Former UW student Alec Cook will plead guilty to five charges in sexual assault case
He was facing 21 charges from 11 women after an initial complaint resulted in more victims coming forward
Monday morning, Alec Cook's lawyer reported that he will be pleading guilty to five charges this coming Wednesday. The announcement comes before the first of seven trials he was set to face during the upcoming weeks.
Cook had 21 total charges against him, and was originally going to trial for six, now five. One of his lawyers told the Wisconsin State Journal this plea "comes after ongoing negotiations." His sentencing will occur three months from now. The remaining counts are dismissed but they could still be considered when sentencing him.
In 2016, Cook was charged with 12 counts of varying degrees of sexual assault involving six women, along with several other charges that include stalking, disorderly conduct and false imprisonment.
It is not specified what five counts he will be pleading guilty to.
According to the State of Wisconsin's criminal complaint, the first woman who accused Cook describes how he pinned her to the bed at which point she says told him he was moving too fast. The report states she was "telling Cook to stop with every gulp of air" as he forcefully kissed her and digitally penetrated her.
She says she then "accepted her fate and gave up a little bit." She asked Cook to at least use a condom. She alleges that at first he protested — but obliged until he ejaculated into the condom, when, she says, he ripped it off and "thrust it [his penis] back in."
The woman said this sexual violence occurred for hours. In the report she alleges Cook continued having intercourse with her, that he"yanked her into every imaginable position," choked her so forcefully her vision started to go, and slapped her in the face. The woman says that throughout this, she was protesting and trying to push Cook off of her.
The next morning the young woman says she went to the hospital to undergo a SANE (sexual assault nurse examiners) exam. That same morning she says Cook texted her, "I do want a second date".
After this initial claim, 10 additional women came forward with allegations about Cook.