BANNING (CNS) – Pretrial motions began today ahead of jury selection
for the trial of a 40-year-old convicted felon accused of chasing down and
shooting his roommate during an altercation that erupted over money at their
Hemet apartment.
Dante Trimell Cooper was arrested in March 2022 after the alleged
attack in the 300 block of West Kimball Avenue, near State Street.
Cooper is charged with attempted murder, being a felon in possession
of a loaded gun and sentence-enhancing gun and great bodily injury allegations.
The defendant’s case was assigned Wednesday to the courtroom of
Riverside County Superior Court Judge Jorge Hernandez at the Banning Justice
Center.
Hernandez received motions from the prosecution and defense regarding
witnesses, scheduling and evidence. Proceedings were slated to continue
Thursday, with opening arguments expected early next week.
Cooper is being held in lieu of $1 million bail at the Byrd Detention
Center in Murrieta.
According to Hemet police Lt. Nathan Miller, about 4:30 p.m. on March
2, 2022, Cooper was involved in a heated exchange with his roommate, identified
only as a 42-year-old man with the initials “J.M.,” at their Kimball Avenue
apartment.
Miller said that the argument, connected to cost sharing, escalated
into a fight, and the roommate “hit (the defendant) in the face and head and
began running.”
“(Cooper) chased after the man and then shot him several times,” the
lieutenant alleged.
Patrol officers reached the location within a couple of minutes and
found the victim wounded but conscious, according to Miller.
He said the man pointed out Cooper, who was nearby, and the defendant
was taken into custody without a struggle.
The victim underwent surgery at a regional trauma center and has since
recovered.
Cooper was treated for his injuries and transported to the Murrieta jail.
Court records show that he has prior felony convictions in another
jurisdiction, but they weren’t specified. Copyright 2023, City News Service, Inc.
