Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, April 30, 1993 TAG: 9304300291
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: LON WAGNER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: ROCKY MOUNT LENGTH: Short
But on Jan. 4, during a game of "quick draw" in the basement of Cooper's home, Cooper shot Clingenpeel in the chest.
Clingenpeel died, and now his father, Jack, is suing Cooper and his mother for $307,000.
A lawsuit that Clingenpeel's parents filed in Franklin County Circuit Court last week claims 18-year-old Michael Cooper's reckless handling of a .22-caliber pistol resulted in Clingenpeel's death.
The Clingenpeels are asking Cooper and his mother to pay $50,000 for financial loss, $150,000 for mental anguish and $7,209.63 for their son's funeral expenses. They also are suing Michael Cooper for $100,000 in punitive damages.
The lawsuit says the pistol belonged to Autrey Cooper, who allowed her son to have it even though she knew Michael was "not of sufficient maturity" to possess a gun.
Cooper pleaded no contest in Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court on March 16 to a misdemeanor charge of reckless handling of a firearm.
He was sentenced to a year in jail and fined $2,500, but that sentence was suspended on the condition Cooper not possess a gun for two years.
Autrey Cooper was not available for comment Thursday. In the days following Clingenpeel's death, she said her son was "going through a living hell."
Clingenpeel was shot as he and Cooper were competing to see which one could pull a pistol out of a holster faster.
Clingenpeel had a BB gun.
The pistol fired, striking Clingenpeel just below the throat.
He died minutes later.
Keywords:
FATALITY
by CNB