HERNANDO, MS -- A man who scammed elderly people is going to prison for the rest of his life and he won't get parole.
Manuel Cooper was sentenced in DeSoto County Court Tuesday, June 2, 2009. Police say Cooper was hired by an 81 year-old woman to clean her gutters and paid him $2,000 but he never performed the service.
According to court records, Cooper has a long rap sheet. He has been arrested for robbing elderly couples in Arkansas and Kentucky, and was convicted for attempted murder in Michigan in 1997.
Unlike the state of Tennessee, Mississippi has what's called a "habitual offender" law. If a person has been convicted of two felonies, and one of those is a violent crime, that criminal can get life without the possibility of parole. The criminal has to have served 365 days on both prior felonies.
"Tennessee has incredibly weak laws," says criminologist Richard Janikowski.
In order to keep more criminals behind bars, Janikowski says lawmakers in Nashville have to step up to the plate.
"There have been legislators from Shelby County who have pushed the tougher sentencing issue, but we need the entire legislature backing it and to get support from the governor.”
When Manuel Cooper was sentenced there were a lot of fireworks in the courtroom, and Cooper's sister ended up behind bars.
Police say Bessie Lou Phillips charged the courtroom railing and was escorted out of the building in handcuffs. Then police say Phillips got in her car and chased after the 81 year-old victim and rammed into her twice. Phillips is charged with aggravated assault and obstruction of justice.
