Former Judge Thinks He's Served Enough Prison Time

A Green Country judge sentenced to four years in prison for indecent exposure is asking for an early release. The attorney for former Creek County Judge Donald Thompson says he's done enough time,

Thursday, May 17th 2007, 7:53 pm

By: News On 6

A Green Country judge sentenced to four years in prison for indecent exposure is asking for an early release. The attorney for former Creek County Judge Donald Thompson says he's done enough time, but Thursday, News On 6 anchor Jennifer Loren talked with someone familiar with Thompson's own sentencing practices. She reports that person says he needs to stay put.

Thompson is now a sex offender. He began serving his four year sentence nine months ago. A jury found him guilty of indecent exposure for using a sexual device while presiding over cases in his Creek County courtroom. His attorney said back then the sentence was too harsh, and now that Thompson's served some time, he says, enough is enough.

"He's doing the hardest time that a person could do,â€ said defense attorney Clark Brewster. â€œHe's literally in lock down 23 hours a day, and he's being celled with people that are murderers and rapists."

Brewster argues that Thompson's sentence is outrageous compared with those of other, similar first offenders. He says most of them received only probation. He suggests that Thompson's four year sentence was in spite of him.

"I feel like the judge, because of his position and his social status, received a much more harsh sentence than someone else," said Brewster.

We talked with a woman who disagrees. She says one of her close friends was sentenced in Thompson's courtroom. He too was a first offender and Thompson gave him the maximum sentence.

"And it just doesn't seem fair to the people he judged,â€ she said.

She says years ago her friend turned himself in for molesting two children, even though authorities had no idea it happened. It was his first offense. He plead guilty, but Thompson sentenced him to the max.

"And they wound up putting him in for a maximum sentence of 20 years," she said.

She says she knows theirs are two completely different offenses, but says still, Thompson is acting like a hypocrite.

"You know itâ€™s like he just handed off a maximum sentence and now he's wanting just as little as possible, and it just doesn't seem fair to me. It doesn't feel like justice is being served properly," she said.

Thompson's attorney argued that he was a good judge, even when he was accused of using the sexual device.

Thompsonâ€™s hearing is Friday at 2:30 p.m.

Watch the video: Former Judge Wants Early Prison Release