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Jarred Cooks is a 27-year-old Kenosha man, who like many Wisconsin natives, enjoys to fish, hunt and loves the second amendment. Cooks has been a concealed carry holder for many years. He is a law-abiding citizen and has never been arrested or convicted of any crime before the incident in this report. He has family members that live in the most dangerous area in Kenosha – 61st St on Kenosha’s east side. There is a violent Kenosha street gang called “61st St Gang” that holds that area hostage.
When Cooks visits his family in that neighborhood, he carries his firearm. Of course, he wished he would never have to use it, but he felt a little safer with the firearm. In the summer of 2020, there were about 136 reported shootings in Kenosha. This was a very deadly summer for the City with many shootings and murders. Cooks was well-aware of this trend.
In the early hours of Wednesday, May 27, 2020, Cooks and his cousin were on the porch of his cousin’s home talking with friends. There we some younger kids sitting on their porch next door too. It was a beautiful Summer evening.
Out of nowhere, two cars turned onto 61st st and began to approach Cooks and his family, one from the east, and one from the west. The two cars started spraying bullets and Cooks and his cousin, the younger neighbors were also shot at. Dozens of bullets were flying eastbound and westbound.
Cooks and his cousin, both were legally carrying firearms. Both said to police that they were almost sure they were about to die. They shot back at the two cars. They were still shaken up and in shock, they did not remember exactly where they shot at. Here are some crime scene photos of the scene. The white sedan in the driveway was riddled with bullet holes that were shot west-bound and there were bullet holes on the home and porch coming from both the west and east, proving to police that there were at least two drive-by shooters.
In the wooden spindles on the porch, there were several bullets lodged in them, suggesting that if they weren’t there, this may have been a double homicide. There were bullets found in one of the car-seats.
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Kenosha Police entered the house that was shot up. They located several adults and several juveniles – most who didn’t live there, but sought shelter within. Kenosha Police didn’t have much to go on as far as a description of the drive-by shooters’ vehicles – it is KCE’s belief that the shooters were never identified or arrested. Kenosha POlice ended up arresting almost all of the people there and using a city bus to bring them to the police station. It seems like KPD decided to let the prosecutors (lawyers) decide who, if anyone to charge. Cooks’ cousin, who shot back, just like Cooks did, was released with no charges.
(File Photo by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye)
Cooks, however, was charged by Kenosha County DA Mike Graveley’s (D) office with 1st degree reckless endangering safety with “dangerous weapon” enhancer. Cooks was released on bail and will go to trial this spring. He is at risk of spending almost two decades behind bars – for shooting at two cars that were spraying bullets at him. According to witnesses at the scene, the house Cooks and his cousin were at, was not even the intended target. The wrong house was shot up.
Cooks is represented by seasoned criminal defense attorney Denise Hertz-McGrath who is very good at trial. Lawyers who have reviewed this case think that Graveley’s politics-induced policies will back-fire again, just like with Kyle Rittenhouse. Graveley always personally prosecuted the high-profile cases. Not when he knows they’re losers, like with Kyle Rittenhouse and the “Black Kyle Rittenhouse.” Graveley passed this case off to his second in charge, Carli McNeill, who is running next year for the DA position. Knowing that she can’t win this case either, she passed it off to prosecutor Jessica Krejcarek. Krejcarek has recently received this case and is a reasonable prosecutor. Let’s hope she does the right thing, if Graveley lets her.
Just like Rittenhouse, Cooks was in fear of his life. Just like Rittenhouse, Cooks was armed. Just like Rittenhouse, Cooks defended himself. Just like Rittenhouse, Cooks was in the only county in Wisconsin that prosecutes obvious self-defense. Just like Rittenhouse, Graveley wants to put Cooks away in prison because of politics. Just like Rittenhouse, Cooks may just get a not-guilty verdict at the very end of Graveley’s career of being an activist prosecutor.
KCE spoke to Cooks, who has a great job, supportive family and bright future ahead. He is very scared and confused why Kenosha DA Mike Graveley wants him in prison. “I avoided trouble my whole life. I am a good person. Why use me to prove a point that you don’t like citizens having guns for protection? It’s our right under Wisconsin Law and under the constitution.”
Although Cooks’ trial has been delayed several times, it is scheduled for April, 8, 2024.
