Nancy Cooper, 34, of Cary, N.C. #27

[Bob&Bob]

A couple points to add:

-Jennifer only came forward because she saw the deposition online and believed (like me) that Brad was giving a false name intentionally because he knows the circumstances of their relationship and breakup. He didn't want anyone to contact her for her story. She thought coming forward was the right thing to do... she doesn't want to be a public person as a result of this. She has had to take down her facebook page due to unwanted attention as a result of her affidavit. She has continued to decline press interviews. Please respect her privacy media! (I know you media types read this because some of you have contacted me as well... I have nothing to say to you, sorry, and I know you're just doing your job.)

-Ironically, had Brad not lied about her name, she probably wouldn't have felt the need to contact Ms. Stubbs. She felt morally obliged to set the record straight given how important and grave the circumstances are.

-I can tell you I was aware of some of Brad's treatment of her many years ago (through comments and discussions after the break up, and long before this year), and would personally vouch that Jennifer is a stand up person who has no motive to lie or to punish Brad. She is happily married with two children. Her relationship with Brad is long in the past. What she is saying now is fully consistent with what she said shortly after they broke up.

-On the issue of abuse throughout the relationship, I understand it was fairly subtle at first ("you need to lose weight"), which is something a lot of people wouldn't call abuse until after they're out of the relationship. Jennifer is a tall, very attractive blonde, and Brad had never had it so good. In my opinion (and of our group of friends), he poured on the charm to her to lock her up because she was a good catch (we thought she was too good for him), but despite that, his passive-aggressive nature came through, as well as his unbridled narcissism. Eventually she realized she wasn't in love, or if she was, she was headed for disaster, and she got out despite her feelings. Once those feelings subsided, she leveled with herself. EDIT: I agree the sweeping generalization in her affidavit about abuse is unfortunate. It was done too quickly, it seems they were working on a deadline.

-I've wanted to make this comment for a long time, but haven't: I am absolutely stunned that Brad would participate in this custody battle since it will likely contribute to his conviction. Here we have law enforcement getting a free pass by the fifth amendment and being able to observe Brad committing to facts in the kind of detail he would never be compelled to provide in the criminal case. At first, I thought it was because maybe he really didn't do it. But the more I watch, the more I think he just thought there was no way he'd get convicted anyway, and went for broke. I think he convinced his lawyers that he didn't do it, so they didn't advise him strongly enough not to pursue custody until the potential criminal proceedings were dealt with. Now that Brad is getting tangled up in lies and inconsistencies, I'm positive his lawyers are regretting letting Brad participate in the custody case. Even if he didn't commit the murder, letting him participate was a bad idea from a criminal law perspective --- see here: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4097602514885833865

Now that Brad is in the process, and his lawyers are seeing Brad tripping himself up, it will be interesting to see how they deal with this. They're currently on a heavy locomotive, on a one way railroad that ends with a drop off a cliff.

Was she fat?

 

[SleuthyGal]

Calgary123,

Your thoughtful posts just blow me away. Thank you for taking the time to write and give us a view into these other folks surrounding the case.

And please give a heartfelt THANK YOU to Jennifer for doing what she felt was important to do and her willingness to put herself and her reputation on the line! I see no reason for someone long past a rel'p, and with no 'dog in the fight' so to speak, to manufacture or outright lie about events that transpired in their life long ago. She told her story, she is subject to examination and cross-examination, and I can't see why she would lie about her past rel'p. She has nothing to gain by lying, and a whole lot to lose by being less than candid in a high-profile custody case.

So hats off to Jennifer AND to you too!

