BRISTOW, Okla. — As the trial opened Tuesday for a former Oklahoma judge accused of masturbating on the bench, his lawyer blasted police for holding grudges against the judge and trying to ruin him.
In his opening statement during the trial of Donald Thompson, lead defense lawyer Clark Brewster claimed Sapulpa police wanted to "take the judge out" because of unfavorable rulings against them.
Because of extensive pretrial publicity, his trial on the indecent-exposure charges was moved 15 miles away to the small town of Bristow. If anything, Brewster told the jury, his client is guilty of bad judgment for having a sex toy in his chambers or under his bench. Brewster said the pump was a "gag gift," and Thompson never kept it a secret. The lawyer also acknowledged the presence of a second pump, which Thompson allegedly bought himself at the recommendation of a doctor who had been treating him for a variety of medical problems, including prostatitis and erectile dysfunction.
Prosecutors showed jurors Tuesday one pump taken from a filing cabinet in Thompson's chambers. They also plan to produce photos of the second pump during testimony this week. Their main witness against Thompson is expected to be his court reporter, Lisa Foster, who has testified previously that she repeatedly observed Thompson using the device.
Prosecutors first called a trio of Sapulpa police officers, who claimed to have heard a whooshing sound, like that of a blood pressure cuff, during a Aug. 22, 2004, murder trial. Mike
Reed, who was on the witness stand during that trial, said he realized the sounds were coming from the judge. He said he believed he saw Thompson working a pump with a plastic tube extending toward his crotch. During a lunch recess at that trial, Police Chief Jim Wall directed Reed to take a picture of the device under the bench. Those photos were shown in court Tuesday. Wall later filed a complaint with the Oklahoma Office of Judicial Complaints on Aug. 25, 2004. When news of that allegation hit the media, Thompson retired a few days later, on Sept. 1, 2004.
During cross-examination, Brewster suggested the officers might have been trying to get revenge against Thompson for past rulings against them. He noted that all three had already heard rumors about Thompson's penis pump, and they may have wanted Thompson out of the way to have a more favorable judge appointed in his place.
Wall admitted in court that he was unhappy with one ruling in 2000, but testified he never held a grudge against Thompson for it. Wall, along with Reed and another officer, William Brant Green, said their dealings with Thompson had always been pleasant. Also testifying Tuesday were court reporters Michelle Smith and Jan Doolin, who cleaned out Thompson's chambers about two months after he retired.
Smith told the court that in a desk drawer she found hand lotion, a pornographic magazine, a condom, a prescription bottle for Viagra and some disposable razors.
Before trial began Tuesday, special prosecutor Richard Smothermon was forced to drop a misdemeanor charge of misusing state property filed against Thompson. Smothermon told the trial judge, Charles Allen McCall, that a key witness on that charge — Angela McClanahan — could not be found to testify. A warrant for her arrest has been issued. Prosecutors filed the misdemeanor charge after discovering four pornographic photos in a computer seized from Thompson's office. The photos show a woman performing oral sex, supposedly on Thompson. Brewster has denied the photos are of his client, and says that Thompson was unaware of their presence in his computer.
In his opening statement during the trial of Donald Thompson, lead defense lawyer Clark Brewster claimed Sapulpa police wanted to "take the judge out" because of unfavorable rulings against them.
Thompson, a former Creek County district judge, is charged with four felony indecent-exposure counts for allegedly using a sexual device, known as a "penis pump," during trials. Prosecutors also claim that Thompson "shaved his scrotum" during one of his trials.
Because of extensive pretrial publicity, his trial on the indecent-exposure charges was moved 15 miles away to the small town of Bristow. If anything, Brewster told the jury, his client is guilty of bad judgment for having a sex toy in his chambers or under his bench. Brewster said the pump was a "gag gift," and Thompson never kept it a secret. The lawyer also acknowledged the presence of a second pump, which Thompson allegedly bought himself at the recommendation of a doctor who had been treating him for a variety of medical problems, including prostatitis and erectile dysfunction.
Prosecutors showed jurors Tuesday one pump taken from a filing cabinet in Thompson's chambers. They also plan to produce photos of the second pump during testimony this week. Their main witness against Thompson is expected to be his court reporter, Lisa Foster, who has testified previously that she repeatedly observed Thompson using the device.
Prosecutors first called a trio of Sapulpa police officers, who claimed to have heard a whooshing sound, like that of a blood pressure cuff, during a Aug. 22, 2004, murder trial. Mike
Reed, who was on the witness stand during that trial, said he realized the sounds were coming from the judge. He said he believed he saw Thompson working a pump with a plastic tube extending toward his crotch. During a lunch recess at that trial, Police Chief Jim Wall directed Reed to take a picture of the device under the bench. Those photos were shown in court Tuesday. Wall later filed a complaint with the Oklahoma Office of Judicial Complaints on Aug. 25, 2004. When news of that allegation hit the media, Thompson retired a few days later, on Sept. 1, 2004.During cross-examination, Brewster suggested the officers might have been trying to get revenge against Thompson for past rulings against them. He noted that all three had already heard rumors about Thompson's penis pump, and they may have wanted Thompson out of the way to have a more favorable judge appointed in his place.
Wall admitted in court that he was unhappy with one ruling in 2000, but testified he never held a grudge against Thompson for it. Wall, along with Reed and another officer, William Brant Green, said their dealings with Thompson had always been pleasant. Also testifying Tuesday were court reporters Michelle Smith and Jan Doolin, who cleaned out Thompson's chambers about two months after he retired.
Smith told the court that in a desk drawer she found hand lotion, a pornographic magazine, a condom, a prescription bottle for Viagra and some disposable razors.
Before trial began Tuesday, special prosecutor Richard Smothermon was forced to drop a misdemeanor charge of misusing state property filed against Thompson. Smothermon told the trial judge, Charles Allen McCall, that a key witness on that charge — Angela McClanahan — could not be found to testify. A warrant for her arrest has been issued. Prosecutors filed the misdemeanor charge after discovering four pornographic photos in a computer seized from Thompson's office. The photos show a woman performing oral sex, supposedly on Thompson. Brewster has denied the photos are of his client, and says that Thompson was unaware of their presence in his computer.
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