People v. Cooper

Defendant Aaron Cooper was found in direct contempt of court for refusing to testify at trial. The trial court imposed a six-month sentence to be served consecutively to a previously imposed six-year sentence for an unrelated offense. Defendant now appeals the order finding him in contempt of court, and he contends he asserted a valid fifth amendment privilege against self-incrimination for crimes of murder, obstruction of justice and perjury.

On October 13, 1986, Rodney “Pretty Boy” Williams was found shot to death in an empty apartment occasionally used by drug addicts as a “shooting…