Mickey Thompson murder trial update

That was to be expected. Lawyers do that all the time.

 

Will this ever end???

 

I've now read all 8 pages of this thread, and have also been following the story here locally in the L.A. Times, L.A. Weekly, etc. By everything I've read to date, I'm convinced of Goodwin's guilt. It'll be interesting to read the book(s) that will no doubt be writen about this case, where so much more information always comes to light.
And that's my point concerning the quote above. I take it "Noname" believes O.J. is "not guilty", if I interpret his quote correctly. I'll just say that, for anyone even remotly interested in the O.J. trial, on either side of the fence, and any undecided fence-sitters, you should read a book writen by Daniel Petrocelli, called: "Triumph of Jutice" the Final Judgment on the Simpson Saga. My point is, that good books can and do shed conciderable light on cases only previously viewed from the perspective of the nightly network "news" sound bites, and the sensationalism of so-called investigative type T.V. programs. What Mr. Petrocelli's book lays out, is a very in-depth look at the entire case, and most importantly recites all the depositions by the various people involved in the case on both sides, weather they testified or not at the criminal trial, including the 10-day deposition of O.J. himself. The interesting thing about depositions is that the person being deposed, has to answer, under oath, any and all questions asked of them without objections from a gang of lawyers. It's a very facinating, and telling book, I recommend it.
O.K. I'll step off my soap box now, and put it back in the garage between my tool box and engine stand.

 

My dad (who drag raced from 1957-1965) wasnt surprised at the murder at all. The club he was in bought one of mickeys dragsters (4 cyl tempest) and it was such an unsafe and misengineered piece of shit that they wanted to kill him too!

 

Kinda makes ya wonder why they bought it then, doesn't it?

 

They went on his word, which was obviously a mistake and gross application of poor judgement.

 

On the 5 o clock news just minutes ago they played a court hearing that was held earlier today, where Coleen cambel (M/T's sister) was able to speak in front of a judge. Michael Goodwin offered his final statements as well. The judge then denied the motion for another trial and sentenced Goodwin to two consecutive life sentences !

THE END

 

Good ridance to bad rubbish…

 

May Mickey and his wife rest in piece know.

 

Ty on the update. Shoot em in the head, throw them in a dumpster. They would still get off better than Mickey and his wife did.

 

I can remember reading the paper at the breakfast table the day after the Thompsons were murdered and thinking that it seemd like everything pointed to Goodwin being behind it.

 

Just saw the sentence on tv, 2 life sentences for the bastard...finally some closure... R.I.P. Thompson's

 

2 Life Terms in Mickey Thompson Murders

By Linda Deutsch, The Associated Press

Pasadena, Calif. — A former business partner of murdered racing legend Mickey Thompson was ordered Thursday to spend the rest of his life in prison, despite declaring that he was not responsible for the deaths of Thompson and his wife.

Former motorsports promoter Michael Goodwin said the 1988 killings of Mickey and Trudy Thompson were "a tragedy."

"I can't apologize because I'm not guilty of this crime," Goodwin, 61, told the judge before being sentenced to two consecutive terms of life in prison without the possibility of parole.

The Thompsons were shot to death while leaving their gated home in the Los Angeles suburb of Bradbury. The killers, who came on bicycles, were never caught.

Goodwin used to work with Thompson, a high-profile motorsports figure who pursued land-speed records, drove everything from dragsters to midget cars, and promoted off-road racing.

The prosecution said Goodwin sent hit men to kill the couple as revenge for a business deal that went sour and led to a legal judgment of more than $700,000 against Goodwin.

After the sentencing, Thompson's sister, Collene Campbell, and Ivan "Ironman" Stewart, an off-road racing champ who credited his career to Thompson, stood outside the courthouse waving black-and-white checkered flags.

Earlier, in her statement to the judge, Campbell referred to her nearly 19-year battle to bring the case to a close.

"We are proud that, along with law enforcement, we were not intimidated and did not desert our fight to bring justice," she said, becoming occasionally tearful as she spoke of the victims and the impact of their deaths.

"Michael Goodwin is a coward and a bully who hired and arranged for shooters to kill Mickey and Trudy, all for his self-indulgence, greed and to accomplish his desired sinful plan," she said.

"There is no doubt that our family has been subjected to evil at its worst by this now-convicted killer," she said.

