Police-dog shooter will serve 10 years

The defense for Ingo shooter Robert Lee Cooke made last-ditch attempts to lighten Cooke’s sentence at a hearing last week. Robert Lee Cooke was found guilty in April of shooting Ingo, a K-9 officer, while fleeing a burglary scene on October 24, 2004. He was paralyzed from the waist down when he was shot by Ingo’s handler, Albemarle County Police officer Andy Gluba. Ingo had to be euthanized due to his injuries.
The County estimated that the highly-trained Ingo was worth $5,000. But Cooke’s attorneys, Dana Slater and Janice Redinger, argued that since the outpouring of public support for Ingo had netted the police department $30,000, restitution had already been made. Albemarle Commonwealth’s Attorney Jim Camblos called their argument “absurd.”
The defense also argued that Cooke’s concurrent sentences—five years for possession of a firearm and seven for shooting the dog—were too long, given Cooke’s paralysis. Camblos maintained that the jury had seen Cooke in his wheelchair and was well aware of his injuries.
Over a dozen relatives and friends turned out to show their support for Cooke. His wife gave an emotional statement, saying she wanted Cooke home to be with their 6-year-old daughter and second child, who is due in November.
In his statement, Cooke said, “When I think about the past, I realize I am lucky to be alive.” He apologized to the Albemarle Police Department, but said “I do feel I’ve been punished already… I’ve lost half my body.” Judge James Luke overruled all of defense’s arguments, but did suspend Cooke’s sentence by two years. He will serve 10 years in prison, and is eligible for parole after eight and a half.—Meg McEvoy