Derrick Thompson rejected a plea deal Monday for killing five Somali American women in a car crash last year, and will instead stand trial on murder and homicide charges.
Thompson, 28, was originally charged with 10 counts of criminal vehicular homicide for causing the crash. In August, the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office offered Thompson a plea deal that would have dismissed five of the counts if he pleaded guilty to the other five.
A few weeks later, the attorney’s office also charged Thompson with five counts of third-degree murder.
If Thompson had accepted the deal, the murder charges would have also been dismissed, and Thompson would have served between 32 and 38 years in prison. Thompson appeared in court Monday, the deadline to accept the offer.
Hennepin County District Judge Carolina Lamas asked Thompson if he understood the consequences of not accepting the deal, and that he would stand trial on the murder and homicide charges if he rejected it.
“Yes ma’am,” replied Thompson, who said little else during the pretrial hearing.
Thompson’s trial is scheduled for February 18, 2025.
Thompson ran a red light after exiting Interstate 35W, and struck a Honda Civic occupied by Sabiriin Ali, 17; Sahra Gesaade, 20; Salma Abdikadir, 20; Sagal Hersi, 19; and Siham Odhowa, 19. According to court documents, Thompson’s Cadillac Escalade, which he had rented, was traveling at 95 miles per hour in a 55-mile zone while on the interstate.
All five women were killed instantly in the June 16, 2023, crash at Lake Street and 2nd Avenue in south Minneapolis. They were described as “pillars” of their community, and their funeral last year was attended by thousands of mourners.
Their family members and loved ones packed the courtroom Monday. They declined to comment on the development, but an attorney and local Muslim leader spoke on their behalf.
Osman Ahmed, advocacy director of the Minnesota chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, and Joe Heegaard, an attorney representing the families, told reporters after the hearing that the families were “disappointed” that Thompson did not take the plea deal.
”The families are truly disappointed that Mr. Thompson has still not taken accountability for his actions,” Heegaard said. “Given the convictions, there’s little room for uncertainty as to who is responsible for the senseless deaths of these five young women.”
Osman said that Thompson’s rejection of the deal means the families will have to endure the emotional toll of a trial. Monday’s hearing was difficult in itself, he added.
“It was very emotional, and a very hard situation for all of us, for the families, for the community, and for anyone,” Osman said.
Heegaard added that the families hope Thompson receives the longest possible sentence if he is convicted at trial.
Body camera footage shown in court
After Thompson rejected the plea deal, body-worn camera footage from officers who responded to the scene of the crash was shown in court. Some officers who responded to the scene also testified at the hearing. Some of the women’s family members held their heads in their hands while the videos were played, and wiped away tears.
Thompson’s attorney, Tyler Bliss, motioned to suppress evidence a witness provided to law enforcement. A woman told police she witnessed the crash and saw a man leave the scene, giving police a description that they used to take Thompson into custody. She was later placed in a squad car, and asked to identify Thompson as police had him step in front of the car. The woman identified him as the person she saw leaving the scene.
Lamas denied the defense’s motion, ruling that the witness was reliable.
Thompson’s attorney also filed a motion to dismiss several statements Thompson made to police, arguing that officers had not read him his Miranda rights. Lamas partly granted that motion.
Bliss said near the end of Monday’s hearing that the defense will file a motion to dismiss the third-degree murder charges.
Thompson was convicted last month in a separate federal trial. A jury found him guilty on three counts relating to drugs and a gun that were found in the vehicle Thompson was driving. More than 2,000 fentanyl pills, 13 MDMA (ecstasy) pills and about 35 grams of cocaine were found in the car. Federal prosecutors argued during the trial that Thompson and his brother were dealing drugs.
Thompson’s defense attorneys in that trial argued that the gun and drugs found in the car belonged to his brother, Damarco Thompson. Federal prosecutors and defense attorneys agreed that Damarco Thompson was a passenger in the vehicle, and that he fled the scene of the crash. Damarco Thompson has not been charged in the case.
Thompson is the son of former state DFL Representative John Thompson.
