Cooper

In the early morning hours of September 9, x 966, appellant Cooper, David Thomason and a third young man identified only as “Chuck” were creating a disturbance in the Thriftimart grocery store in Eagle Rock. They were loud and boisterous, and were asked to leave. They did so, but returned an hour and a half later. During this interval, they went to the home of appellant’s stepsister. There, they decided to return to the store to pick a fight with the people who had “thrown them out,” and to use knives if necessary. Appellant initiated the conversation, but all three agreed to the plan.

After they returned to the store, they stepped on and off the mat outside one of the entrances, causing the automatic door to open and close repeatedly. Upon observing this Mr. Kleidosty, the manager, and Ronald Snowball, a clerk, went outside to investigate. They found Thomason and “Chuck” standing on the mat, and saw appellant coming around a corner of the store. Appellant asked Kleidosty and Snowball if they “were looking for trouble.” They replied they were not. After further conversation appellant hit Snowball in the face with his fist, whereupon Kleidosty went to the door of the…