Tesfaye Cooper, the man convicted of torturing a disabled 18‑year‑old and live‑streaming a racially charged attack, is back in prison. He brutally assaulted another white man only months after his release.
Background
In January 2017, Cooper, Jordan Hill, and sisters Brittany and Tanishia Covington lured the victim into a stolen van, held him for days, sliced part of his scalp and forced him to chant anti‑white slogans while filming the abuse on Facebook. The perpetrators kept the victim gagged and bound in an apartment, demanded he say “I love black people” and “f**k Donald Trump,” and made him drink from a toilet.
All four pleaded guilty to hate‑crime charges after prosecutors offered plea deals. Cooper received a seven‑year sentence in July 2018 and was released in November 2025.
Recent Offense
In April, Cooper and an accomplice with pending warrants cornered a white bicyclist in a subway station, beat him, spat on his face and stole his bike, prompting Cooper’s return to Stateville Correctional Center on Thursday. A transit guard observed the assault but did not intervene.
The only outlet that reported the re‑offense was CWB Chicago, a small site created by five locals frustrated with inaccurate city safety reporting. Mainstream media ignored the incident, leaving the public unaware of the repeat violence.
Jordan Hill
Hill, sentenced to eight years in July 2018 for kidnapping and hate‑crime convictions, was released on parole in October 2023. A parole violation sent him back to prison in December 2024, with a new release date set for April 2027.
Covington Sisters
Tanishia Covington, then 24, gave a half‑hearted apology and received a three‑year sentence; she was paroled by June 2018. Her sister Brittany violated probation and received no additional punishment.
All four had prior arrests for armed robbery, residential burglary or vehicle theft, yet none served significant time before the hate‑crime convictions. These earlier offenses did not result in meaningful consequences, allowing the perpetrators to reoffend.
National outlets portrayed the 2017 incident as an anti‑black attack by Trump supporters, despite video showing the victim being targeted because of his race and the perpetrators’ anti‑white rhetoric. They concealed the perpetrators’ race while emphasizing alleged political motives.
The victim accepted the apologies and asked that his assailants receive extra social services, a request the court described as unprecedented. The family’s plea highlighted a desire for rehabilitation rather than retribution.
Judge William Hooks noted the victim and his family were present, calling the sisters’ apology vague, and sentenced Tanishia Covington to three years. He emphasized the need for accountability while acknowledging the family’s request for support.
