Jury reaches verdict in Derrick Thompson murder trial for crash that killed 5

A Hennepin County Jury has reached a verdict in the murder trial of Derrick John Thompson for the deaths of five young women in a catastrophic car crash.

The verdict is expected to be read at about 3 p.m.

After deliberating for five hours Thursday, the jury did not reach a verdict. Jurors walked out of the Hennepin County Government Center as family members of the victims lined the hallways, where they had spent the afternoon. The jury began deliberating again Friday morning at 11 a.m. Deliberations were delayed slightly to accommodate family members of the victims who were celebrating the Muslim holiday Eid al-Adha.

After an emotional trial, closing arguments brought even more intensity to the courtroom on Thursday before Judge Carolina Lamas handed the case to the jury.

Thompson’s attorney, Tyler Bliss, used closing arguments to bring forth his most spirited defense after not calling any witnesses during the trial.

He claimed Minneapolis police Sgt. David Ligneel lied on the witness stand and the state failed to properly investigate whether Derrick’s brother, Damarco Thompson, was in the car at the time of the crash.

In a last-minute twist in the case, Damarco testified Wednesday that Derrick was driving the Escalade that crashed and killed Sabiriin Ali, Sahra Gesaade, Salma Abdikadir, Sagal Hersi and Siham Adam.

Damarco had been seen on surveillance video leaving Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport behind his brother. His hat, car keys and cellphone were found in the Escalade after the crash.

Bliss said Damarco’s testimony lacked credibility.

“Who on Earth would want to be associated with this situation?” Bliss asked.

Assistant Hennepin County Attorney Paige Starkey gave closing arguments for the state.

Composed and methodical, she rehashed the timeline of surveillance video evidence and expert testimony that put Derrick Thompson in the Escalade at the airport before it traveled down the interstate and exited toward Lake Street. It then ran a red light and crashed into the Honda Civic carrying the five young women.

“Derrick Thompson’s behavior, his series of choices that night, were criminal because they were imminently dangerous to everyone and anyone who happened to be on the road that night,” Starkey said.

She noted that the state didn’t have to prove he intended to kill those five women — and the state didn’t believe he was trying to do that.

“But make no mistake: It wasn’t whether he was going to take somebody’s life, it was who and when,” she said. “It could have been any of those cars stopped at the light or in the other lane just as he pulls up the Lake Street exit. It could have been a pedestrian. Somebody walking to get food or going to the bus stop. It could have been that minivan that drove into the intersection one second later. Instead it was these five spots of light.”

Just as importantly, Starkey said, Thompson’s behavior before and in the wake of the crash pointed to his indifference to the loss of human life.

She said Thompson sped down the highway for two minutes before taking an off-ramp at more than 100 mph and barely slowed before essentially “cutting the Civic in half.”

“Derrick Thompson only cared about Derrick Thompson,” she said.

Bliss painted a different picture. He said that the Thompson brothers had been given a Cadillac Escalade by Hertz when all they paid for was a sedan.

“Hamburger prices and you’re getting a steak,” Bliss said.

He acknowledged that the driving was undeniably reckless, but it fell short of indifference to loss of life or committing an imminently dangerous act. He noted that people speed all the time and that a powerful SUV like an Escalade adds to that dynamic.

“It’s Friday night,” Bliss said, asking the jury to imagine the moment of Derrick and Damarco driving down the interstate. “It’s after 9:30. You’re young and sober and headed downtown. You got the hottest ride in town.

He pointed to surveillance images that showed Thompson hit the brakes on the off-ramp and once he saw the red light at the intersection.