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LWV League of Women Voters of California
Fresno County, CA March 5, 2002 Election
Smart Voter Full Biography for Dennis Cooper

Candidate for
District Attorney; County of Fresno

[photo]
This information is provided by the candidate

Hard Working and Dedicated

Dennis was the first in his family to go beyond a high school education. He worked to support himself through high school, college, and law school. By the time he began his career as a criminal prosecutor, he had worked as an auto mechanic, a truck driver, a bus driver, a steelworker, a leathersmith, a trash collector, a junior high & high school teacher, a cleaning service worker, and a home improvement contractor rendering services in plumbing, carpentry, electrical work, painting, and tile work. During the 14 years Dennis prosecuted murder cases he handled many high profile cases. One of those cases was the Christmastime Fashion Fair murder, which was moved out of county because of the tremendous publicity it received.

Education

Dennis graduated with honors from Rutgers University where he received Phi Beta Kappa Honors, Phi Alpha Theta History Honors, and received national awards for his leadership as an outstanding treasurer and president of fraternal groups. Dennis graduated from the University of California - Hastings Law School where he received a commendation to the State Bar Examiners for his work as a law student.

A Tough, Experienced, and Effective Prosecutor

Dennis has an outstanding record as a criminal prosecutor. He has prosecuted numerous sexual assault cases, child molesters, and physical child abusers. He has also prosecuted arsonists. For 14 years, he exclusively prosecuted murder cases and death penalty cases. Dennis is Fresno's most experienced death penalty prosecutor. Dennis has obtained convictions in over 100 murder cases. These include multiple murder, murder of children, torture murder, murder of senior citizens, murder while lying in wait, murder during rape, murder during burglary, murder during robbery, domestic violence murder, serial murder, and murder perpetrated by multiple assailants. He has put more murderers on "death row" than any other prosecutor in Fresno's history.

Dennis has taught at the statewide prosecutors' Master Trial Advocacy School (Prosecutors' TOPGUN). He has done substantial appellate work and some of his appellate work has been published and is the law of the State of California. Dennis was named Prosecutor of the Year, by the Central Valley Arson Investigators' Association, for his work in a murder case involving arson, burglary, and rape. He is an Officer-Involved Shooting Specialist as a result of 15 years experience investigating officer-involved shootings. Dennis is a Certified Criminal Law Specialist, by the California State Bar

An Able Administrator & Manager

Dennis knows how to use his experience to make the D.A.'s Office give you better service. He has supervised the countywide gang task force and has also supervised teams of felony prosecutors. He has experience managing a prosecutor's budget, and has written grant proposals which have brought more than $1,000,000 into the budget.

Help Elect Dennis Cooper Your Next District Attorney

Dennis is and has been there for the citizens of Fresno County who have been the victims of crime. He has dedicated himself to his work from his first day on the job 21 years ago. Dennis is a well experienced and successful criminal prosecutor and an able administrator. He has the skill, experience, and dedication needed to be a great District Attorney for the people of Fresno County. He knows what it takes to be tough on crime and he knows what it takes to run a prosecutor's office.

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Created from information supplied by the candidate: February 21, 2002 20:19
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