Mickey & Trudy Thompson Murder Case

The "never ending" eighteen-year-old murder case of auto racing legend, Mickey Thompson and his wife Trudy

This story was sent to TACH today from Mickey Thompson's sister Collene (Thompson) Campbell. We have not yet checked the accuracy of the information, but have no reason to doubt its veracity. I think it makes for interesting reading, however, please read with an open mind. Marc J. Rauch - TACH Auto Central

San Juan Capistrano -February 5, 2006: Years ago, I said I would attempt to keep our good friends and a few special media associates updated on the progress of my Brother and Sister-in-law's murder case. At that time, I did not know this would be a lifetime commitment of tremendous frustration and additional pain.

My Brother, Mickey Thompson, was more than an auto racing legend, he and his wonderful wife, Trudy, were the most special people ever. Anyone would be proud to know them, let alone have them as your Brother and Sister. They are terribly missed!

I feel that it is despicable that our justice system tolerates the known deceit, coupled with the outrageous delays that the victim's family is forced to endure, plus, the taxpayers are obligated to pay the absurd additional costs. Obviously, as a family, we are tired and discouraged. However, I wanted to keep my word to you . . . and let you know, . it is "possible" that we could get a ruling Monday that something significant might begin to happen and "just maybe" we could move forward towards a trial date. I don't have any inside information, and perhaps it is just wishful thinking. It is my understanding that the "Special Master" is expected to make another report, hopefully a "final" report.

The case, and the motions, are scheduled to be heard:

February 6, 2006, 1:30 p.m.
Before: Judge Teri Schwartz, Los Angeles County,
Pasadena Superior Court, Department E, 5th floor. Following is information that I have tried to "keep track of". It is long and drawn out.like the case.

Kindest regards,
Collene
Collene (Thompson) Campbell

Thompson Murder Case:,

Auto Racing legend, Mickey Thompson, 59, and Trudy Thompson, 41, were shot to death in the driveway of their Bradbury, CA, home, shortly after 6:00 a.m. on the morning of March 16, 1988.

For media information: Contact the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office: Public Information Officer, Sandi Gibbons (213) 974-3528.

General Information Regarding Defendant:
First Arrested by Orange County at his O. C. home for double homicide, Dec. 13, 2001: Note: Defendant had the right to go to trial within 60 days from date of arrest. Accused Defendant: Michael Frank Goodwin, DOB: 2-4-45
Was charged by the Los Angeles District Attorney, June 6, 2004 and rearrested in the Orange County Jail by L.A. County Sheriff, June 28, 2004.
L. A. County Sheriff Booking # 8178058; File # 088-04387-0511-011
Goodwin can currently be located on the L. A. County Jail website: http://app1.lasd.org/iic/ajis_search.cfm
FYI: Goodwin's Former Federal Case # SACR 93-67-1: Michael Goodwin and former wife, Diane Sidel Goodwin, were found guilty of numerous felonies. They were convicted of 13 counts of conspiracy and lying to financial institutions, sentenced to 30 months in Federal Prison, July 8, 1996. (Santa Ana Criminal, year 1993, case number 67, defendant "1", Federal Court.)
Los Angeles District Attorney's Office: Case No. GA 052683 Current charges: Goodwin is charged with two counts of murder, along with special circumstances of lying in wait and multiple murders. The LADA Office announced, Feb. 1, 2005, they would not seek the death penalty.

L. A. County Prosecutors on case (representing the people of California): Head Deputy District Attorney Patrick Dixon, Major Crimes Division Alan Jackson, Major Crimes Division. L.A. County D.A. website: http://da.co.la.ca.us Los Angeles County Sheriff Office: (323) 890-5500 Homicide Bureau, Detective Mark Lillienfeld, (323) 890-5628

California State Public Defenders representing Goodwin: Lead Deputy Public Defender Elena Saris Deputy Public Defender Tom Summers LOS ANGELES COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY FILED CASE, June 6, 2004:

Note: Goodwin left the country and was out of contact for three years following the Thompson murders. After returning to the U.S. he was investigated. Shortly thereafter, in 1993, he was arrested by the FBI, tried and found guilt of 13 counts of conspiracy and lying to financial institutions, sentenced to 2 ½ years in Federal Prison, July 8, 1996. His wife was also convicted and served Federal time.

