Derrick Thompson trial underway in crash that killed 5 Somali women; defense hints at other driver

Images showing an explosion of sparks and a dense layer of smoke and dust opened the trial of Derrick John Thompson on Thursday in the deaths of five young Somali women killed in a vicious car crash two years ago.

Gasps filled the courtroom and people in the gallery stood to leave as Assistant Hennepin County Attorney Joseph Paquette played video of the crash during his opening statement.

Paquette started the trial by listing the names of the women who died on the evening of June 16, 2023: Sabiriin Ali, Sahra Gesaade, Salma Abdikadir, Sagal Hersi and Siham Adam.

All of the women were from the Twin Cities, beloved by their families and community and from the ages of 17 to 20. They had been preparing for a friend's wedding the next day when they drove through a green light on Lake Street and Thompson's car ran a red light at 95 mph, smashing into their vehicle. They died instantly.

"One moment they were here," Paquette said. "The next moment they were gone."

He pointed at Thompson, 29, who looked on, wearing a black suit, his hair tied up.

"The cause of these deaths and all of the pain and the suffering that followed is present here in this courtroom today."

Thompson's attorney, Tyler Bliss, countered that the state doesn't have the evidence to prove that Thompson was driving the car or that his actions rose to the level of third-degree murder or multiple counts of criminal vehicular manslaughter, the crimes for which he is charged.

"When the smoke clears and the dust settles from the accident," Bliss said, his client will be proven innocent.

Thompson, the son of former DFL state Rep. John Thompson, faces 15 felony counts, three for each of the five victims.

Bliss said there's no question about the unbelievable pain that was caused by the crash. "Five sets of dreams destroyed, five futures, relationships, full experiences gone," he said. But he said surveillance video will show two doors opened on the Cadillac Escalade after the crash.

The SUV was speeding on Interstate 35W before exiting onto S. 2nd Avenue, swerving around traffic, running a red light through Lake Street and crashing into the Honda Civic carrying the young women.

The defense filed a pretrial motion that showed it will claim Thompson's brother, Demarco Thompson, was the driver.

"Who is driving the vehicle and what is his state of mind?" Bliss asked the jury. "Keep your eye on that throughout this trial.

"My client sits here presumed innocent, and the state has to put forward a case in which each and every element is proved beyond a reasonable doubt and, ladies and gentlemen, they will not do that."

Every seat in the courtroom was filled with supporters of the five victims. An overflow room has been made available for the duration of the trial, which is expected to last well into next week.

There were no apparent supporters of Thompson in the room.

Paquette told the jury the prosecution will build a case through witness testimony and a trove of surveillance and crime scene evidence that shows Thompson was the driver and that he fled the scene of the crash.

Paquette said blood tests showed that Thompson wasn't drinking or on hard drugs, but he had marijuana in his system.

After the crash, Paquette said, the defendant "got out and fled, didn't check to see if anyone was hurt."

He said that when police found Thompson, he lied about his involvement, lied about his injuries and complained "they were ruining his Friday night plans."

"The defendant ruined much more than the fun things he had planned that Friday night," Paquette said. "He ended the lives of five young women and brought about a devastating wave of shock, pain and grief for five families who will never be the same."

Ex-girlfriend testifies

After opening statements, the state called Kanitra Walker as its first witness. She is Thompson's former girlfriend of nine years and was seeing him at the time of the crash.

Walker also had testified at Thompson's federal trial, in which he was convicted on drug and gun charges related to the crash. Sentencing in that case is pending while Thompson's trial in Hennepin County plays out.

Walker said her memory of the night was imperfect, citing it as a deep trauma from which she wants to move forward.

Leaning down, she cried during her testimony. She said that when she learned that five women had died, "I was in a different world."

As Assistant Hennepin County Attorney Paige Starkey questioned her, Walker said Thompson called her that night and said simply, "I need you," before hanging up.

Walker said she couldn't remember what phone number Thompson used, but she called it back and a woman answered saying she was at the Taco Bell on Lake Street.

Walker tried to drive over and get close to the scene, but police had cordoned it off. She said after Thompson was taken to the hospital, she talked with him and prayed with him and for him.

When Starkey asked if Thompson told her he was driving the car, Walker said she couldn't remember. Starkey showed Walker her testimony from the federal trial.

Walker said she recalled Thompson saying he was listening to music and "going a little fast."

Starkey asked the same question in various ways: Did Walker remember Thompson saying he was driving?

"Honestly being a girl knowing the dude for nine years, I don't know what to think at that moment," Walker said. "I was not there. I didn't see the accident. I don't know what happened. I got the nature of the accident. I went there."

"Did he say he was driving?" Starkey asked one more time.

"Yes," Walker said.

The state's second witness was state trooper Andres Guerra. Guerra had seen the Escalade speeding down the interstate and pursued it without turning on his squad car's lights.

Guerra was in the middle of his testimony when Judge Carolina Lamas adjourned the trial and released the jury for the day. His testimony will resume at 9 a.m. Friday.