Carl Cooper
Memorial by Stan Rosenthal
My dear buddy, Carl Cooper, was another casualty of the year 2020. In the 30 years I have known Coop, as he was popularly called, he was always upbeat even in the darkest of times. We worked together in the gym, on the powerlifting team, and on lifers issues through the Lifers, Inc. prisoner-based organization. For the SCI-Graterford Powerlifting team, Coop served as meet announcer, scorekeeper, and voice of fun during the decades meets were permitted. When announcing, he would personalize each lifter with tales of past accomplishments, current aspirations, or tales from training regiments. As a trainer focused on the new talent, Coop was personable and professional. Most of all, Coop was patient and welcoming to the up-and-comers offering advice in a fatherly tone: calm and with a vast knowledge of the sport. On the team, he was a well-respected trainer.
Coop had an old-school work ethic, one that never faltered starting each day at set-up and never stopping until the last piece of equipment was secure. He was a calm voice of reason and exemplary in his devotion to his craft. Coop’s advice to the young guys was always on point. He encouraged everyone to think things through, then act with a sense of purpose.
I have witnessed many a young man, rough around the edges, grow into manhood, as Coop was only seemingly guiding them in the art of powerlifting. Coop used this team sport as an opportunity to impart life’s lessons on these impressionable young lifters who were often in search of a good mentor in order to better themselves. If nothing else, Coop taught these young men dedication, a strong work ethic, and how to get along with teammates in a healthy manner even if they originally wanted only extra gym time. Coop was a wonderful father figure and/or mentor to many a young man.
At the end of each meet, Coop would compose a summary of the event. “Coop's Notes,” as they were signed, were filled with insightful happenings, encouragement to newer lifters or those that exhibited improvement, and a megaphone for all those that set new State or National Lifting records. Always, Coop sprinkled in his brand of good-natured humor as the lifters were proud to see these summaries posted on every bulletin board. A badge of honor was to earn a mention by Coop, which would earn bragging rights until the next meet. The men would receive copies to send to their sons and daughters to let them know their Pop was maturing and achieving results they may not have had an opportunity to achieve previously.
Coop was also an Executive Board member of the Lifers, Inc., a prisoner-formed organization. Coop was never shy to offer his opinion and he had one on every topic. I respectfully often mentioned to Coop of his ability as a long talker. At that point a big ole smile appeared on his face and we had a good laugh. People recognized Coop’s insightful take on issues, coupled with his ability as a keen observer and being a realist. We count on him to bring us back to reality in any topic of discussion.
Coop dedicated his best arguments to convince Pennsylvanian legislators to enact a law allowing for parole eligibility for lifers. In PA, all adult life sentences are without the chance for parole, in effect becoming DBI sentences, Death By Incarceration. Coop had no intention to die in prison, nor did he want all the transformed brothers and sisters to die in prison without a meaningful parole review. He always believed that someday, he would be free to be a mentor and asset to the families and community he came from knowing how bad these places were hurting.
If free, Coop would have been a superstar coach/manager and mentor at his local recreation center if released. We can only imagine the number of young minds changed if he’d had the opportunity. Judging from the evening news, society could have used Coop and the multitudes like him to try to restore some peace. Coop was always part of the solution. We lost potential by Coop’s passing inside prison. His life was not wasted and he touched many, including me. I will miss my friend and fellow debater. I hope his family and friends can find solace in all the wonderful memories created during his colorful life.
Stan Rosenthal, AS0828
SCI-Phoenix
CARL COOPER, LIFERS INC. – VOICES OF THE CONDEMNED
The following is an article written by Carl Cooper and published on the Lifers Inc. website on July 2, 2020.
George Floyd’s crying, “I can’t breathe,” “I can’t breathe.” Then the call for his primary nurturer and defender, “Momma,” as his life was suddenly taken away; Resonates very loudly in Pennsylvania’s prisons as we feel the pressure on our necks, and the emotional pain of declining spirits. Though we, the life-sentenced prisoners in Pennsylvania don’t feel the horror, the immediate escape of our life force, we all cry “I can’t breathe” and call our for our “Mommas.” Four officers of the law, very casually committing murder. The officer with his knee on Mr. Floyd’s neck, truly looked disinterested, hand in his pocket, smirking, as he repositioned his foot to maintain force. One assistant district attorney and one judge, very nonchalantly take the life of nearly every defendant that stands before them. How cavalier! The police coerced a blind-woman into making an identification, the assistant district attorney takes that Identification in front of a judge, the judge accepts the blind-woman’s testimony, the case goes to trial. The defendant is convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life without parole. The appellate process produced no relief. There was a knee on this man’s neck for three decades. Finally, a prosecutor with a conscious, seeking justice said enough. Willie Veasy, wrongfully convicted, could actually take a breath. The brutality visited upon people of color by district attorneys and judges is no less wicked than the video of George Floyd’s last moments.
There are far too many atrocities that have been committed by the courts and prosecutors for me to list here. They take more lives than brutal cops, and they do it with no chance of being charged or punished for violating the constitution or their “oath of office.” The calls for Criminal Justice Reform has to begin with prosecutors and the courts, the police only go as far as those two allow them to. We can’t do anything about George Floyd, Sandra Bland, Tamir Rice, and many many others. But, there are many many more Willie Veasy’s languishing in Pennsylvania prisons, asking “take your knee off our neck.”
– Carl Cooper, Lifers Inc. Public Safety Initiative
From Mourning Our Losses:
Carl Cooper passed away in December 2020 while incarcerated at SCI-Phoenix in Pennsylvania. He was known for his active role in his community and his devotion to Islam.
Lifers Inc. president Kevin “Saleem” Mines posted on Facebook about Carl as a “Muslim in service to Allah [God] in the religion of Al-Islam” known as “Salim.” He wrote:
“Salim was a Chairman of the Lifers Inc. Public Safety Initiative (PSI). He was dedicated to healing the social ills of urban inner-city communities, and within the prison environment. His commitment was to "End-The-Culture-Of-Street-Crime". He believed the problems of crime and gun violence could be eradicated by implementation of the PSI Community Model of “Cognitive Thinking” and “Positive Peer Intervention” – that is through the transformation of souls from the highest level of government and other stakeholders, to the lowest level of communities.”
On the Lifers Inc. memorial page, Andre Wright wrote: “My condolences to all who knew Bro. Saleem/ Carl Cooper. May Allah forgive him of his sins and grant him Paradise as our close and dear friend. Let’s hold his memory in our hearts forever.”
We mourn his loss.
This part of the memorial was written by MOL team member Eliza Kravitz with information from correspondence with Stan Rosenthal and the website and Facebook page of Lifers Inc.