29 Responses
SORRY BUT MY IDEA IS IF YOU SHOT AT ME AND I SHOT BACK YOU MAY THINK TWICE IF YOU DO IT AGAIN
THE ONLY REASON THESE THUGS GO AFTER PEOPLE IS BECAUSE THEY DONT THINK THAT YOU WILL PROTECT YOURSELF
GRAVELY WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO PROTECT ARE SELF !!!! IF YOU KNOW THIS IS A ISSUE ON 61ST AND THERE IS A GANG THAT HOLDS THE AREA HOSTAGE WHY DONT THE CITY STOP IT . CLEAN IT UP , LEVEL IT …
USING ALL CAPS MEANS SERIOUS BUSINESS ON THE SERIES OF TUBES!
AMEN!
61th street gang? Get real. This is Kenosha, the cops need to actually do something to get rid of these little shithole gangs with 10 people in them. Do more.
Most cops try, but it’s the DA that doesn’t charge them.
Support Israel with money
Any word on Steinbrink?
If Gravely, McNeil and the gang who can’t shoot straight that is the Kenosha DA’s office insist on going to trial with this loser case, then an organized campaign should be made to make sure McNeil never gets elected to the DA position.
Would Castle Doctrine come into play or is that only if one steps actual foot on property?
That is a really good question
Its hard to say. Castle Doctrine applies when its your “dwelling”. Since its not his house, but his cousin’s. I don’t know if that would qualify as your dwelling. Perhaps because he was ‘dwelling’ there at the time. I think you could try to make this legal argument.
Also with castle doctrine the person to whom force was used against had to be “in the actors dwelling after unlawfully and forcibly entering it”.
I think that would be a tougher argument to make.
I don’t think there is a lot of case law yet in Wisconsin, but I think its unlikely castle doctrine would apply.
https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/statutes/statutes/939/iii/48
– Nik Clark
-Chairman/President – Wisconsin Carry, Inc.
Pretty sure there is a law out there that states you can legally defend yourself if someone is shooting at you, but yeah, probably not the Castle Doctrine( although I think it should).
Castle doctrine only applies when you’re at YOUR OWN home;. Cooks was not. Not sure whether it applies when the assault is coming from off-premises, but that MIGHT be the reason he’s charged and the other defender not.
As another concealed carry holder and as one who has taken multiple pistol self-defense classes, Cooks should be protected by the Castle Doctrine and by the fact that he was trying to save his life from an attack. Rather than the police eradicating that dangerous gang, they go after law-abiding citizens. How shameful. I will pray that Cooks is found not guilty and that Gravely is rightly humiliated. It is unconscionable that the criminals go free here but the good people are persecuted.
If shot at you shoot back as fast and as hard as you can. With practice you won’t miss.
Gangs, bullshit. ****** gone wild.
You got a long article here, but left out what could be an important part in determining the strength of the case against him – what exactly is he charged with? I suspect it is not the same as Rittenhouse.
Good point. I just added it.
I respect your reporting Kevin but this isn’t even close to the same as Rittenhouse. Rittenhouse was face-to-face with each of his attackers and was able to isolate each of his assailants. From the info in the post, Mr. Cooks was firing at a car, “They shot back at the two cars.” He didn’t have an isolated assailant to use deadly force against, to defend himself or a 3rd party.
If there were someone in the car not shooting at him (baby-mama with baby in her arms) and Cooks hit that person, he’d be guilty of attempted murder or murder (depending if person survived).
If he missed the car (or bullet passed through the car) and hit a neighbor across the street, he’d be guilty of whatever level of injury/death against that person.
Let’s turn it around; if you’re driving down the street and someone begins shooting at you from the window of a house, you can’t just fire up the whole house or even the same window the shots were coming from.
I appreciate your viewpoint Bob. I respectfully disagree and I’m looking forward to seeing what the jury decides in this case
The only comparison that’s needed is he’s also getting charged for self defense in Kenosha by Gravely.
rite rite
This is NOWHERE near the same case as Rittenhouse. Come on……. What a joke.
what is he charged with
Love your bio, Mr. Mathewson!
Wtf this shouldn’t even go to trial , wasting my tax dollars
From Kenosha, I now live in an unnamed flyover state. Many months ago, a thief boosted a 12-pack from a Kwik Trip equivalent. Confronted by a security guard, the thief flashed the handgun he had in his waistband. Security shot him in the chest. Dead Right There. No charges filed in this 2A state. THAT is how crime is handled here.