Title: Cooper v. State
Citation: N/A
Docket Number: 604, 2003
State: Delaware
Issuer: Delaware Supreme Court
Date: June 30, 2004

IN THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE 
 
ANTHONY COOPER, 
 
Defendant Below- 
Appellant, 
 
v. 
 
STATE OF DELAWARE, 
 
Plaintiff Below- 
Appellee. 
§ 
§ 
§  No. 604, 2003 
§ 
§ 
§  Court Below—Superior Court 
§  of the State of Delaware, 
§  in and for New Castle County 
§  Cr.A. No. IN03-02-0136 and -0138 
§  Cr. ID 0301018775 
§ 
 
Submitted: May 17, 2004 
  Decided: June 30, 2004 
 
Before STEELE, Chief Justice, HOLLAND, and BERGER, Justices. 
 
 
O R D E R 
 
This 30th day of June 2004, it appears to the Court that: 
(1) 
On April 30, 2004, this Court entered an order in this matter 
affirming appellant Anthony Cooper’s convictions and sentences.1 In that order, 
we noted that Cooper had failed to respond to his attorney’s brief, filed pursuant 
to Supreme Court Rule 26(c), with any issues for the Court to consider on 
appeal.  After considering his counsel’s brief, the State’s position and the record 
below, we concluded that the appeal was devoid of any arguable issues. 
(2) 
On May 3, 2003, Cooper’s counsel filed a motion to amend the 
opening brief on appeal to include an issue raised by Cooper alleging that the 
                                                 
1 Cooper v. State, Del. Supr., No. 604, 2003, Berger, J. (Apr. 30, 2004). 
 
 
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State had breached its plea agreement with him.  We directed the State to 
respond to the substance of Cooper’s contention.  The State filed its response on 
May 17, 2004. 
Because this is Cooper’s direct appeal, we will grant 
counsel’s untimely motion to amend and will address the substance of Cooper’s 
lone claim.  Accordingly, the Court’s order dated April 30, 2004 is hereby 
rescinded, and this order shall be substituted in lieu thereof. 
(3) 
The record reflects that Cooper pled guilty in September 2003 to 
one count of first degree assault and one count of possession of a deadly weapon 
during the commission of a felony.  The Superior Court sentenced him to 
fourteen years at Level V imprisonment, to be suspended after serving eight 
years for two years of probation.  Cooper asserts that the State breached its plea 
agreement with him by making a recommendation at his sentencing. 
 
(4) 
We find no merit to Cooper’s contention.  There is nothing in 
Cooper’s written plea agreement regarding a sentencing recommendation.  The 
plea agreement reflected that a presentence investigation would be ordered, and 
the judge informed Cooper during the guilty plea hearing that the sentencing 
recommendation would come from the presentence investigator.  According to 
the terms of the plea agreement, the State was neither required to make nor 
prohibited from making a recommendation as to sentencing.  The transcript of 
 
 
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the sentencing hearing reflects that the State recommended a twenty-five year 
sentence.  The judge, however, imposed a fourteen year sentence, suspended 
after serving eight years.  Thus, the State’s recommendation did not cause any 
prejudice to Cooper. 
(5) 
This Court has reviewed the record carefully and has concluded 
that Cooper’s appeal is wholly without merit and devoid of any arguably 
appealable issue.  We also are satisfied that Cooper's counsel has made a 
conscientious effort to examine the record and the law and has properly 
determined that Cooper could not raise a meritorious claim in this appeal.* 
NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS ORDERED that the Court’s April 30, 2004 
order is hereby RESCINDED, and this order shall be substituted in lieu thereof.  
The State's motion to affirm is GRANTED.  The judgment of the Superior Court 
is AFFIRMED.  The motion to withdraw is moot. 
BY THE COURT: 
 
/s/ Carolyn Berger 
Justice 
                                                 
*Penson v. Ohio, 488 U.S. 75, 83 (1988); McCoy v. Court of Appeals of Wisconsin, 
486 U.S. 429, 442 (1988); Anders v. California, 386 U.S. 738, 744 (1967).