Powell man charged and restricted from courthouse after incident with prosecutor

Posted 7/2/20

A Powell man is facing criminal charges and has been temporarily banned from visiting the Park County Courthouse on his own after repeatedly causing disruptions there.

County officials say …

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Powell man charged and restricted from courthouse after incident with prosecutor

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A Powell man is facing criminal charges and has been temporarily banned from visiting the Park County Courthouse on his own after repeatedly causing disruptions there.

County officials say Michael D. Cockburn, 64, has bothered staff for more than two years, requiring police to intervene multiple times. However, things reached a different level last week, when Cockburn allegedly tried forcing his way past a prosecutor and into the Park County Attorney’s Office.

Cockburn was arrested at the scene and is facing misdemeanor counts of breach of peace and unlawful contact. He pleaded not guilty to the charges at a Friday appearance in Park County Circuit Court.

“Mr. Cockburn is upset,” Washakie County Attorney John Worrall, who’s handling the case, said in court on Friday. “Apparently his way of redressing his grievances is to go to the courthouse and create a scene — and he’s done that repeatedly. That needs to stop.”

Worrall said authorities are also investigating “a couple other additional charges” that could be more serious.

In past communications with the Powell Tribune, Cockburn has expressed anger with local law enforcement, including the Park County Sheriff’s Office, Cody Police Department, Powell Police Department and Park County Attorney’s Office. He contends that thousands of dollars of items were stolen from his property and that authorities failed to take proper action and mistreated him. Reports previously reviewed by the Tribune indicated that law enforcement generally did not find the evidence needed to support criminal charges.

Cockburn has repeatedly tried to get County Attorney Bryan Skoric to prosecute the case and also sought to have Skoric prosecuted, claiming the attorney assaulted him during a meeting years ago.

Worrall said that, rather than accepting the fact that his allegations have “been found to be unfounded, Mr. Cockburn repeatedly appears, yells, curses” at the courthouse.

According to a summary the prosecutor gave in court, Cockburn began contacting the Park County Attorney’s Office in February 2018. In June 2018, Skoric requested assistance in having the man escorted from the courthouse. That November, Cockburn was seen walking around the courthouse recording video, measuring things and taking pictures; the next month, he caused a disturbance in the county clerk’s office and was escorted from the building, Worrall said. Later in December, Cockburn accused Skoric of assaulting him and began a series of visits to the courthouse, seeking to have assault charges filed.

In July 2019, he apparently bothered staff in the clerk of district court’s office, Worrall said and more in-person complaints from Cockburn followed through this year.

It was around 10 a.m on June 23 that Cockburn called 911 from the courthouse and hung up. Cody Police Officer Seth Horn was among three officers who responded.

“I was aware that Cockburn has a longstanding grievance against County Attorney Skoric and had been very difficult to deal with in past incidents,” Horn wrote in an affidavit used to support the charges.

Outside the office, Cockburn delivered a tirade and “demanded that I arrest Attorney Skoric,” Horn wrote. “He then demanded that I make him an appointment with the county attorney. I advised Cockburn that I would not do that …”

Horn says he eventually explained that Cody police couldn’t resolve Cockburn’s complaints and walked away — prompting Cockburn to begin yelling profanity.

“Cockburn referred to us as ‘motherf—s’ and said ‘f—’ quite loudly on several occasions,” Horn wrote. The officers left the area, but waited out of sight, the affidavit says, to ensure that Cockburn remained calm.

However, he soon began banging on the door of the county attorney’s office and demanding an appointment. Deputy County Attorney Jack Hatfield eventually opened the door and told Cockburn to leave, the affidavit says, but Cockburn stuck his foot in the door and tried pushing it open. Hatfield attempted to push Cockburn out, but the man allegedly pushed his way in — just as the Cody officers reached the office and intervened.

Cockburn “grabbed onto the door frame in an attempt to not be removed,” Horn wrote, but he was taken to the ground, handcuffed and taken into custody.

“Mr. Cockburn presents a danger to the community in the sense that he doesn’t seem to have the ability to leave the courthouse alone,” said Worrall, who’s acting as a special prosecutor since the Park County Attorney’s Office has a conflict of interest.

The prosecutor requested a $750 cash bond in the case, saying he hoped that would encourage Cockburn to behave himself. Cockburn made bail later on Friday and was released from jail.

While out on bond, Cockburn cannot visit the county courthouse or the annex in Powell unless he’s accompanied by his attorney or a law enforcement officer, Circuit Court Judge Bruce Waters said. Among other conditions, the judge also prohibited Cockburn from calling any courthouse personnel by phone. For instance, if Cockburn needs to renew his license plates, “you have to have a police officer escort you,” Waters said.

A trial is tentatively set for Aug. 20.

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