I had a little bit of issue with it and
I said, "Say it again." And he did.
Right hook centered down.
>> He hit him. He fell.
>> Did he hit him?
>> Yeah. Yeah.
>> This is Cory Ellis Pooh Holes, a
27-year-old Dunkin' Donuts manager with
no criminal record. He just landed a
deadly blow on a 77year-old man. And
that singular act was just enough to
ruin his clean records, [music] claim
the life of a man, and earn him
significant charges. On May 4th, 2021,
just after 1:30 p.m., Tampa police were
called to a Dunkin Donuts inside a
Circle K in the Palm River area of
Tampa. When officers arrived, medics
were already treating the victim.
77year-old Vanel Cook who was
unconscious and bleeding from the head.
I came I came in here
with one of them
and I guess I guess I remember it was
>> I don't know what happened
Which kid? He has heart problems. He's
he's 100% disabled. Um
disabled veteran
>> disabled veteran. Um got he's got
allergies. You see an allergy and um
what do you have?
>> Almost immediately, Cory Pooh approached
the officers and told them he was the
man they were looking for. calm and
cooperative. He explained exactly what
happened.
>> Uh yeah, so first and foremost, let me
just say my name is Corel's patrols. I
am the guy you are looking for um in
regards to this situation. Um the long
and short of it is that um here at
obviously at Duncan, he he's a regular.
He normally comes through here and um
orders a large hot coffee, but today I
maybe he's having a rough day or
something and he decided to be extremely
profound at the mouth. And I asked him
respectfully on the microphone, could
you please not use that kind of
language, you know, obviously with me
and my employees. And as well as that,
um, and he said no. And then he came
around to the window. He kept going at
the window. And then I guess he was
going to come inside. So I came inside.
I came on his side to let him know. He
asked for the manager. Our current store
manager is off already. Um, she worked
morning shift and she's, you know,
currently otherwise here. So I would be
for uh the senior shift. I've been here
a little bit longer than he has. So I
reserve responsibility for that. In any
case, I came out to let him know. I
said, "Listen, sir, with the profanity
that you use, uh, I would highly
recommend that you go on about your
business. We don't want to serve you any
coffee today. Maybe you can try again
another day, but you you have clearly
upset, you feel me, the atmosphere here,
and we would like for you to go on about
your business." I asked him to do that
repetitively. It's all on camera. Um,
he, as I mentioned, he came inside. Um,
and when he came inside, he addressed
me. He was like, and I said, you know,
"Hey, listen, the manager is not here
right now. um I'll give you the, you
know, the the manager store number and
all that good stuff. And he didn't want
it. And I said, "Sir, can you please go
on about your business again? Have a
good day." And he said, "No, you're a
[ __ ] nigger." And then I said, "And
I'm sorry." I had a little bit of issue
with it. And I said, "Say it again." And
he did.
Right hook down.
>> So it goes without being said that you
can't hit somebody cuz they say
something you don't like.
>> I I very matter. I'm just I'm just
telling you, I probably
>> No, no, no. I agree. Believe me. Believe
me. I'm listen I'm terrified right now
but I agree what you're saying you
shouldn't. I have had a fit of racism
since I' I've only been here on about 2
months and I've dealt with so much of it
and I'm not saying that that is a reason
to do it. I'm not I got people that say
a bunch of hateful and horrible stuff to
me every single day for the past like 16
years. I love it going one ear out the
other. It ain't going to hurt you. This
will get you in trouble. Not going to
get you arrested but I mean dude you hit
him and he fell down.
>> Yeah. And he hit his head pretty hard.
>> And he should have he should have never
said what he said. But guess what?
That's the country we live in. You say
what you want to say.
>> If you don't like it, like you're
saying, dude, get freak out.
>> Slipped and fall pushed.
>> Right hooking. So my apologies for the
>> He was fell down.
>> Keep it down. I don't want this other
You hit him.
>> I'm not one to run from mine from what
I've done.
>> No, you're fine.
>> And again, these are regular. I honestly
feel like about this situation.
>> All right, don't worry. Some of you guys
I'm going ask you take it easy.
>> Howdy. Not so far. Uh gentleman came in
was being being very rude to this
gentleman which is the on duty manager.
>> Manager for all intents and purposes.
>> Yeah. Yeah. I said some few exploitives
and uh he hit him and he fell.
>> He hit him.
>> Yeah.
That's okay. Did you get his information
yet or no?
>> I have not. I just came in.
>> That's his grandson that's with him
though.
>> That is his grand
necessary.
>> So, um
>> Yeah. You want to grab his 43?
>> I have
>> um we do have surveillance. However,
when the boss leaves, she locks the
>> That's fine.
>> Yeah. She locks the
>> So, here here's here's the reality of
what could happen.
>> If you charge a battery, Yeah. You could
be charging battery,
>> right?
>> Um,
>> you know, that's that's after we speak
with him and see what's going on.
