Press  Release

 

 

For release: Immediate

For more information contact: James Reams: 642-4249                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

 

Former State Senator Cohen to Plea Guilty

 

Brentwood – December 3, 2007

County Attorney Jim Reams announced today that former State Senator Burt Cohen plead guilty to the changes originally filed against him by the Portsmouth Police Department in the Superior Court.  Cohen had previously been found guilty of charges of Resisting Arrest and Disobeying a Police Officer in the Portsmouth District Court, however, Cohen appealed to the Superior Court for a jury trial on the charges. The sentences imposed as a result of the entry of the negotiated plea were:

1.    Resisting Arrest: $1,000.00 fine with $500.00 suspended upon good behavior and completion of the community service, plus a 10% penalty assessment, 80 hours of community service supervised by the Probation Department to be completed within 12 months.

 

2.    Disobeying a Police Officer: $500.00 fine plus 10% penalty assessment.

"I agreed to community service rather than the jail sentence because I think that the admission of guilt and the requirement that Cohen actively perform 80 hours of community service under the direction of the Department of Corrections is more significant, under these circumstances, than a suspended jail sentence.  Also driving my decision is the Superior Court case backlog and an attempt to balance our use of those limited resources", said Reams.