3 days ago
Juror in Derrick Thompson trial: ‘You're deciding another man's life'
The Brief
Juror Lucas Sundelius spoke with reporters Friday after Derrick Thompson was found guilty on all 15 counts in the 2023 crash in Minneapolis that killed five women.
Sundelius said the jury was hung up on whether Derrick Thompson's brother was in the car at the time of the crash. They also had lengthy discussions about his actions being an indifference to life.
Thompson will be sentenced July 24.
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - Derrick Thompson was found guilty in Hennepin County Court on Friday of 15 counts, including third-degree murder, in a 2023 crash in Minneapolis that killed five women.
What happened
A jury found Thompson guilty on the 15 counts against him, including third-degree murder and criminal vehicular homicide, for the crash that claimed the lives of Salma Mohamed Abdikadir, Sahra Liban Gesaade, Sagal Burhaan Hersi, Siham Adan Odhowa, and Sabiriin Mohamoud Ali.
What they're saying
As members of the jury left the Hennepin County Courthouse on Friday, juror No. 9, Lucas Sundelius, spoke to reporters about being a part of the trial. Deliberations in the case took a little more than a day.
"It became more important to me how detailed you have to be, because you're deciding another man's life," Sundelius said. "It was rigorous, kind of chaotic at times, we were not agreeing on things, the majority of the first day we were pretty divided."
Why you should care
According to Sundelius, the jury's longest conversation was about whether Damarco Thompson, Derrick's brother, was in the car and driving at the time of the crash. Damarco Thompson testified in court that Derrick was the driver.
During his testimony, Damarco said after they left the airport rental facility, Derrick Thompson was the one driving the Escalade, and he drove the challenger to Woodbury. Some of Damarco's belongings were in the Escalade, but the jury determined Derrick was the driver through evidence presented in the trial. Mainly, Derrick is 6-5, Damarco is shorter and the driver's seat was significantly back, as if a taller person were driving. Derrick's entire defense was to cast doubt that he was driving.
They also found him guilty of murder for driving around 90 miles per hour at the time of the crash on a city street.
"I think the part that hung us up was the indifference to life aspect of it. We had a very long conversation. Obviously it wasn't intentional, but that doesn't mean he's not indifferent to it," Sundelius said. "We determined through his actions he was indifferent to the loss of life."
What they're saying
Sundelius said being on the jury was a bit chaotic, but in the end, they feel they made the right decision.
Thompson is set to be sentenced on July 24.
"Since I got on this journey, I've been thinking about those families every day. I can't even imagine how they feel, no parent should ever have to bury their child," Sundelius said. "The fact it happened to five families, it was weighing on me."