Deputy Public Defender Elena Saris argued for a new trial, saying that the judge's rulings denied Goodwin the chance to put on an adequate defense and that his right to a speedy trial had been denied.

Prosecutor Alan Jackson argued that the case was properly presented.

"This was a circumstantial case," the judge ultimately declared, "but the evidence was overwhelming. I can say it was the appropriate verdict based on the evidence."

Prosecutors said the case will remain open until the two shooters are caught. Saris said she planned to appeal, and Goodwin said he would never give up the fight to prove that he did not commit the crime.

"I won't let it go till the day I die," he said.

Outside court, Campbell commented, "I just hope that he hurries up and dies."

 

Sympathy or cruel parting shot at sister?

Frank Mickadeit
Orange County Register, (714) 796-4994, [email protected]

After 19 years, Collene Campbellfinally had her day in court yesterday during the sentencing of Michael Goodwinto two life terms. She wore two gold angel pins on her lapel – symbolizing her murdered brother and sister-in-law – and stood at the lectern, 15 feet from the man convicted of having them killed.

For 23 minutes, she lambasted him, lauded her departed loved ones and lamented the loss she feels daily. She called Goodwin"a coward and a bully" for starters, then came back a few minutes later with "egocentric, convicted liar, drunk driver and murderer." Goodwin, sitting between his lawyers, turned 90 degrees to the right in his chair and looked directly at Campbell, his lips pursed, shaking his head occasionally, but his face mostly expressionless.

It was a packed courtroom – Erikaand I stood in the back until a gentleman got up and I was able to take his seat – filled what had become the usual cast of characters. There were Colleen and her husband of 55 years, Gary, in the second row, with friends and former co-workers of Mickey Thompsoncreating a shield of sorts around them. One of Mickey's old racing competitors, Ivan "Iron Man" Stewart, sat nearby. Further out were the book writers and reporters, including our doyenne of courthouse reportage, Linda Deutsch, and, finally, over in one corner, a small clutch of Goodwin supporters. Prosecutor Alan Jackson, he of the errant forehead curl, was before the bar, and to his left was Goodwin's lead counsel, Elena Saris, as assertive as ever.

On my way to court, I'd run into R.S.M. Councilman Jim Thorat our local bagel shop, and he told me that since the verdict Colleen was looking "like a thousand pounds had been taken off her shoulders." When I saw her a few hours later, she was almost skipping into the courtroom. She choked up again during her statement, but my sense is she has started to recover.

Yesterday's mostbizarre moment was when, two hours into the hearing, Goodwin was allowed to speak. His reading glasses perched on his nose, he swiveled his chair nearly 180 degrees, looked right at Collene in the spectator area and began to speak. After expressing his sorrow the Thompsons had been killed, he started talking about how the Campbells' son, Scott, also had been murdered – thrown out of an airplane some years before Collene's brother and sister-in-law were killed. (One defense theory is that the two are connected, although the jury was not allowed to hear that.) It took a moment it to register what he was doing, but when it did become apparent, Jackson cut him off and told the judge how inappropriate it was.

To the uninitiated, Goodwin sounded reasoned, empathetic and innocent. His stated purpose for bringing up the Scott's murder was to evoke even greater sympathy for Collene. What others saw, however, was a passive-aggressive, well-thought-out move to twist the knife into Collene a little deeper, to make sure she hurt just a little more.

That said, in most trials, you know an appeal is futile. I can't say that here. The circumstances are too strange: The 19 years between crime and punishment; the lack of direct evidence; and evidence a drug dealer admitted a connection to the murders, which the judge wouldn't let the jury hear.

Key witnesses – a housekeeper, a boat broker, a banker – have died, Saris says. Phone, business and credit card records have been destroyed, as has been the license plate number of the car two witnesses said they saw Goodwin sitting in near the Thompsons' house just days before the murders. This was the most substantial "new" evidence in the case, and the plate number could have verified whether the car had any connection to Goodwin. In short, Saris says, because police dawdled for years potentially exculpatory evidence was gone and Goodwin was denied due process.

Among Judge Teri Schwartz's reasons for denying a dismissal or new trial is she believes police had legitimate cause to delay Goodwin's arrest from the time he was considered a suspect in 1988 until they cuffed him in 2001. Namely, the couple who say they saw him in the car weren't interviewed by police until the late 1990's. Also, as co-prosecutor Pat Dixonnoted, there's no statute of limitations on murder. I'm not here to argue the merits of either side; I'm just saying I doubt we've heard the last of this case. Goodwin promised the courtroom he will pursue an appeal "until the day I die." If there's one thing he certainly can be convicted of, it's perseverance.