>> I'm aware. Yeah.
>> Um, I'm not trying to get on to you,
man.
>> Yeah.
>> You can't let And I'm telling you from
here on out, you can't let somebody says
anger you.
>> Yeah. He said, I I deal with it and I
let it go on. I mean, people say
>> nasty and hateful stuff, but him and I
just know
>> for no reason.
>> I know it.
>> You're going to have people like that
throughout your life. You just got to
let it go in one ear and right out the
other
>> and and just realize that he's going to
leave and be on his way and you're going
to still be here working, you know. Um,
>> so we'll let them get him loaded up and
everything like that. Do what you got to
do, brother. I'll be in here in a
minute.
>> I'm not going anywhere.
>> You're cool. You're good to go, man.
Thank you.
>> It started moments earlier in the
drive-thru. Employees couldn't hear Cook
through the speaker. He became agitated,
began yelling, and was told to leave
without being served. Instead, he parked
and walked inside. A Duncan employee who
dealt with Cook at the drive-thru told
officers the same story Pooh Holes did.
So, basically, he was just being, you
know, outright like, "Your card is going
through,
>> but he was just being
verbal." Um, I asked him if he wanted
ice or hot coffee. He um yesterday was
like, "Who likes cold coffee?"
like cold coffee. Um I always get the
same always getting along. I'm like,
"Okay, he's not here." And identify you
at the window. I mean,
>> so so he got mad cuz you asked him if he
wanted ice or hot coffee.
>> Yeah. Uh instantly off he was already
mad.
A large hot latte. Okay, gotcha. Um so
instantly he was
instantly he was just you know sure
>> above level so
he was being um very verbal didn't want
to listen to um what we were saying so
um Cory was like he got on the mic cuz
I've only been here for like good 3
weeks.
>> Sure.
>> But you know I've have Duncan experience
so
>> well that that shouldn't be a normal
reaction of somebody.
>> It shouldn't be a normal reaction. So he
didn't want to
>> Oh,
thank you.
>> Okay. So yeah, he was being really
hurtful for absolutely no reason. So um
before he got on the mic because, you
know, he's the veteran here, you know,
the more experienced person.
So um he got took over the mic and was
like, "Can you not talk to the customer
like that?" and he didn't listen. So he
said, "Okay, you know what we're going
to do? Um, we're not going to take your
order today. We're going to act politely
after came up here." Yeah. A verbal um a
verbal like we're not ordering
him that he could come again later. Um
so then as he came up to the point
was right there.
>> So even after y'all asked him to leave,
>> he kept on coming.
>> Came parked. When you say up there, up
at the front counter.
>> Yeah, he came um to the car to the car.
So um we knew Cory was uh so me and Cory
went up there to wait and tell him to
leave again. He didn't want to listen
again. So we asked him to leave multiple
times, multiple times. And that's when
you know he called Cory the n-word and
it escalated from there.
>> What did you see from happening from
there? From what I seen is I heard um
him telling he told me to call the cops
off um rip. So I was calling the cops, I
was calling my manager, I was calling
everybody and um the dude he um he kept
on you know being violent very rude. So
>> when you say violent like physically
violent or just verbally I think he
physically touched Cory but you know you
know mentally you know trying to get
into Cory's mind you know mess with him
and around with his head. So um then
Cory um he was like okay we're going to
ask you one more time. We're going to
either you know you're going to leave or
we're going to call the cops. I was
already call the cops so he didn't want
to leave. He called he was like there's
a bunch of [ __ ] this that and third
your nicknames. Cord was like one more
time and he called him another day and
that's what happened. I was right right
here
>> and I was on the phone with my manager
and the police officers at that time.
Oh, wait. Yeah, police officer at that
time and that's what happened.
>> So, what happened after that after he
said that?
>> Um, Cory punched him. He was on the
floor and I was on the floor.
>> Okay. And you were standing like
>> like right around here on the floor.
>> Okay. Okay.
Um, is he and Cory said he's a normally
irregular. He comes through here.
>> He comes here a lot and he's very, you
know, like verbal like he doesn't know
how to, you know, be respectful. So,
>> well, normal people know how to be
respectful. He choose not to be.
>> He wasn't being respectful.
>> I mean, it's it's horrible.
>> Yeah. So, he does this a lot. I've had
multiple times where I've had to go
through it. He gets mad because we don't
know his order, but we don't know your
order because we cannot physically see
your face.
>> Sure.
>> Hello, manager.
>> Yeah.
>> Okay. Um,
are you able to A, I got a thumb drive
or B, if you're able, if we're able to
get the video, can you email it? What
what's better for you?
>> I'll have it emailed to you.
>> Okay.
>> I'll have my law invention guy
>> Okay.
>> send it to you. Uh, let me go out.
Anyways,
give me his email address.
>> Yes, sir.
>> I will I call him now, a matter of fact,
>> to uh go ahead and get him to do it.
