The criminal trial for Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) director John Cooper has been pushed back again in Marshall County.
Cooper was arrested in June after a neighbor claimed he threatened to shoot him over a land dispute concerning an easement. Cooper, 76, of Langston, was charged with misdemeanor harassment/intimidation.
A civil suit was filed by Cooper in the name of his company, South Sauty Creek Resort, Inc., against the neighbor who pressed criminal charges against him, Gerald Carter. The suit also names Carter's wife and First State Bank, where the Carters' mortgage is held. Cooper claims the easement the Carters are trying to use to gain access to their property does not exist. The suit claims the Carters trespassed on Cooper's property after a warning.
Carter told 1819 News the easement was deeded to his family and that Cooper's wife previously signed a conveyance on the property.
Since an ongoing civil case has yet to be decided, both parties asked the judge in the case to reset the trial. According to a motion filed, the attorneys asked for the criminal case to be continued until May because the bench trial for the civil case isn't until May 24, 2024.
Marshall County District Judge Mitchell Floyd granted the motion to continue but only reset the bench trial for Feb. 21, 2024.
To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email erica.thomas@1819news.com.
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