Our Legal System Is A Joke!

[breitee]

Ex-judge to be released early

by: MANNY GAMALLO World Staff Writer
4/20/2008  12:00 AM

SAPULPA -- Donald Thompson, a longtime Creek County judge convicted of indecent exposure for masturbating during trials, is within days of his release from prison.

According to the Department of Corrections, Thompson's prison release is tentatively set for May 1, although he could be out as early as Wednesday by other estimates.

Within 72 hours of his release, ?(April 23) Thompson will have to register as a sex offender, as required by his indecent-exposure convictions.

He will have to register with the Sapulpa Police Department, and he will remain on the sex-offender registry for 15 years, officials said.

He also will be registered as a sex offender with the Department of Corrections.

There are no schools, parks or day-care operations in the neighborhood where Thompson lives, city officials said. State law bars registered sex offenders from living closer than 2,000 feet to a school, park or day care.

On June 29, 2006, a jury convicted Thompson of four indecent-exposure charges after a nearly three-week trial in Bristow.

The case against Thompson claimed that he exposed himself by using a penis pump to masturbate during four trials between 2001 and 2003.

The jury recommended that he serve one year in prison for each of the charges, along with paying a total $40,000.

At his formal sentencing on Aug. 18, 2006, District Judge Charles Allen McCall, who presided over the trial, ordered that Thompson serve four consecutive one-year terms.

McCall, a Comanche County judge brought in to hear the case, also ordered that Thompson begin serving his prison sentence on that very day.

If Thompson is released on May 1, he will have served slightly more than 20 months behind bars. His early release is the result of good-behavior credits normally given by the DOC.

Thompson has been held for security reasons at the Roger Mills County jail at Cheyenne under a contract with the Oklahoma State Reformatory at Granite.

Earlier he had been held at the McClain County jail at Purcell under a contract with the Joseph Harp Correctional Center at Lexington.

Still to be settled is an appeal concerning the revocation of Thompson's state retirement benefits for his 22 years as a judge.

After his conviction, the Oklahoma Public Employees Retirement System stripped him of his yearly $93,474.12 pension -- or $7,789.51 monthly.

Thompson is still entitled to nearly $300 in monthly retirement benefits for having served in the Legislature between 1974 and 1980.

However, Thompson's lawyers appealed the revocation of his judicial pension, claiming it wouldn't be fair to deprive him of the money until the appeal of his conviction is decided.

Last September, the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals rejected Thompson's appeal and let his convictions stand.

Joe Fox, the general counsel for the state retirement system, said it's up to Thompson's attorneys to pursue the move to have his pension reinstated.

The last hearing on the matter was in March 2007, at which time the state-retirement appeal was continued indefinitely.

Thompson's attorneys had wanted to delay the hearing until their client could attend the meeting himself.

One of his lawyers, Rob Nigh of Tulsa, said they would definitely pursue the reinstatement of the ex-judge's judicial pension.

Meanwhile, news of Thompson's impending release was met with conciliatory tones from the special prosecutor in the case and trial judge McCall.

Lead prosecutor Richard Smothermon said Thompson has paid his debt to society "and it's time to let him out of the box.

"It's time for Creek County, the state and everyone else to put this behind them," Smothermon said.

McCall offered much the same sentiment.

"All I would say is that I'm hoping everyone can put this behind them and move on," the judge said.

"It was a difficult circumstance for the judge and his family, for the victims and families, and the court system in Creek County in general," McCall said.

"Justice has run its course, and I'm hoping we can put this all behind us."

[cannon_fodder]

I am happy with the punishment.  20 months in prison for a non-violent offense and, more importantly stripped of his pension:

quote:After his conviction, the Oklahoma Public Employees Retirement System stripped him of his yearly $93,474.12 pension -- or $7,789.51 monthly.

Coupled with public humiliation and not being able to show his face anywhere in the USA without being known as the "Penis Pump Judge," I'd say he has been well punished.  Frankly, the 20 months in prison were just gravy - I'm happy to stop paying for his room and board.

Nearly 2 years in prison + probation + sex offender status + about $1,000,000 in fines + public humiliation = fine by me.

Not too mention, one wouldn't think this is the kind of behavior we actually have to work to discourage too much in the future.  []

[sgrizzle]

I'm okay with him being out. I doubt he will be masturbating in any more courtrooms.

[RecycleMichael]

That is not a very stiff sentence.

[FOTD]

quote:Originally posted by RecycleMichael

That is not a very stiff sentence.

Evidently, it was not a very stiff crime.....

[cannon_fodder]

Did anyone else kind of hope he got caught masturbating during his trial for the perfect setup for both an insanity defense and a Rob Schneider movie?

and nice pun RM, a bit more subtle than usual.

[Conan71]

So Thompson finally got off...

[Breadburner]

I hope he keeps it on the straight and narrow from here on out....

[mr.jaynes]

quote:Originally posted by FOTD

quote:Originally posted by RecycleMichael

That is not a very stiff sentence.

Evidently, it was not a very stiff crime.....

In any case, he did hard time....

[mrhaskellok]

I actually think he got stiffed.  Who doesn't masturbate in the court room?

[]

[cannon_fodder]

quote:Originally posted by mrhaskellok

I actually think he got stiffed.  Who doesn't masturbate in the court room?

No, you have it wrong.  Most people get screwed in a court room, they just don't do it to themselves.

[custosnox]

okay, this thread is really getting out of hand, or is it out of pump now?

[Conan71]

He's gotta be pumped up about coming home early...not so sure about his wife...

[mr.jaynes]

Don't know much about him or his case, since I was living outside Oklahoma when it happened. But from what I get, he was probably an Upstanding individual in more ways than one....

[breitee]

Hope someone whacks him right outside the gate.