But the more I watch, the more I think he just thought there was no way he'd get convicted anyway, and went for broke. I think he convinced his lawyers that he didn't do it, so they didn't advise him strongly enough not to pursue custody until the potential criminal proceedings were dealt with. Now that Brad is getting tangled up in lies and inconsistencies, I'm positive his lawyers are regretting letting Brad participate in the custody case. Even if he didn't commit the murder, letting him participate was a bad idea from a criminal law perspective

I've been stunned by this myself because he has his life at stake and this is such a huge risk. But at the end of the day the lawyers will get their payment, they will continue to sleep in their nice beds in their homes, and the only one who is facing conviction is Brad. If he insisted this was the way he wanted to play it out then they can't force him to do something else. And if he decided he could 'nuance' the facts (or even outright lie) that's all on him too because no attorney would suggest any client lie. This is the biggest gamble of his life.

 

[SleuthyGal]

This is really bad. You probably should get a lawyer (seriously...state of NC doesn't play with speeding in school zones).

Yah...I've been educated about this tonight. Y'all come visit me in :behindbar okay?

So if DD got deposed then I guess all of NC friends who did an affidavit had to also.
Does this mean that K&B got to do them?

My question too! She doesn't say for which side...

 

[Bob&Bob]

eyesforlies emailed me this evening and let me know that she looked at a few segments of Brad's deposition and posted her analysis.

Here is what she had to say.

I've been worrying about the laundry thing.

And all those towels.

 

[Anderson]

Calgary123,

Your thoughtful posts just blow me away. Thank you for taking the time to write and give us a view into these other folks surrounding the case.

And please give a heartfelt THANK YOU to Jennifer for doing what she felt was important to do and her willingness to put herself and her reputation on the line! I see no reason for someone long past a rel'p, and with no 'dog in the fight' so to speak, to manufacture or outright lie about events that transpired in their life long ago. She told her story, she is subject to examination and cross-examination, and I can't see why she would lie about her past rel'p. She has nothing to gain by lying, and a whole lot to lose by being less than candid in a high-profile custody case.

So hats off to Jennifer AND to you too!

I want to second that! Thanks to both you and Jennifer for weighing in. Clearly J did not have to file the affidavit and I think that it is amazing that she went out of her way.

 

[ncnative]

Well, Eyesforlies hasn't said anything new that WS people haven't already said or thought, or at least speaking for myself. (To add: I just don't use her terminology of "neutral". I do see Brad's manifestations of abnormal psychological traits. We all have. Detached, aloof, arrogant, blah blah blah and more.)

Didn't I say there would be more from the Canadians? And there will and there is. There's plenty more.

 

[CyberPro]

Yah...I've been educated about this tonight. Y'all come visit me in :behindbar okay?

SG,

I'll bring you a file with a cake in it :cake4u: ... or maybe that is supposed to be a cake with a file in it... been watching too many BC deposition videos, the "memory of a goldfish" virus has hit!

CyberPro

 

[calgary123]

Just for the heck of it, I googled Brads other stated girlfriend, Taylene Lyon. The one he couldnt find to give a reference. She came up first in the google search

http://www.jazzconnect.com/competition/wsvc/taylene.htm

 

[MoonFlwr]

Just for the heck of it, I googled Brads other stated girlfriend, Taylene Lyon. The one he couldnt find to give a reference. She came up first in the google search

http://www.jazzconnect.com/competition/wsvc/taylene.htm

Yeah, isn't that interesting. I saw it a few days ago when someone posted the link.

 

[momto3kids]

Yah...I've been educated about this tonight. Y'all come visit me in :behindbar okay?

A little birdie told me I had jury duty coming in mid November...so maybe I will see you around the courthouse. :crazy:
Better yet, maybe I will be present when Big Bad Brad comes thru. :clap:
Now that would make my day!

 

[momto3kids]

Yeah, isn't that interesting. I saw it a few days ago when someone posted the link.

I wonder if she is even aware of all this going on or that he has mentioned her name. Can you imagine thinking life is wonderful, only to be indirectly connected to a murder case by having your name being brought out publicly? She might be in for a huge shock

 

[SleuthyGal]

From the news article Fran posted in the media thread:

"Nancy Cooper's family claims that Brad Cooper frequently yelled at their daughter and belittled her."

I assume this is the oldest daughter they are referring to. Without a witness to this behavior I don't know how one can prove the assertion.

