Crime

Former U.S. Attorney Faces Felony Stalking Charges

The victim alleges the harassment has been going on for over a year.

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Richard S. Thompson

Richard Thompson used to be the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia, appointed by George W. Bush. He resigned from that position in 2004, amid allegations he abused his authority, but now it seems he is in even hotter water.

Thompson was arrested on a felony aggravated stalking charge, and spent nearly a week in jail before being released. According to the Daily Report, the terms of his release include completing a rehab program geared towards defendants with a history of family violence offenses:

Thompson was released only after agreeing to report immediately to a psychiatric hospital in Jacksonville, Florida. for treatment after posting a $10,000 surety bond, according to special conditions listed on the bond order. Thompson’s bond conditions also require that he complete a state-sponsored, 24-week family violence intervention program intended to rehabilitate defendants charged with family violence offenses.

Donna Crossland, the attorney representing the victim, has alleged Thompson’s harassment of her client began after the two ended a romantic relationship in April 2016, saying:

“He would drive by the house, pound on the front door, park outside of the house and watch, park outside of [her] work and watch, follow her in the car while she was walking her dog,” she said. He sent emails disparaging the woman to friends and members of her family, the lawyer said, including her father, a preacher. She eventually sought a restraining order.

The two eventually negotiated a contract with broad stay-away provisions, but Crossland alleges Thompson repeatedly violated those provisions. Ditto for a protective order. She also alleges that Thompson sought to take advantage of the mutual stay-away provisions in the protective order:

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Crossland said her client’s daughter was to be married on St. Simons in October 2016 and that some of the festivities were to take place at a club to which Thompson belonged. Before the wedding, Crossland said Thompson notified her client that he had scheduled a golf date and dinner the same day and that, if she attended any wedding festivities, he would have her arrested for violating the protective order—unless she paid him $5,500, one court order said.

Crossland went to court on behalf of her client, and Brunswick Circuit Superior Court Judge Anthony Harrison granted her another protective order keeping Thompson away from the wedding and instituting broad stay-away provisions for Thompson. The judge also warned Thompson this was his last chance to avoid a felony charge.

That worked for about six months, then Crossland alleges the harassing behavior and threats of legal action and investigation (credible given Thompson’s former position) began. This lead to Thompson’s arrest:

On June 29, Crossland said her client—feeling increasingly alarmed for her personal safety—renewed her application for an aggravated stalking warrant against Thompson. At the end of a magistrate hearing last week, Thompson was immediately taken into custody, the lawyer said. He remained jailed until Monday. This time, Crossland said, “We have no intention of dropping the criminal charge. My client has given him every opportunity to comply voluntarily, and after three court orders, she has no confidence he will comply if she were to drop the charge.”

Thompson has since resigned from his law firm, formerly known as Levy, Thompson, Sibley & Hand, LLC.

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headshotKathryn Rubino is an editor at Above the Law. AtL tipsters are the best, so please connect with her. Feel free to email her with any tips, questions, or comments and follow her on Twitter (@Kathryn1).

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