Relative’s testimony helps quickly convict MS Coast man in child molestation case
It took a Gulfport jury less than an hour to find a man guilty of child molestation charges that happened decades ago.
James Cooper, 70, was found guilty late last week by a Harrison County jury of the charge of sexual battery and touching of a child for lustful purposes, said District Attorney W. Crosby Parker.
Circuit Court Judge Lisa Dodson presided over the three-day trial and sentenced Cooper to life in prison with the Mississippi Department of Corrections.
An adult witness testified that Cooper, a member of the family, had sexually assaulted her in a house in Long Beach when she was 10 years old.
The victim was in school in Missouri when she disclosed the sexual assault to a therapist.
“During their investigation, a detective with the Long Beach Police Department was able to locate three prior victims of the defendant,” said Assistant District Attorney Matthew Burrell, who prosecuted the case with Assistant District Attorney George Peterman.
The three victims, now adults, testified how the defendant sexually assaulted them when they were between 8 and 16 years old.
“The victim showed amazing courage in reporting these crimes to her therapist, to authorities, and participating in the investigation and trial,” the district attorney said. “We commend the other victims as well for testifying about those traumatic experiences they went through as young girls.”
