NAACP Calls on County Attorney to Drop Man’s Firearms Charge

DULUTH, Minn. – Duluth’s branch of the NAACP is calling on St. Louis County Attorney Kim Maki to drop a firearms charge against a convicted felon. They claim the man is being treated “unreasonably harshly in part based on the fact that he is black.”

NAACP President Classie Dudley held a press conference about the issue outside of the courthouse Thursday. The defendant, Steven Cooper, was also there. He was arrested by Duluth police last July for being a felon in possession of a firearm.

But Cooper says he found the gun while cleaning out his brother’s car who had recently died. Cooper called his parole officer about it, who then called police, who then made the arrest.

Cooper shot two convenience store clerks in Duluth in 2006 during a robbery. He was also convicted in 2010 of two counts of attempted first-degree murder.

Minnesota state law strictly prohibits a felon from having any type of possession of a firearm regardless of one’s intentions. Cooper says he was simply trying to do the right thing.

“For my good deed though, for contributing to public safety I was charged. I was booked into the local county jail, given an unreasonable bail. That took everything from me, my whole life. Pawned everything that I own to get out of jail. And now, I’m being brought to trial for getting a gun off Duluth streets,” Steven Cooper says.

Click here for the full press release from the NAACP

Click here for the full press release from the St. Louis County Attorney’s Office

Cooper’s attorney and the president of the NAACP also spoke Thursday. They say they believe the severity of the charge isn’t just about Cooper’s past convictions, but also because of the color of his skin.

“I refuse to stand by as an NAACPer from the largest branch of our state and let an innocent man go to prison again for a crime that he did not commit. For a good will citizen to do what they are supposed to do and be charged for it,” NAACP Chapter in Duluth President, Classie Dudley says.

“This is the most ridiculous prosecution I’ve seen in my career and I’m not afraid to take this to a jury if need be. I highly doubt the county attorney’s going to be able to find 12 people in the community stupid enough to think this is a crime,” Steven Cooper’s Attorney, Joe Vaccaro says.

St. Louis County Attorney Kim Maki says Mr. Cooper and the citizens of the county deserve a fair, objective and factual review of the case. She says the investigation is still ongoing with the Duluth Police Department.

Investigators are waiting on forensics to be concluded by the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. Maki’s office hopes to receive the completed evidence by the end of April.

In a written statement Thursday, Maki said her office stands by the decision to charge Cooper for violating the law based on the evidence gathered at that time.

Her statement goes on to say in part, “We remain open to whatever options are warranted when the investigation is completed. We will not, however, make legal decisions based upon community pressure or false and unfounded allegations of racism in charging decisions.”