>> Okay.
>> Police requested the store's
surveillance footage, and it told the
exact story the two employees told.
Instead of leaving the property as the
employees requested, Vanell Cook parked
his car and walked inside the store.
Seeing this, Cory Pooh Holes, the onduty
manager, immediately told a c-orker to
call the police. Cook approached the
service counter and continued arguing.
Pooh Holes stayed on the opposite side,
separated by a waist high swinging door
and repeatedly told Cook to leave the
store. During the confrontation, Cook
used a racial slur, calling Pooh Holes
the n-word. At that point, Pooh Holes
stepped through the swinging door,
moving closer, but keeping his hands at
his sides. He warned Cook not to say the
word again. Cook repeated the slur. In
response, Pooh Holes threw a single
punch to Cook's jaw. Cook fell backward,
struck his head on the concrete floor,
and lost consciousness. Pooh Holes then
walked away as emergency services were
already being called. The victim, Fenel
Cook, was later revealed to be a
registered sex offender with a long
criminal history involving child
exploitation. Prosecutors would later
describe him as an unsympathetic victim,
but legally none of that justified the
punch. The officers eventually did what
they had to do.
>> It feels better in here.
>> What happened?
Oh, I'm sorry. You're getting
Yeah. Yeah. Um, they told me what
happened and I I feel for you 100% right
now.
And I understand your anger and your
level of emotionality with us too. And
this is one of those things that there's
one thing that's steering us right now.
He's in critical condition right now.
It's not
very strong right now. He's unconscious.
So I'm going to pray for you and for him
that he recovers. He recovers. He's
okay. just
how they feel today. It's it's the level
of injury. Had he not been this injured,
there's a lot of things he could have
done because like I said, nobody cares
what that guy said. None of us would
know at all, you know, and he deserves
how serious. We have no choice. I want
you to understand that everybody here
agrees that what he done is wrong. What
he said he was wrong
but frankly for him that he recovered
that hopefully go away. Um but for the
time being you're going to be charged
one pound of battery on the male which
lives. You'll have a barn sometime
outside at some point and then we'll
just pray all of us sky recovers and you
know everything will work itself out.
You know what I'm saying? Um is there
anything you have that you want to
>> That's fine. Mom, you want to step over
here?
Do
>> you want a bag?
Do you want a bag? I can give you a bag
for all that.
Um,
>> yeah, I've got one in here. Or if you
got one, that's fine.
>> Like I say, he'll get a barn hopefully
as fast as possible so he can get out
and be done with it. But I mean, I
called the state attorney's office. I
spoke to all supervision. And it's just
unfortunate, you know, I wish the guy
had a black eye so we could all see,
hey, watch our
You have anything else on you?
>> That's
for it.
>> Yes.
Yes.
Have a seat.
>> Brother, what what the detective was
saying, we 100% agree. Um,
but when his head hit hard and
everything, I mean, they brought him out
here, he was unconscious.
>> Yeah.
>> And then while he's up there, um, he's
he's not doing good right now. He could
get better. Okay.
>> Um, so you go down, we'll tell mom. Um,
mom.
>> Uh, yeah.
>> You do that and I'll 10:35. You
>> um,
>> do they? Okay, that's fine. Um,
it's just it's just a hope, brother,
that it gets better.
>> Yeah.
>> Okay. I know that was not your intent.
>> It was not.
>> It wasn't. I I know that you told me
that right off the bat, man. Um, it
would have been different if if if it
would have progressed and it been more
physical after that, but it wasn't.
>> Yeah. But everything when something
happens, everything is taken that
happens in the entire situation. You
know what I'm saying? So him falling,
him getting the injury, him being
elderly. Again, he could be in the
hospital and be completely fine by
tomorrow. Okay. Um but we'll tell mom
mom to come down and bond you out. It
should be, I think, a $1,000 bond or
$100 to do a bondsman. She come down and
bond you out. And um you know, I'm sorry
about this. I'm I'm sorry because I
still think no matter what anybody
thinks of me, I shouldn't have did it. I
shouldn't have. I I agree with
everybody. I should have
>> Let me turn the for you. Let me talk to
mom real quick.
>> 3 days later on May 7th, 2021, Cook died
from a skull fracture and brain
contusions. Pooh was rearrested and
charged with aggravated manslaughter of
an elderly adult facing up to 30 years
in prison. In March of 2022, prosecutors
made a controversial decision. They
reduced the charge to felony battery.
Who holes was sentenced to two years
house arrest, 3 [music] years probation,
200 hours community service, mandatory
anger management, and no prison time.
Prosecutors cited key factors [music]
such as Puhol's clean record, the
victim's aggression and racial slurs,
and uncertainty under Florida's stand
your ground laws. One man's past made
him an unsympathetic victim. The other's
clean [music] record spared him a prison
cell. But in the end, a single punch
thrown in anger ended