Cooper trial: Special prosecutor asks to be taken off case
The special prosecutor in the case of a former Richland County corrections officer accused of causing the death of a jail inmate has asked to be taken off the case.
Forrest Thompson, Medina County prosecutor, filed a motion in Richland County Common Pleas Court on Jan. 12. Thompson asked to withdraw from the Mark Cooper case, adding the attorney general's office has agreed to handle it.
A spokesman for the attorney general's office confirmed the information but declined to comment further.
But before anything happens, Common Pleas Judge Brent Robinson told the News Journal he would schedule a hearing on the matter.
In the motion, Thompson did not offer a reason why he wanted to be taken off the case. He elaborated in a phone interview with the News Journal.
"This isn't a matter of being unwilling to try the case or a lack of confidence," Thompson said. "There's logistics that come into play to retry the case. We had to find the necessary funds to try the case a second time."
Cooper, 57, is charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter, one a first-degree felony, the other a third-degree felony; and reckless homicide, a third-degree felony.
Alexander Rios, 28, was an inmate at the Richland County Jail
His charges are in connection with the death of Alexander Rios, 28, after the inmate was subdued by several corrections officers on Sept. 19, 2019. Rios was in the county jail on a warrant.
In November, a jury deliberated for 12 hours over the course of three days before the foreperson sent a note to Judge Robinson, telling him they could not come to a consensus of any of the three counts Cooper faced.
Robinson scheduled a retrial for April 15.
Rios ran from a holding cell on the date in question, leading several corrections officers to chase him and try to restrain him.
In a jail video, several corrections officers can be seen holding Rios down, stepping and kneeling on his back while an officer punches his head into the concrete floor and they struggle to handcuff him.
Cooper, described during the trial as weighing 250 pounds, stood on Rios' back with both feet, which prosecutors claimed caused his death.
Following the confrontation, Rios was taken to OhioHealth Mansfield Hospital, but he never regained consciousness. His family took him off life support eight days later.
While the matter is pending, Cooper remains out on bond. Defense attorney James Mayer III has asked the judge to modify the bond by removing the electronic monitoring.
Thompson said a second trial is necessary.
"Justice requires the case to be retried. I feel very strongly about that," Thompson said. "The Rios family deserves to have their questions answered. The conduct of Mr. Cooper needs to be vetted by a jury.
"Whatever vehicle gets to that end, I support."
mcaudill@gannett.com
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This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: Ohio Attorney's Office could handle retrial in Rios jail death
