Linda Cooney, who was acquitted of killing her ex-husband Jim Cooney in 1992, used the same .357 Magnum revolver to shoot her eldest son Kevin in 2011. She was found guilty of attempted murder and other charges, and sentenced to 13 to 40 years in prison.
A violent history spanning two decades
Cooney grew up on a Wisconsin farm and moved to Florida to work, later marrying Palm Beach attorney Jim Cooney, a popular figure in affluent circles. The couple had two sons, Kevin and Christopher, but their marriage grew troubled over time, including physical violence. They divorced nine years later and fought for custody.
According to CBS News, Jim's brother, Bob Cooney, said: “[Jim] would go to pick up the kids for his weekend and they would not be there... but if Jim would give her some money, they might appear.”
The 1992 shooting and acquittal
In 1992, Jim went to pick up the boys for a weekend visit. As the boys packed in a bedroom, Kevin heard a commotion and saw through a hole in the door what he thought was his father holding a shiny object, and his mother shooting him as he walked toward the bedroom.
Kevin called the police, and Linda, who was trying to call a lawyer friend, took the phone and told authorities she had shot her ex-husband, though she “didn’t know” if the bullet had hit him. She was arrested and charged with first-degree murder but claimed self-defence, saying Jim threatened her with a knife. Investigators believed she had planted the knife after his death and manipulated Kevin into thinking he had seen it.
At trial, Kevin testified he saw a “glary shine” on his father's hand but wasn't sure what it was. Linda was acquitted, but the case forced the family to move to Las Vegas, where the boys had a tough upbringing.
The 2011 shooting and conviction
As adults, Linda acted possessively over her sons, interfering in their relationships. Prosecutor Shanon Clowers said, “Linda’s purpose was to make the women’s lives so miserable that they would no longer wanna be with Kevin.” When Kevin began a relationship with MMA athlete Karina Taylor in 2011, Linda reportedly harassed her.
On June 28, 2011, Linda called police to say her 30-year-old son had been shot in the neck. She claimed they argued over his relationship, that Kevin hit her, and that she found him bloodied in the living room without hearing a gunshot. Las Vegas Metro Police Det. Lance Landholm said, “She seemed like a person who was trying to cover up what had happened.”
Authorities found the .357 Magnum used to kill Jim Cooney, which Linda had retrieved from evidence 20 years earlier. When Kevin woke up in the hospital, he said, “No mom. I’m afraid of mom. Mom shot me.”
Near the trial, Kevin changed his story, saying they fought and the shooting was accidental. Prosecutors argued Linda shot him to prevent him from moving away. Kevin, from his hospital bed, said he was a controlling son and that the fight was his fault: “I tell mom what to do. Mom’s the kid in this relationship, not me...Mom does what I say, or else Mom gets the fist.”
Witnesses included Christopher, who said his mother told him just before trial it went off accidentally, and Kevin's ex-girlfriend Clarita Kendall, who said Kevin told her he was sitting on the couch when his mother suddenly shot him at a downward angle, which medical professionals said would disprove his testimony.
A jury found Linda guilty of attempted murder, battery with a deadly weapon, intimidating Kevin, and stalking Karina Taylor. Kevin wrote a note saying his mother was “wrongly accused and convicted” and that his own actions led to his condition. At sentencing, Linda read a statement saying Kevin had an “anger and rage disorder” inherited from his father, that she never intended to harm him, and asked for mercy.
