THE DARK SIDE OF NEBRASKA
Mark Thompson
#30920
Full Name: Mark Thompson
DOB: February 19, 1951
Charge: 2nd degree murder
County: Lancaster
City: Lincoln
Current Status: Released
Date of Crime: April 9, 1976
Victim: Thomas "Tony" E. Smith, Jr.
DOB: February 19, 1951
Charge: 2nd degree murder
County: Lancaster
City: Lincoln
Current Status: Released
Date of Crime: April 9, 1976
Victim: Thomas "Tony" E. Smith, Jr.
Mark Thompson is 26 years of age, and married but separated from his wife. He has completed two years of college and was employed at the time of the offense. He is partially disabled as a result of an injury to his right knee while serving in Vietnam.
Mark had attended a party at the home of his sister, Rosie Hicks, on the evening of April 9, 1976. During the evening an argument developed, a fight broke out, and several guests subdued Mark by getting him down on the floor. Mark was scratched and bruised in the fight. According to Mark, a guest named Wally Morris made some threats that he would kill Mark the next time he saw him.
Mark worked until noon the following day. He commenced drinking and smoking weed during the afternoon. He purchased a .22 caliber semiautomatic rifle and some ammunition and then returned to his apartment. At about 8 PM Betty Mae Thompson, his niece and sister by adoption, came to see him. She said that he was crying and upset over what had happened at the party the night before, that Mark said he was going to kill her mom and her cousin, Pam Thompson, and showed her the rifle he had purchased, and that he wanted to talk to Stanley Proctor, a friend of his. Stanley stated that he found Mark crying and that Mark said he had to go over to his sister's house to talk to her.
Mark and Stanley then went to Rosie's house. Mark walked into his sister's house carrying the loaded rifle. There were a number of people in the house including Rosie, Thomas E. Smith, Jr., the victim, and other members of the family. Mark pointed the gun at Rosie and said he wanted to talk to her about what had happened the night before. He also pointed the rifle at several other persons inthe room including Pamela Thompson and Mary Virgil, a friend of the victim.
Thomas, who was also known as "Tony", pushed or knocked Mark against the wall in an effort to disarm him. Stanley intervened and pulled Tony away from Mark who regained his footing and the rifle. Tony and Mark then had a brief conversation. Tony had started to leave the room when Mark shot him. The bullet struck Tony in the chest near his right shoulder severing his trachea and several arteries. Tony ran out of the house, fell to the ground, and died.
Mark had attended a party at the home of his sister, Rosie Hicks, on the evening of April 9, 1976. During the evening an argument developed, a fight broke out, and several guests subdued Mark by getting him down on the floor. Mark was scratched and bruised in the fight. According to Mark, a guest named Wally Morris made some threats that he would kill Mark the next time he saw him.
Mark worked until noon the following day. He commenced drinking and smoking weed during the afternoon. He purchased a .22 caliber semiautomatic rifle and some ammunition and then returned to his apartment. At about 8 PM Betty Mae Thompson, his niece and sister by adoption, came to see him. She said that he was crying and upset over what had happened at the party the night before, that Mark said he was going to kill her mom and her cousin, Pam Thompson, and showed her the rifle he had purchased, and that he wanted to talk to Stanley Proctor, a friend of his. Stanley stated that he found Mark crying and that Mark said he had to go over to his sister's house to talk to her.
Mark and Stanley then went to Rosie's house. Mark walked into his sister's house carrying the loaded rifle. There were a number of people in the house including Rosie, Thomas E. Smith, Jr., the victim, and other members of the family. Mark pointed the gun at Rosie and said he wanted to talk to her about what had happened the night before. He also pointed the rifle at several other persons inthe room including Pamela Thompson and Mary Virgil, a friend of the victim.
Thomas, who was also known as "Tony", pushed or knocked Mark against the wall in an effort to disarm him. Stanley intervened and pulled Tony away from Mark who regained his footing and the rifle. Tony and Mark then had a brief conversation. Tony had started to leave the room when Mark shot him. The bullet struck Tony in the chest near his right shoulder severing his trachea and several arteries. Tony ran out of the house, fell to the ground, and died.
Source: Justia US Law
