beating that resulted in serious injury. Again, no new charges were filed by Gallegos, and again the offense was treated as a simple parole violation. Coen was out in five months.

December 2008 found Coen arrested yet again -- this time for driving under the influence and running from the police. Gallegos charged the DUI, but then pled it down to a less serious offense. Once again, it was treated as a parole violation.

Back out on the streets in May 2009, Coen was immediately re-arrested for participating in a gang. Again, no charges. Another parole violation; another brief stint in jail.

Coen was released again in August 2009. The following month, he assaulted two men, breaking the jaw of one man who happened to be a serviceman home on leave from Iraq.

Even though Coen was already on parole for felony assault, and even though he had five prior parole violations, Gallegos plea bargained this new case and agreed to Coen's release in November 2009.

Three months later, Coen was arrested again. The charges this time -- robbery, car-jacking, illegally possessing a weapon, and participating in a gang. The case was referred to the DA, but for some unexplained reason, it was never charged. At all. Even though the investigating officer reported Coen admitted his involvement. He remained out on the street until he was picked up a few months ago for allegedly attempting to kill a man.

This is one example. There are many more. This year alone there have been 29 felons on parole found to be in possession of firearms. The DA charged only six of those. One parolee was picked up three times for being in possession of a firearm before he was charged. That was when he was found with a loaded Glock in his waistband after being stopped by the California Highway Patrol.
This is where we are. This is what eight years of Gallegos has gotten us.

◼ A case of judgment; district attorneys wield tremendous discretion

Yes, they do. Let's see if Paul Gallegos, the great savior of western civilization can actaully do his job this time.

Coen due back in court

◼ Michael Alan Coen - Hearing pushed back for Fortuna man

Hearing pushed back for Fortuna man

◼ Hearing pushed back for Fortuna man
The preliminary hearing for a Fortuna man accused of attempted murder has been pushed back to the end of the month.

Michael Alan Coen, 28, was arrested July 2 in a multi-agency manhunt less than 24 hours after he allegedly shot Michael Cooper on the 3400 block of Hillras Way in Fortuna. Coen has pleaded not guilty to numerous charges, including attempted murder, assault with a firearm, illegal possession of a firearm by a felon and resisting arrest.

On Tuesday, Humboldt County Superior Court Judge Dale Reinholtsen agreed to postpone a preliminary hearing -- a kind of mini-trial held to determine if there is enough evidence to hold a defendant for a jury trial -- until Aug. 31, based on an agreement between attorneys in the case....

Coen pleaded guilty to assault with a deadly weapon other than a firearm last November and, as a result, spent 47 days in jail and was sentenced to three years probation, according to Humboldt County court records. Coen was also arrested in February for his alleged involvement in an Arcata carjacking, but charges have never been filed stemming from that incident....

TS - Suspect in Fortuna attempted murder arraigned in Humboldt County court

◼ Suspect in Fortuna attempted murder arraigned in Humboldt County court

Michael Alan Coen pleaded not guilty to attempted murder in Humboldt County Superior Court on Thursday, less than a week after his alleged involvement in a shooting incident.

Coen, 28, was the subject of a multi-agency manhunt last Friday in connection with a shooting on the 3400 block of Hillras Way in Fortuna. Victim Michael Cooper was treated and released from a local hospital, and authorities said he and Coen are believed to know each other.

Coen faces numerous charges, including attempted murder, assault with a firearm, illegal possession of a firearm by a felon and resisting arrest. Coen pleaded not guilty to all the charges.

Coen pleaded guilty to assault with a deadly weapon other than a firearm in November 2009. He spent 47 days in jail and was sentenced to three years probation, according to Humboldt County court records. Coen was also arrested in February for his alleged involvement in an Arcata carjacking. Charges stemming from the incident were never filed, and the case is still under review.

Coen's bail was set at $600,000, and a preliminary hearing on the matter was scheduled for July 21.

Matt Drange/The Times-Standard
Posted: 07/09/2010 01:24:12 AM PDT
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◼ Three more arrested in Eye Street robbery
◼ Arrest made in Eye Street robberies

'Armed and dangerous' -- authorities arrest suspect in connection with Fortuna shooting

◼ 'Armed and dangerous' -- authorities arrest suspect in connection with Fortuna shooting
Authorities arrested a man Friday evening who is a suspect in an alleged shooting that occurred Friday morning.
Michael Alan Coen, 28, was arrested at 7:35 p.m. on Highway 36 near Van Duezen Street in Alton after a concerned citizen spotted the suspect and called authorities, according to Humboldt County Sheriff's Sgt. Ernie Stewart.

”We spotted the suspect and he ran,” said Stewart. “After a brief foot pursuit, we caught him.”
He was transpoted to the Humboldt County jail, where he was booked on charges of attempted murder, resisting arrest and a parole violation.

Stewart said additional charges are expected to be filed against Coen, but he declined to comment further.

Coen was the subject of a multi-agency manhunt Friday in connection with a shooting on the 3400 block of Hillras Way in Fortuna. An armed and dangerous warning regarding Coen was issued to the media.

The Humboldt County Sheriff's Office was notified at 8:15 a.m. Friday that a man was being treated for a gunshot wound at a local hospital. A short time later, the vehicle Coen was believed to be driving was spotted by the Fortuna Police Department. Fortuna police officers saw a man flee the white SUV after he parked it on Rocky Mountain Road, south of the Van Duzen River bridge, an earlier press release stated....

Charles Albert Kesselring, 24, was arrested on suspicion of battery on a peace officer, making threats against an executive officer, obstructing/resisting a peace officer, and a parole violation.

◼ HCSO Press Release

Coen
◼ Police search for wanted man after shooting
Kesselring
◼ Bank robbery suspects captured after chase 2.6.09
Two bank robbery suspects' attempted getaway ended after about 15 minutes Thursday when a Shasta County sheriff's deputy rammed their minivan with his squad car...The suspects were identified Thursday afternoon as Nathaniel Patrick Smith, 32, and Charles Albert Kesselring III, 42. The suspects' cities of residence weren't available....