A man Hartford police have long considered one of the most dangerous men in the city was sentenced to life without parole in federal court Friday for the kidnapping and murder of a drug dealer who had been lured into a phony drug deal.
Harold “Oink” Cook was the leader of a gang that used an illegal gambling parlor on Enfield Street as headquarters from which they they sold drugs and hatched schemes to rob other drug dealers. He was sentenced for the murder 11 years ago of 35-year Charles Teasley, who was abducted, bound, beaten, stabbed and forced to hand over his safe before being shot repeatedly in the head and left in a car on Colebrook Street.
Cook faced a possible death sentence, but federal prosecutors instead sought mandatory life in prison, which was imposed in Bridgeport by U.S. District Judge Stefan Underhill.
“The brutality of the murder is especially striking,” the prosecutors wrote in a memo to Underhill. “Teasley was ambushed; zip tied; assaulted; forced to call his girlfriend so that she would turn over his safe; shot multiple times in the head; and, left in his car where his body was not discovered for several days.”
Cook has a record of violence and weapons offenses. Veteran Hartford detectives suspect he and his crew are responsible for multiple murders and robberies, but have avoided prosecution because witnesses have been scared off by their reputation. Cook was charged with the Teasley murder only after one of his partners, Jesus “Black” Ashanti, decided, years later, to cooperate with authorities after being charged with a string of bank robberies in Massachusetts.
Douglas “Fly” Lee was accused of luring Teasley into Hartford from West Hartford by offering to sell him drugs. Teasley was thought to be flush with cash after selling a $40,000 sports car. But Lee had no drugs. Instead he arranged to meet Teasley at his house and tipped off Cook, his brother Gerund “Breeze” Mickens, Terrell “Killer” Hunter and Ashanti.
Lee drove off, while Cook and the others stuffed Teasley into a car. They drove around town, poking him in the head with a knife and slapping him around in an effort to get all his money. Eventually, they drove Teasley to the home he shared with his girlfriend, who was persuaded to deliver the safe. Teasley was shot afterward.
Cook, Mickins and Hunter were tried and convicted a year ago of a variety of crimes associated with the death. They argued, unsuccessfully, before trial that the jurors should not be informed of their nicknames. Prosecutors prevailed, however, arguing that some trial witnesses knew the men only by the nicknames.
“Cook clearly, not only led, but actively and prominently participated in the kidnapping, robbing and killing of Teasley,” prosecutors wrote in their memo. “He was 32 years old at the time of the murder, he had previously been convicted and served time in prison for violent crimes, and he orchestrated the kidnapping and robbery of Teasley , which led to his brutal murder. Cook’s actions alone merit a life sentence; however, when combined with his role and criminal history, they demand a life sentence.”
Lee managed to walk away from the case. He was tried and acquitted by a jury of murder and convicted of kidnapping. But Underhill later overruled the jury and dismissed the kidnapping charge, concluding that, while Lee expected Teasley to be robbed, there was no evidence that he knew Teasley would be kidnapped and shot to death.
Ashanti has yet to be sentenced.
