Charges against Alabama Department of Transportation Director John Cooper were dropped Tuesday after his neighbor, Gerald Carter, chose not to pursue the matter, according to court records.
Cooper, who had been charged with harassment following a 2023 property dispute with Carter in Marshall County, was accused of threatening to shoot Carter during an argument over an easement. The case was dismissed by Marshall County District Judge Mitchell S. Floyd by agreement between both parties.
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Carter informed the state he “no longer wishes to pursue this matter,” and prosecutors filed a motion for dismissal.
Carter and Cooper’s dispute revolved around a piece of land adjacent to Cooper’s property. Carter had claimed that Cooper blocked access to a road on the property and threatened him during a confrontation. Despite the criminal case being dismissed, a civil suit between the two parties over the easement is set for trial in October.
Grayson Everett is the state and political editor for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on X @Grayson270
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