 

I'm not very good at judgeing. I thought O.J. was guilty too! and they had more evidence.

 

From the Orange County Register:

Rackauckas swears in victim’s sister to state commission

November 19th, 2007

Hours before speaking at a news conference Friday about his office’s latest injunctions against two south-county gangs, Orange County District Attorney Tony Rackauckas swore in Collene Campbell to the state’s Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission.

Campbell, whose maiden name is Thompson, is the sister of auto racing legend Mickey Thompson, who was killed along with his wife Trudie in 1988. Thompson’s former business partner, Michael Goodwin, was convicted of both murders in January.

Campbell, who had been re-appointed to the post, specifically asked for Rackauckas to administer the oath of office, saying in a press relase that she credited him for Goodwin’s conviction.

 

Catch the two who shot them and convict them then justice will be done. We are only half way there. Ty Roadster forthe update. Sadly here, it takes the HAMB to find out what's going on. I'm use to just seeing if Britney had ham on wheat rather than white as the headline of the day.

 

This Saturday 7-5-08 on the show 48 hours on CBS the subject is Mickey Thompson , his life, death and the trial of his former business partner.

 

The CBS 48 Hours show includes part of the Prosecution's closing argument from Alan Jackson, who, along with Pat Dixon, prosecuted the Goodwin murder trial and also Phil Spector's murder trial.

Pat Dixon and Alan Jackson will prosecute Spector again when his second murder trial begins on September 29.

Dave
http://www.roadsters.com/

 

reading this old thread brings back memorys i lived around the corner from the gated bradbury estates growing up rest in peace Thompsons

 

They did an episode of Murder By The Book on The History Channel about this case.

 

another unsolved un prosecuted murder..anyone still have complete faith in our judicial system?

I think the system has failed this family and they system should be responsible legally for the justice delayed, justice denied.

freaking 18 years? can you imagine what the feeding frenzy was like for all the lawyers involved? fuckin scumbags..

our legal system needs a major overhaul..these 2 people deserved much better than they have gotten.

 

It's a Godamn shame there's not a way to take away all the years of freedom the SOB enjoyed up until his capture/conviction

 

definetly!
thats why the death penalty should be used..and dont wait a dam century to impliment it..guilty! 1 year in prison..the rest of his life sentance spent in the ground.

 

WILL SOME ONE PLEASE JUST TAKE THESE GUYS OUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The judicial system is so screwed!!! take'em out back and do burnouts on thier faces with a big set of Mickey's Best. R.I.P. Thompsons

 

AGREED.
Both Death and life in prison are too good for this waste of air.

Greed is an amazing thing.

I am going to stop before I get to ranting. That douchebag killed My Hero.

 

I grew up in Duarte, of which Bradbury is really just a suburb. I knew Mickey and later became friends with son Danny, still consider him a friend. I also was involved with the old Mickey Thompson Stadium Racing series. In fact I was working for Toyota Off Road driver Steve Millen when this murder happened. I remember getting the call very early that morning, it was very somber around the office the rest of the day as we got and made calls trying to find out details. At one point I remember someone saying, "probably Goodwin". I nodded as just a year or two before Mike Goodwin had come to my shop and asked me to build him a Pro Rally Car. We spoke for hours and he ended it with "If you screw me on this car, I'll kill you!" I opted not to do business with him.
I only hope that before the bastard dies, he comes clean and gives up the hired shooters, the two black guys on bicycles that were seen leaving the scene of the crime, so real closure can be achieved.

 

Wow, I must live in a box. I had no idea that any of this had traspired. I am just a young guy and Mickey Thompson was before my time, but I remember for my 16th birthday my dad got me a set of Mickey Thompson valve covers for my truck's 428 fe. It was then that I first learned of this legend. I'll have to tell Dad about this, as I am sure he doesn't know either or he would have mentioned it.

It's great to know that our legal system doesn't always botch things up and though it was a long time coming, hopefully those tied directly to the Thompsons may have some peace at last. Thank you HAMBers for posting this information.

 

Almost TWENTY YEARS???? Sounds like the botch, to end all botches to me

 

My gut feeling is that the two black guys were from the Caribbean . Right after the murders Goodwin left the states and stayed in the Caribbean for almost a year !