Defendant Jason Cooke appeared in Starke Circuit Court last week for a plea agreement and sentencing hearing, but Judge Kim Hall rejected the proposed agreement between Cooke and the State.
Cooke was arrested in October 2015 in an alleged robbery and beating of Sescoe Wireman of Knox at a home in the 100 block of East 500 South in Knox. Cooke is accused of hitting Wireman in the head and taking money, prescription medication, an Indiana ID card, and multiple credit cards from him. Wireman died following the alleged incident.
Cooke was initially charged with murder, robbery and aggravated battery in the case, but Prosecutor Nicholas Bourff said previously that the murder charge was dropped in February of this year. He said the forensic pathologist determined that she could not connect the alleged battery with his death.
According to an order of finding filed in Starke Circuit Court, the proposed plea agreement called for a sentence in the Indiana Department of Corrections of 15 years on a count of robbery as a Level 2 felony. The 15 year sentence in the plea agreement is less than the statutory range of a Level 2 felony which is between 10 and 30 years with an advisory sentence of 17.5 years.
The order also states that no witnesses were called and evidence on a second expert opinion on whether the Cooke caused Wireman’s death was not given. The court document states that a situation of this magnitude requires a second opinion from an independent expert witness.
The victim’s representative, his daughter, told Prosecutor Nicholas Bourff that she did not agree with the plea agreement as stated in the court order.
When given an opportunity to speak, Cooke did not acknowledge that he inflicted any harm to Wireman, according to court documents.
The matter will either be heard in another plea agreement setting or it will be set for trial.
