Derrick Thompson jurors see videos of crash that killed 5 young women
Derrick Thompson trial: Body camera shown on Day 3
Derrick Thompson is accused of hitting and killing five women in a crash in Minneapolis back in 2023. Monday in court, they showed body camera footage from the crash and we heard from a victim's father.
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - As Derrick Thompson was led in handcuffs to be shown to a woman who saw the man who left the driver’s seat of a Cadillac Escalade, he repeatedly asked her to "say it wasn’t me."
She did say it was Thompson she saw that night. And she also testified to that last week.
Thompson shown on body cam
Derrick Thompson trial: Thompson's behavior at crash scene
In Day 3 of the Derrick Thompson trial, testimony was given on Thompson's behavior at the crash scene. FOX 9's Rob Olson has more.
What we know:
Thompson is charged with 15 counts of criminal vehicular homicide and third-degree murder, three each for the five young women who died when Thompson’s rented SUV slammed into them at a Lake Street intersection in June 2023.
A Minneapolis police officer testified about detaining Thompson in the back of her squad. Jurors saw squad car video in which Thompson is heard saying "I don’t want to be here all night, here, you know. I need someone to say it wasn’t me so I can go about my day."
Another officer testified about bringing Thompson out of the squad to be identified by an eyewitness. He repeatedly asks her to "say it wasn’t me." He’s also walking with a limp.
"He had trouble walking," testified Officer Kelly Damon. "And then it was very small steps to get to the front of the squad and then go back into the squad."
Difficult videos to watch
Derrick Thompson trial: Cameras show fatal crash
In Day 3 of the Derrick Thompson trial, cameras showed different angles of the crash that killed 5 young women.
Jurors also heard from a crash reconstruction specialist from the Minnesota State Patrol, who testified about multiple videos of Thompson’s speeding SUV and the crash itself.
Traffic cameras caught the Cadillac Escalade that Thompson had rented just 24 minutes prior, going up Interstate 35W clocked at 95 miles an hour.
Jurors saw videos of the crash as the Escalade blew through a red light on Lake Street. Data from the SUV showed it going around 80 mph at the time of impact, but as high as 116mph just eight seconds before.
Sgt. Kristofer Geiger said it was one of the worst crashes he’s ever investigated. Pictures of the Honda Accord the women were in showed it nearly torn apart.
"Due to the level of traumatic injuries to the bodies and midsections," said Sgt. Geiger, "it was hard to determine an accurate count of how many were in the vehicle."
Family and friends of the victims, crowding the courtroom gallery, reacted by gasping or looking away each time the crash was shown.
Derrick Thompson trial: Bodycam video shown
Bodycam video presented during the trial of Derrick Thompson on Monday shows the moments as police confronted Thompson following a deadly crash that claimed the lives of five young women. Thompson denied driving the vehicle, but officers pointed out he had suffered injuries during the interaction.
Who was behind the wheel?
What's next:
More investigators and family members of victims are on the list of potential witnesses, as is an employee of Hertz who rented the SUV to Thompson.
That testimony could be key, as Thompson’s defense is trying to cast doubt that Thompson was actually behind the wheel. Thompson rented the vehicle with his brother, who prosecutors say dropped him off at Hertz. Photos previously released show Thompson behind the wheel and alone in the vehicle as he left with the rental.