Jehovah's Witness Rapist

Thompson's mother was a JW. Nevertheless, in his teens Thomson used drugs and sexually abused family members. In his 20s he committed numerous burglaries and raped women at knife-point.

In 1985 Thompson was convicted of raping four women and subsequently served 18 years in prison. He was a model prisoner, became a Jehovah’s Witness, and worked at making leather belts and purses.

In 2002 he was considered for release but a psychological evaluation found him too dangerous to go free. A jury trial followed and psychological experts for the prosecution and defense gave opposing interpretations of Thompson’s mental status and his risk of recidivism.

Prosecutors wanted him sent for treatment to a facility for sex offenders but were blocked by the jury who believed he was a changed man and no longer a threat. A forensic psychologist who had evaluated Thompson concluded he was a sexual sadist who refused to participate in treatment, and told jurors that Thompson was more likely than not to reoffend. Another psychologist, hired by Thompson's lawyers, argued he didn't meet the criteria required for civil commitment, and: "Mr. Thompson has not committed a sex offense in well over 17 years." [In those 17 years, however, he was in prison and lacked opportunity!]

After a three-week trial Thompson walked free.

A spiritual man?

The following year, at midnight August 16, 2004, Thompson broke in through a window, tied a woman up, demanded cash, raped her and poured bleach over her to destroy DNA evidence, and stole her car. A week later he broke into an apartment, choked a woman with a telephone cord, then stabbed her in the neck, killing her. After that he attacked two more women but police intervened.

Judgment

A report by Phillip Lucas (June 11, 2009) of Thompson in court includes a photo showing him under physical restraint:

As in previous appearances, Thompson was so disruptive that he was wheeled to the courtroom in a restraint chair hooked to an electrical shock device with multiple guards standing behind him.

State v. Thompson gives details:

There was abundant evidence of the need for restraints on Thompson. He had engaged in numerous episodes of assaultive or threatening behavior in the jail, including attempting to assault a court detail officer while in restraints (April 2005), threatening two officers (October 2005), charging at officers while in restraints (January 2006), spraying urine and feces at another inmate (March 2006), refusing to be handcuffed (March 2006), refusing to return to his cell (June 2007), attempting to strike officers with broken legirons, and threatening to kill officers and their families (December 2007). Thompson also acted out in or near courtrooms. He jerked away from officers in an apparent escape attempt (March 2008), causing injuries to himself and another. He repeatedly threatened to kill his attorney and the prosecutor, and screamed, in reference to Judge Robinson, "Power-tripping bitches! They oughta be killed!"

Thompson received a life sentence for the 2004 killing, additional to his other sentences, and is serving five life sentences for murder, rape and burglaries.

What do we learn from this? That people in prison for sexual offences who claim to be cured, changed and spiritual because they converted to JWs should have such testimony treated with caution.