Murder suspect stays in jail

Published 12:00 am Thursday, July 14, 2005

An Upper Township man arrested over the weekend in connection with a double shooting was arraigned Tuesday in Ironton Municipal Court.

Judge O. Clark Collins set bail at $1 million for William Cooper, 48, of 2827 County Road 21.

Cooper is charged with murder and felonious assault. He is accused of shooting and killing Scott Marcum, 35, of Ironton and shooting and seriously injuring Orlan "J.R." Harper Jr., also of Ironton, who remains hospitalized at Cabell-Huntington Hospital in Huntington, W.Va.

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"It is my understanding he is out of intensive care now," Lawrence County Sheriff's Office Detective Aaron Bollinger said this morning.

Hospital spokeswoman Chris Koenig said Harper is listed in fair condition.

The shooting purportedly occurred after an altercation between the two victims and Cooper's son. Witnesses allegedly told authorities Cooper learned of that incident and went to 225 Township Road 151, off Lawrence Street Road, and shot the two men.

Cooper remains in the Lawrence County Jail. Collins appointed Chris Delawder as Cooper's attorney. He will return to court 9 a.m. Thursday for a preliminary hearing.

Also Tuesday, a woman accused of setting fire to a garage in Ironton over the weekend was arraigned in municipal court. Ronda Adkins, 48, of 1905 S. Third St., is charged with aggravated arson. Collins set bail at $1,000 cash and appointed Carol Jean Hampton as Adkins' attorney.

Adkins also remains in jail. She will return to court July 21 for a preliminary hearing.