AMPAS member Jeffrey Cooper convicted of child molestation

Jeffrey Cooper, an engineer and member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, was convicted after a jury trial on three counts of felony child molestation, Los Angeles Times I mentioned Friday.

The jury’s verdict came May 20 in Los Angeles Superior Court in Van Nuys. Cooper was arrested four years ago and charged with eight counts of two children. Judge Alan Schneider declared the trial invalid on the five charges brought by the second child.

Cooper pleaded not guilty to all charges. He will be sentenced on June 1 and could face up to 12 years in prison. The newspaper reported that he was being held without bail because the judge considered him an escape risk.

Cooper was involved in building the studio, sound mixing facilities, and sound design for theatres. The victim said Cooper positioned himself as a music teacher but molested her in a recording studio when she was 12 or 13.

After the verdict was pronounced, Dave Ring, attorney for the defendants, said, “The families are clearly disappointed that the jury did not convict one victim, but they are very happy to see the jury convicted of at least the second victim. It was very satisfying for them to see Cooper returned Immediately to prison for what he did. They have gone through nothing less than hell in the past four years of criminal proceedings,” according to The Times.

Cooper was appointed a member of AMPAS in 2002. His felony convictions triggered an internal review process for the Academy, which would almost certainly end in his expulsion from the Hollywood establishment. The Academy, like other industry organizations, has had to toughen its behavioral standards for members in the wake of the discoveries of #MeToo and other cultural movements.

An AMPAS representative did not immediately respond to a request for comment.



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