Violent Offender Wanted For Rape Turns Himself In To Pittsburgh Police
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Pittsburgh Police say a violent offender accused of rape has turned himself in to police.
Michael Cooper, 48, is facing five charges including rape, sexual assault, recklessly endangering another person, indecent assault and indecent exposure. He is in the Allegheny County Jail.
KDKA was there Wednesday when he turned himself in. He did not say anything about the charges he is facing.
Cooper, who was working maintenance at the Residence Inn by Marriott across from PNC Park, is accused of forcibly raping a guest in her room Sunday night.
"I spoke with my client last night, and we turned him in just a few moments ago. I haven't read much on his case. I have looked at the affidavit," said attorney Carmen Robinson.
According to the affidavit, shortly after 10 p.m. on Sunday, Cooper performed some routine maintenance in the woman's room, and then sexually assaulted her, kissing her and fondling her breasts against her will.
The affidavit details him throwing the woman on the bed and raping her. The woman told police that she could not breathe and said this out loud to Cooper multiple times but he persisted.
And court records say he has a violent past. Cooper was convicted in the 1993 stabbing death of his then-girlfriend, 15-year-old Ovella Ramseur of Clairton. According to an account in the Pittsburgh Post Gazette, Cooper called it an accident, but a jury convicted him of first-degree murder. He was 20 years old at the time and sentenced to seven to 20 years in prison.
Since his release, he has had other convictions for burglary, receiving stolen property and most recently simple assault for which he was given one year on probation a year ago. But despite this criminal record, he told his attorneys that he was never convicted of murder.
"We're not sure that the Michael Cooper that they are looking for, in terms of having that background, is the same Michael Cooper in question," said Robinson.
But according to court records, he is one in the same person. Cooper was arraigned Wednesday afternoon, and he is being held without bail.
He faces a preliminary hearing on Aug. 12.
