Cookson Pleads Not Guilty to Assault with Deadly Weapon on SDPD

A man shot by police after he allegedly threatened officers who responded to a domestic violence call in Mira Mesa pleaded not guilty on Tuesday to charges of assault with a deadly weapon on a peace officer.   

Malcolm Cookson, 47, was ordered held on $150,000 bail. He was arraigned from his bed at Scripps Memorial Hospital in La Jolla.   

Officers were dispatched to the 8800 block of Scorpius Way around 8:40 p.m. Friday after a woman called 911 to report she had been attacked by her husband, who threatened to attack responding officers so they would shoot him, said San Diego police Officer Mike Cali.   

When officers arrived, the suspect walked into the street holding an object, but because of low light it could not be determined what it was in his hand, Cali said.   

The officers ordered Cookson to drop the object, but he instead raised it over his head while uttering threats, according to Cali.   

One officer fired a stun gun at Cookson, but it did not appear to have an effect on the man, who advanced on the officers in a threatening manner, Cali said.   

A second officer fired his service weapon at Cookson, striking him, at which point the suspect turned out to be holding what turned out to be a rock, Cali said.   

Cookson's wound was not considered life-threatening, and no officers were injured.   

Cookson is charged with two assault counts and felony vandalism stemming from a separate incident in Rancho Penasquitos, said Deputy District Attorney Dan Link.

The defendant, who faces six years and eight months in prison if convicted, will be back in court Feb. 4 for a readiness conference and Feb. 11 for a preliminary hearing.

—City News Service