Murder trial ordered in killing with pool cue at Johnson County bar

A Johnson County man was ordered Thursday to stand trial in the killing of another man with a pool cue last year at a bar in Edgerton.

Gregory B. David Cooper, 32, is charged in Johnson County District Court with reckless second-degree murder in the December death of 23-year-old Tyler Knudsen.

Knudsen died after Cooper allegedly swung a pool cue and struck him in the neck, according to preliminary hearing testimony.

Cooper also is charged with attempted aggravated battery for allegedly trying to hit another man with the pool cue.

The incident occurred Dec. 19 at the Boxcar Bar & Grill, 100 E. Second St.

Assistant public Defender Kelly Driscoll argued Cooper was acting in self-defense after another man attempted to fight him.

According to the defense, Cooper was walking out of the bar while the other man was yelling and challenging him to fight when he felt someone “contact” his back.

That’s when he turned and swung the cue, striking Knudsen.

Assistant District Attorney Jason Covington, however, argued Cooper was not entitled to claim self-defense because he provoked the fight with the other man.

He also argued Cooper could have kept walking out of the bar but instead turned and swung the cue at Knudsen, who was unarmed.

Prosecutors are not arguing that Cooper intentionally killed Knudsen but instead say his actions were reckless and showed “extreme indifference to the value of human life.”

On Thursday, Driscoll entered not-guilty pleas on behalf of Cooper. A trial date has not been set. He is scheduled to be back in court May 18.

This story was originally published April 14, 2016 at 9:59 AM.