 

[RaleighNC]

Well, something just doesn't jive with me to have a situation where a relationship is apparently so good that there are plans to marry within a year yet to then claim that the whole relationship consisted of emotional abuse. It sounds like revisionist history. But, that's just me.

No one starts out like a complete jerk. The early part of the relationship is GOOD. In fact, usually the extra attention of someone that is controlling is "flattering" - and it's that honeymoon part of the relationship that you WANT to spend all the time together anyway - so it's looked at as commitment.

Then - there's an argument, usually followed by a huge flourish for the make up part - flowers, dinner, sincere apology. Also apparently sincere.

No one says these abusers are not charming - they are. In a way, they are relationship scam artists. Scam artists get away with things because they earn trust, because they are "likable" and emotional abusers are the same.

they don't start out calling you a (fill in the blank here) it happens gradually. And over the course of that time, they've slowly isolated you from your friends (and of course - you were somewhat willing in the beginning) and really dinged your confidence. There HAS to be some personality trait of these women, too - perhaps another form of perfectionism ("I can make this work" or something), but when it happens, it's a perfect storm.

So - someone being emotionally abusive, and having long term relationships is not exclusive. We haven't found a way to either make them wear a t-shirt or be branded - so it's not always easy to spot them because they can be quite charming, especially at first.

 

[jmflu]

Well, something just doesn't jive with me to have a situation where a relationship is apparently so good that there are plans to marry within a year yet to then claim that the whole relationship consisted of emotional abuse. It sounds like revisionist history. But, that's just me.

I think that's why so many people say to date a year before you consider marrying the person. Because many people can keep up the honeymoon phase THAT LONG.

In fact, it took me longer than that to find out my boyfriend at the time was lying to me about everything under the sun!!! Talk about shock!

So, SleuthSayer, it is entirely possible NC dated BC for a long time and never saw any signs until later. And by the time you have that much history, some people can marginalize that behavior by weighing it against the way the person acted the year prior and coming out in favor of the abuser.

It's not as black and white, cut and dried, as you may think.

 

[jmflu]

I thought the same thing. It's more likely she moved out because Brad and Nancy were living together in the same building and she didn't want to be reminded of the fact that BC was with someone else on a daily basis.

Hell hath no fury...

So, you're saying you think she lied in her affidavit?

 

[maconrich]

I think that's why so many people say to date a year before you consider marrying the person. Because many people can keep up the honeymoon phase THAT LONG.
(respectfully snipped)It's not as black and white, cut and dried, as you may think.

I wonder if Nancy would have married him if they'd been able to wait until the planned date -- (instead of the rushed wedding due to the job offer in NC). Sadly, I'm inclined to think she too would have woken up and ran in the opposite direction like his other ex's did...

 

[reddress58]

From the news article Fran posted in the media thread:

"Nancy Cooper's family claims that Brad Cooper frequently yelled at their daughter and belittled her."

I assume this is the oldest daughter they are referring to. Without a witness to this behavior I don't know how one can prove the assertion.

SG, the family is refering to Nancy. She is their daughter. They're not talking about the little girls.

 

[jmflu]

was she fat?

wtf?!

 

[RaleighNC]

I find it interesting that there are folks that automatically assume that all the affiants are lying while they have nothing truly to gain by lying, or at most they can save face or have their story heard, but they are not central players and their lives or their children's futures are not at risk.

Yet, these same folks seem to think that the key person, who has the most to lose, who is statistically the most likely to have perpetrated a crime is the most likely to be truthful.

I am totally OK with innocent until proven guilty - but we're not applying this the same to the defendant and the affiants - we're not applying the same scrutiny to them, and we're not viewing them ALL with the same level of skepticism.

Odd.

 

[jmflu]

From the news article Fran posted in the media thread:

"Nancy Cooper's family claims that Brad Cooper frequently yelled at their daughter and belittled her."

I assume this is the oldest daughter they are referring to. Without a witness to this behavior I don't know how one can prove the assertion.

Are you saying you assume they are referring to someone other than Nancy??