Derrick Thompson, the driver accused of killing five young Somali American women in a Minneapolis car crash last year, was convicted on federal drugs and firearms charges Friday.
Thompson, 28, faced three charges: possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime. The jury found him guilty on all three counts. He will be sentenced at a later date.
The federal trial, which began on Monday , did not address the deaths of the women, and instead focused solely on drug and gun charges. Thompson faces murder and criminal vehicular homicide charges in a separate case in state court.
Sabiriin Ali, 17; Sahra Gesaade, 20; Salma Abdikadir, 20; Sagal Hersi, 19; and Siham Odhowa, 19, were driving in a Honda Civic through the Lake Street and 2nd Avenue intersection in south Minneapolis on June 16, 2023, when Thompson’s car ran a red light after exiting Interstate 35W and stuck them. All five women were killed instantly. They were described as “pillars” of their community, and their funeral was attended by thousands last year.
Thompson fled the scene of the crash on foot and was later arrested. A black bag was found in the Cadillac Escalade Thompson was driving, which he had rented earlier that night. A handgun with an extended magazine and more than 2,000 fentanyl pills were found inside the vehicle, along with other drugs, according to court documents.
The jury began deliberating the case late Thursday afternoon, and returned a verdict late Friday morning. Prosecutors and defense attorneys declined to comment on the verdict.
Several family members and loved ones were in the courtroom when the verdict was read.
Following the verdict, attorney Jeff Storms said family members were grateful for the work that led to the convictions.
“While this was an important milestone, it is only one step in seeking justice and accountability for the senseless killing of these beautiful and promising young women,” Storms said in a statement.
Final arguments center around brother’s involvement
The prosecution and defense gave their closing arguments Thursday, pointing fingers at who was to blame.
Thompson’s defense attorneys argued that the drugs and gun belonged to Thompson’s brother, Damarco Thompson. The prosecution and defense both agreed that Damarco Thompson was a passenger in the vehicle and also fled the scene of the crash.
Damarco Thompson has not been arrested or charged in this case, but has previous convictions for drug-related crimes. Defense attorney Aaron Morrison told Judge Jeffrey Bryan that efforts to locate Damarco Thompson were unsuccessful.
“I can’t find Damarco,” he told Bryan in court.
In his closing argument, Morrison told the jury that the prosecution didn’t look closely enough into Thompson’s brother. He also said law enforcement “contaminated” the crash scene.
Prosecutors told the jury that the defense’s argument about Damarco Thompson was a “red herring.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ruth Shnider told the jury that Thompson and his brother carried out drug deals together and it was a “family business.”
“Derrick Thompson was a drug trafficker. This is what he did, day in and day out,” Shnider said.
She told the jury that the case was straightforward considering the evidence prosecutors presented.
“In this case, things are exactly as they seem,” Shnider said. “You can believe your own eyes.”
Testimony from crash witnesses, law enforcement
Prosecutors called about 20 witnesses during their case, who ranged from law enforcement officers, forensic scientists and people who were near the crash site at the time.
Prosecutors also showed the jury pages of text messages law enforcement extracted from a phone they say belonged to Derrick Thompson. Michael Flanagan, a special agent with the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA), testified that the content of the messages indicated that Thompson was dealing drugs.
The text messages included terms like “blues” which Flanagan said reference fentanyl. Other text messages referenced amounts of pills and prices. Prosecutors also played an audio message sent from Thompson’s phone, in which he asked for 30,000 “blues.”
Morrison asked Flanagan if he only examined evidence provided to him by the government. Flanagan agreed.
Prosecutors also called Destiny Axelson, a forensic scientist with the BCA, who analyzed pieces of evidence collected from the Escalade for DNA, including the gun and drugs.
Axelson said a mix of five individuals’ DNA was found in the interior driver’s side door of the Escalade, and that there was “very strong support” that Thompson’s DNA contributed to it. Additionally, a DNA profile collected from the gun matched Thompson, as well as on the packaging of fentanyl powder.
Defense attorney Matthew Deates asked Axelson if she could tell when DNA is deposited on a surface and how it got there. She said she could not.
The defense did not call any witnesses during the trial, and Thompson did not testify.
Throughout the trial, family members and loved ones of the women killed in the crash sat in the courtroom. When evidence was shown, such as a video of the crash or pictures of the crumpled Cadillac Escalade Thompson was driving, some family members wept, and dropped their head to their hands.
During the defense’s closing argument, several family members appeared uncomfortable and left the courtroom. They later returned.
State case
Thompson faces 10 counts of criminal vehicular homicide and five counts of third-degree murder in Hennepin County District Court for the deaths of the five women. A plea deal has been proposed to Thompson, which would eliminate five of the criminal vehicular homicide counts if he pleads guilty.
Thompson has until his next state court appearance, November 4, to decide if he wants to take the plea deal. If he accepts the deal, he would face between 32 and 38 years in prison for the state charges. A trial date has been scheduled for February 28, 2025, in the event he rejects the deal.
Thompson is the son of former state DFL Representative John Thompson .
Correction: This story has been updated to clarify the defense attorney asking BCA forensic scientist Destiny Axelson about DNA.
The post Derrick Thompson convicted on federal drug, gun charges following crash that killed five young women appeared first on Sahan Journal .
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