ajohnson@minotdailynews.com
Donald Lee Cooper Jr., 28, has been extradited back to Minot from Wisconsin to face accomplice to murder and attempted murder charges.
Cooper made an initial appearance Wednesday before Judge Gary Lee on Class AA felony accomplice to murder in the Jan. 12, 2020 shooting death in Minot of Dominick Stephens, Class A felony attempted murder of Stephens’ passenger, Class C felony reckless endangerment, and Class C felony terrorizing charges.
According to court documents in the Ward County case, Cooper and co-defendant Michael Lamart Dennis II had been involved in a physical altercation on Jan. 12, 2020 with Stephens’ passenger at an area hotel. That led to a car chase throughout northwest Minot, with Cooper and Dennis firing at the car driven by Stephens. The car Cooper and Dennis were in was driven by Marcus Jermaine Lee. Stephens was shot twice in the back and crashed his vehicle into a boulder in front of the Minot State University Dome at 6:07 a.m.
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ajohnson@minotdailynews.com
Donald Lee Cooper Jr., 28, who is wanted on accomplice to murder and attempted murder charges in Minot, was sentenced on Wednesday in state court in Milwaukee, Wis., to 25 years in prison on two second degree reckless homicide charges.
Wisconsin court records show that Cooper was sentenced to 19 years on one count, with a requirement that he serve 13 years, followed by six years of probation. On the second count, which is consecutive to the first sentence, he was sentenced to 18 years in prison, with a requirement that he serve 12 years, followed by six years of probation. He has also been ordered to complete 500 hours of community service while he is on probation and not to possess any firearms. He will receive credit for the 320 days he has served in the Milwaukee County Jail since April 2020.