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CBS News
03-06-2025
- General
- CBS News
Forensic scientist, victim's sister among day 4 witnesses in Derrick Thompson crash trial
Tuesday is the fourth day of testimony in the trial of Derrick Thompson, the son of a former Minnesota state representative accused of a deadly crash in south Minneapolis. Five young women were killed on the night of June 16, 2023: Salma Abdikadir, 20; Sabiriin Ali, 17; Sahra Gesaade, 20; Sagal Hersi, 19; and Siham Odhowa, 19. Thompson is charged with five counts of third-degree murder and 10 counts of criminal vehicular homicide for the crash. On Tuesday morning, Sundus Odhowa, Siham Odhowa's older sister, took the witness stand, where she described her sister as the pillar of their family. "She brought light to every room she walked in. She was always happy, was kind to everybody around her," said Sundus Odhowa. "She was a good friend, good sister and good daughter. And she was taken away from us way too soon." A forensic scientist with Hennepin County's crime lab also testified on Tuesday, discussing his work on the evening of the crash, where he took pictures and swabbed for DNA. A surgeon and a registered nurse who treated Thompson that night also took the stand. WCCO In court on Monday, a Minneapolis police officer whose body-worn camera captured the crash's aftermath off East Lake Street was questioned about the video, which shows officers speaking with a boodied Thompson near the scene. The footage shows the officer talking to a witness who says Thompson matched the description of the driver who ran from the crash scene. Thompson tells the officer he was bloody due to police harassment. "Please tell them it is not me. I'm [6 feet 5 inches tall], it's not hard for me to be missed. My hair is not blonde. My hair is red. Please tell them that this is not me," Thompson said in the video. The witness refutes Thompson's denial to his face. "He literally has blood on his face. It's you, bro. He's been here a hot minute. I've been here a hot minute," the witness said in the video. "You're sweating. You have blood on your face." The officer testified she followed department protocol of showing a suspect to a witness at night in front of squad car headlights, and she had gathered enough information to detain Thompson. Jurors also saw body cam footage on Monday from state trooper Vincent Wren, which shows him encounter the rented SUV Thompson's alleged of crashing, and the Honda Civic carrying the victims. "I went up to the Civic first, and the Civic looked like if you had a pop can and you laid the pop can down on the ground and stomped on it," Wren said. "It didn't look much like a car at that point." Burhan Warfaa, Hersi's father, gave emotional testimony on Monday through an interpreter about losing his daughter. Derrick Thompson Hennepin County Sheriff's Office "It is very hard for me. She was the best daughter any father could have," Warfaa said. On Friday, trooper Andres Guerra testified he spotted the SUV Thompson's accused of driving on Interstate 35W driving erratically and at speeds near 100 mph before the crash. Guerra said his emergency lights weren't on as he followed Thompson moments before he's accused of running a red light and striking the victims' car. Thompson's team is using an "alternative perpetrator" defense, arguing Thompson's brother was actually behind the wheel. His brother hasn't been arrested or criminally charged in the case. 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. WCCO has a camera inside the courtroom and will break down the key moments. This story will be updated. NOTE: The original airdate of the video attached to this article is June 2, 2025.
CBS News
28-05-2025
- General
- CBS News
Derrick Thompson's defense pins blame for fatal Minneapolis crash on another driver in filing
The son of a former lawmaker who is standing trial for the killing of five young women in a 2023 crash in Minneapolis plans to argue that someone else was behind the wheel, according to court documents. Defense attorneys for Derrick Thompson filed a motion Tuesday informing the court of a planned "alternative perpetrator" defense. Thompson is charged with five counts of third-degree murder and 10 counts of criminal vehicular homicide. Jury selection in his trial began Tuesday. The June 16, 2023 crash killed five friends: Salma Abdikadir, 20 Sabiriin Ali, 17 Sahra Gesaade, 20 Sagal Hersi, 19 Siham Odhowa, 19 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 their emergency lights on, Thompson allegedly cut across several lanes of traffic and exited onto East Lake Street, still speeding. Surveillance cameras captured his vehicle blowing a red light and slamming into a Honda Civic carrying the five young women. Charges said Thompson then ran from the scene and was found nearby, covered in sweat and blood. Thompson was convicted last fall of several federal drug-related charges in connection to the crash, earning an eight-year sentence. He rejected a proposed plea deal from the Hennepin County Attorney's Office for the state charges last summer. Another pre-trial filing from Thompson's defense seeks to disallow the testimony of a chaplain, citing state law preventing clergy from revealing information gleaned from a confession. Thompson is the son of former Minnesota State Rep. John Thompson, a close friend of Philando Castile who served one scandal-laden term representing St. Paul's District 67A before losing reelection in a landslide.
