Court of Appeals says convict deserves redo with lighter sentence

DETROIT (AP) -- In an unusual remedy, Wayne County prosecutors have been told to reopen a 2003 case and offer a plea bargain that carries a significantly shorter prison sentence. A federal appeals court agreed Tuesday that Anthony Cooper got bad advice from his lawyer. He went to trial, was convicted of assault with intent to murder and isn't eligible for release until 2020. The rejected plea deal carried a possible prison sentence of less than five years. Cooper's appellate lawyer, Valerie Newman, says it's now possible he soon could be eligible for parole. The appeals court says Cooper's constitutional rights were violated by the ineffectiveness of his trial attorney. The Michigan attorney general's office says it's reviewing the decision. Published: Thu, May 13, 2010

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