Denver Broncos linebacker Jonathon Cooper was arrested Thursday night after he allegedly violated a protection order against him that was filed earlier this week, according to Douglas County (Colo.) jail records.
Cooper was arrested on misdemeanor charges of violation of a protection order and harassment (repeated telephone calls) — which came a week after he and his girlfriend were arrested June 4 by Parker Police following an argument and physical confrontation over cell phones.
The protection order Cooper allegedly violated was placed for his girlfriend after two additional charges of felony second-degree assault by strangulation and misdemeanor third-degree assault were added from his June 4 arrest, per court records.
Cooper has a court hearing Friday morning.
“We are disappointed to learn of Jonathon Cooper’s arrest on Thursday and continue to review this matter,” the Broncos said in a statement.
He attended Thursday’s practice for the Broncos’ offseason program — and coach Sean Payton said he had a “long visit” with Cooper about the arrest, according to ESPN.
“And now the process plays out,” Payton said. “The league obviously will be very much involved in that. We’ll stay abreast, but much like you all. I think that’s where it’s at. We just go from there.
“… We’ll stay as informed as possible. We’ll follow the league’s guidelines, and I’m sure a lot of that will be led by the local authorities’ guidelines. We’ll pay attention to all of it.”
Cooper is scheduled to have a motions hearing in a Douglas County courtroom on July 6 with the potential for a jury trial on July 22, according to NFL.com. The Broncos report for training camp in late July.
On Monday, Cooper’s attorney, Harvey Steinberg, said the defense doesn’t plan to file a motion to dismiss the charges and requested a trial date as soon as possible so that Cooper wouldn’t have to miss any training camp workouts.
He is subject to discipline under the NFL’s personal conduct policy.
Cooper pleaded not guilty to his original misdemeanor domestic violence charges on Monday.
According to Cooper’s June 4 arrest affidavit, his girlfriend confronted him about allegations of infidelity and she took his phone and threw it across the room
According to his girlfriend’s arrest affidavit, she claimed Cooper “grabbed her by the neck and held her against the wall for about a minute,” picked her up and threw her on the ground three times.
A police officer stated in the affidavit that marks on Cooper’s girlfriend’s neck and body were not consistent with an assault.
Both affidavits said Cooper bit her phone and caused disabling damage to it.
The seventh-round pick in the 2021 NFL draft posted a Bible verse and an apology on Instagram Saturday.
“I apologize to my family to my friends and my community … And so many others,” he wrote. “I realize posting a bible. Quote after something very serious happens does not just mean everything is okay.”
