NEWS

Brian M. Cooper sentenced to two consecutive life terms

Samantha Hernandez
USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin

A Plainfield, Ill., man was sentenced in Door County Circuit Court Thursday to two consecutive life sentences without parole for the murder of his pregnant friend and her unborn baby.

Brian M. Cooper, 37, was found guilty in May of two counts of first-degree intentional homicide for the Aug. 19, 2012, strangulation death of Alisha Bromfield, 21, also of Plainfield, and her unborn baby, Ava. He was not the baby's father. Cooper killed Bromfield at a Nasewaupee resort after he spent the night drinking heavily. The two were in town to attend his sister Kellie Stryker's wedding.

Brian M. Cooper is escorted from a Door County courtroom after being sentenced to two consecutive life prison terms for killing Alisha Bromfield, 21, and her unborn daughter, whom she planned to call Ava.

Thursday's sentencing encompasses both the guilty verdict for third-degree sexual assault from Cooper's first trial and the two guilty verdicts for first-degree intentional homicide. The sexual assault charge was filed because Cooper had sex with the body.

Before handing down the sentence, Judge D. Todd Ehlers spoke of several things Cooper said and did that he did not think spoke well of Cooper's "character."

This included the spy cameras Cooper used to record Bromfield in Door County and his Plainfield home, changing the password on his phone to Bromfield's birthday after they came to Door County, and Cooper's statement to the judge Thursday.

"The final character issue, which I didn't know how this was all going to come down this afternoon, Mr. Cooper. But I just heard your statement, I listened to you read your poems," Ehlers said. "I didn't hear an apology to the family of Alisha and Ava … and that is troubling for me. It doesn't speak well, sir, of your character."

He also played a video that had been used in the trial of Cooper hiding a spy camera in the bathroom garbage can of the hotel room that he and Bromfield were sharing.

"What I realized as I watched that during the first trial and I watched during the second trial, is that that's the last view that Alisha Bromfield had as you were straddled over her body, as you were strangling the life out of her," Ehlers said. "She looked up into your eyes just like you were looking into that garbage can. And that just sends chills to me to the point that that is the last thing she saw."

Amy Heisner, Alisha Bromfield’s stepmother, hugs Sherry Anicich, Bromfield’s mother, after Brian M. Cooper was sentenced in Bromfield’s murder.

The judge said several of the letters he received from Bromfield's friends and family referenced this very observation.

Ehlers also spoke about how the forensic pathologist's description of Bromfield's body after the attack impacted him. The doctor's description included details of broken bones, contusions and hematomas, among other injuries.

"That testimony from the doctor about the brutality of this assault and the ultimate murder of Alisha and her child is extremely troubling to me," he said. "I consider, Mr. Cooper, the severity of the whole offense not just the strangulation but the assault you imposed on the body of Alisha Bromfield to be an extremely troubling factor."

A video celebrating Alisha Bromfield’s life was played during the sentencing of Brian M. Cooper, who killed the 21-year-old Plainfield, Ill., woman and her unborn daughter during a visit to Door County. Watching the screen are Cooper and defense attorney John Birdsall.

Besides the two life sentences, Cooper also received a sentence of two years for the sexual assault followed by two years of extended supervision. Cooper will also have to pay restitution of more than $8,000. District Attorney Raymond Pelrine said the funds would be used for funeral expenses.

Pelrine told the press he felted "vindicated" after the sentencing.

"It's not the sort of thing that you can express happiness, joy or excitement about, because it's always been a tragedy every step of the way. And it continues to be and it always will be for the families," he said.

Door County District Attorney Raymond Pelrine listens as Alisha Bromfield’s stepmother, Amy Heisner, reads a statement about the impact of Alisha’s murder.

Pelrine said he could not think of just one moment from the case that he would deem the most difficult.

"I can't really think of one thing. It's been a slog. I don't mean to put myself in any way in the position of the folks in the family. I can't pretend to do that," he said. "But all cases take a bit out of you. A case that goes on for two years – two weeklong trials involving the deaths of a young woman and her unborn child and including the stakes of a person spending the rest of their natural life behind bars – so I can't think of anything that is more taxing, more draining than that."

'Forgiven'

Before Ehlers imposed the sentence, he heard statements from several witnesses and Cooper himself. Connie Cooper spoke on behalf of her son.

"I don't know what God's plan was for my son that day, but I know God has forgiven him," she said. She read comments from Cooper's friends and his cousin Reid Paxson Jr., who had testified on Cooper's behalf during the trial.

At one point she told Cooper she loved him and turned to the audience and said the same to Stryker, who was sitting with her husband and Bromfield's family and friends.

Defense attorney John Birdsall appears to become emotional as Sherry Anicich, mother of Alisha Bromfield, presents a statement about losing her daughter. Birdsall’s client Brian M. Cooper was sentenced to two life prison terms Wednesday for killing Bromfield and her unborn daughter.

Cooper used his time to speak to read a written statement and two poems he wrote.

According to Cooper, he and Bromfield enjoyed eating together, taking work trips and going on everyday outings, watching the show "24" and spending time with his dog.

"We both cherished all those days not only because of our dedication to our job but because we enjoyed each other's company," he read.

Cooper said they also talked a lot of about Bromfield's pregnancy.

"She thanked me for all the support I had given her," he said. He praised her strength.

Cooper said "it is extremely difficult" for him to comprehend how such a "horrific event" had occurred.

"Along with all the remorse, regret and shame that streams down through my veins each and every day, I have come to the assumption that there are really no words I can truly say to express how sorry I am that such tragedy did happen and the fact that I did cause the death of Alisha and Ava Bromfield," he said, his voice breaking. "There was never even for a second any intention or plan of this. I will show with my actions that I will eternally show with my love both of these beautiful women."

Victim impact

Bromfield's parents and one of her friends spoke to the judge about the impact of her death.

"The emotional pain is difficult to describe ... unless you've lost a child," her mother, Sherry Anicich, said.

During their statements Cooper looked red-faced and repeatedly dabbed at his nose and eyes. He stared at the people as they delivered their statements. He did not appear to look at his mother much during her statement.

The family also showed a video featuring movies and photos of Bromfield at different stages of her life.

One of the last scenes in the video was of Bromfield waving goodbye.

Contact Samantha Hernandez at svhernande@doorcountyadvocate.com or (920) 743-3321, Ext. 112.