New Braunfels Police Officers Pack Courtroom for Cothron Guilty Plea Hearing

(New Braunfels, TX) --  Comal County District Court was packed yesterday for the hearing where former Marine Matthew Cothron accepted a plea deal and was sentenced to deferred adjudication for attacking a New Braunfels police officer during the summer of 2011 on the banks of the Comal River. 

The 30-year old accepted the same plea deal that was offered to his wife last month for her role in the attack on New Braunfels Police Officer Greg Fuller. 

Cothron (left), like his wife, pled guilty to 1st degree felony Aggravated Assault of a Police officer for choking Fuller to the point of unconsciousness and then dragging him into the river. 

He was sentenced to 10-years deferred adjudication, plus 45 days in jail, a 10-thousand dollar fine, 500 hours of community service, he must attend an anger management course, substance abuse counseling, and he must write a letter of apology to Officer Fuller.  Cothron must also speak publicly on 45 separate occasions about the dangers of alcohol and anger and how one bad choice can ruin an entire life.  And if he does not complete that probation, or violates it in any way, then he could face up to 99 years in prison. 

Meanwhile, the courtroom was packed with New Braunfels Police Officers who were there in support of Fuller, who was hospitalized following the June 2011 attack.  He was also in the courtroom for yesterday’s hearing and KGNB News spoke to him after the sentence was handed down to get his reaction.  You can hear what he had to say by clicking the Audio Clip link below. 

Defense attorneys for Cothron presented several issues to the court, laying out Cothron’s record as a stellar Marine who suffered multiple combat concussion wounds and was given the Purple Heart after he was shot in the arm while in the service.  One former Marine officer called Cothron the best Staff Sgt. he had ever worked with.  Cothron has since been discharged from the Marines because of the incident on the river here in New Braunfels.

Officer Fuller was emotional about the large show of support from his fellow police officers in the courtroom yesterday.  Here are some additional photos from KGNB News: