Jury resumes deliberations in Derrick Thompson trial
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The jury in the trial of a man accused of killing five young women in a crash in south Minneapolis has begun its second day of deliberations.
The prosecution and defense rested their cases in Derrick Thompson's trial on Wednesday and made their closing arguments Thursday morning. The jury deliberated Thursday afternoon before returning at 11 a.m. Friday.
Derrick Thompson is charged with five counts of third-degree murder and 10 counts of criminal vehicular homicide.
"These five young women lost their lives as a direct consequence of the reckless, selfish, destructive choices," prosecutor Paige Starkey said. "This was murder in the third degree and the state of Minnesota asks you to find him guilty of each and every count."
Derrick Thompson's defense alleged he was not the driver in the June 16, 2023, crash, instead pinning the blame on his brother, Damarco Thompson. The brother took the stand Wednesday after being subpoenaed, saying he was not even in the car during the crash, let alone driving it.
"Whoever is driving that car was not acting in a depraved way," defense attorney Tyler Bliss said in his closing argument. "Whoever is driving that car was a knucklehead and a danger and a reckless person, but ladies and gentlemen, they simply were not acting with a depraved mind."
During the trial, jurors also heard from a state trooper who alleged Derrick Thompson was speeding before the crash, a Minneapolis police officer whose body camera captured the aftermath of the crash, family members of the victims and others.
Salma Abdikadir, 20; Sabiriin Ali, 17; Sahra Gesaade, 20; Sagal Hersi, 19; and Siham Odhowa, 19 were killed in the crash, which happened on East Lake Street just off Interstate 35W.
Prosecutors allege Thompson drew the attention of a state trooper on Interstate 35W by driving erratically at more than 100 mph. Before the trooper turned his emergency lights on, Thompson allegedly cut across several lanes of traffic and exited onto East Lake Street, still speeding. Surveillance cameras captured the crash itself.
Derrick Thompson was convicted last fall of several federal drug-related charges in connection to the crash and received an eight-year sentence. He rejected a proposed plea deal from the Hennepin County Attorney's Office for the state charges last summer.
Derrick Thompson is the son of former DFL state Rep. John Thompson.