Federal Case # SACR 93-67-1

Following: LOS ANGELES COUNTY Court Dates and Actions: June 8, 2004, Los Angeles District Attorney's Office charges Michael Goodwin with murder prior to his release from Orange County. Case No. GA 052683.
June 26, 2004. L. A. Deputy Sheriffs arrest Goodwin in Orange County
Jail; transport him to L.A. County jail for prosecution for double homicide.
June 29, 2004. Arraignment, Pasadena Superior Court, Judge Barbara L. Burke. Goodwin was ordered to be held without bail and appear for Preliminary Hearing, Sept. 8, 2004, (Note: Sept. 8th is Gary and Collene Campbell's 53rd Wedding anniversary where Mickey Thompson was their best man)
Sept. 8, 2004. Preliminary Hearing delayed until Oct. 4, 2004
Sept. 21, 2004. Judge Teri Schwartz denied the Motion to exclude testimony of L. A. Sheriff Homicide Investigator, Detective Mark Lillienfeld, during the Preliminary Hearing, scheduled to begin before Judge Schwartz, Oct. 4, 2004, (Trudy's birthday).
Oct. 4, 5, 6, 8, 12 & 13th, 2004. Preliminary Hearing. Pasadena Superior Court, Judge Teri Schwartz, Main Criminal Courts Building, 5th floor, Dept. E, 300 East Walnut Street, Pasadena, CA.
Oct. 13, 2004. Following the Preliminary Hearing and testimony of twenty prosecution witnesses, Judge Teri Schwartz ordered Goodwin to stand trial for two counts of murder, with the special circumstances of lying in wait and multiple murder. Goodwin remains in custody. Arraignment is Oct. 28.
Oct. 28, 2004. Arraignment. Goodwin pled not guilty and was ordered to stand trial for the Thompson murders. The Pre-trial Conference is scheduled for Dec. 9, 2004
Dec. 9, 2004. Pre-trial Conference. Pasadena Superior Court, Judge Teri Schwartz. Goodwin has the right to go to trial within sixty days. Defense filed three more motions. Next court date is scheduled for Jan. 27, 2005.
Feb. 1, 2005. Another trial delay.
Feb. 14, 2005. (Valentines Day) Judge Teri Schwartz. Defense made motion to release Goodwin on bail. The motion was "Denied". Note: The California Constitution states a defendant is not entitled to bail if charged with Capital Murder with Special Circumstances. Two new court dates scheduled: March 7, for a 995 motion, basically claiming there is not enough evidence to hold the defendant to answer. Scheduled to be heard before Judge Janice C. Croft, Dept. H (this is another motion for dismissal). March 14, to go before Judge Schwartz, Dept. E (motion to dismiss).
March 7, 2005. 995 Motion denied. After Judge Janice C. Croft read the many pages of testimony of the twenty witnesses during the October 2004 Preliminary Hearing before Judge Teri Schwartz, Judge Croft ruled that there was sufficient evidence to hold Goodwin to answer the charges, , affirming the Oct. 13, 2004 ruling by Judge Schwartz who ordered Goodwin to stand trial for the murders of Mickey and Trudy Thompson, with special circumstances of lying in wait and multiple murders. He is to be held without bail.
March 14, 2005. Date changed to March 17. March 17, 2005. (Happy St. Patrick's Day.) Judge Teri Schwartz denied another defense motion to dismiss the double homicide case against Michael F. Goodwin. The defense made claims without reference to any supporting evidence. The failure to do so leads one to believe that this is simply another unfounded bold assertion by the defendant at casting a poor light on law enforcement officials. Next court date, April 27, 2005.
April 27, 2005. This latest motion to recuse the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office was continued to May 16 and will again be heard in Pasadena Superior Court, Dept. E, 5th floor.
May 16, 2005. Judge Teri Schwartz denied the defense motion to dismiss, saying the motion did not rise to the level of misconduct or intent. Next court date is June 2, for another motion to recuse the L. A. D. A. office.
June 2, 2005: Judge Teri Schwartz denied a defense motion to recuse the L.A. Prosecutors or the L.A.D.A. Office. The Judge also denied a defense request to suppress evidence. On June 13, a Special Master is scheduled to be appointed to evaluate all evidence to make certain no attorney client privileged evidence is utilized. Plus, on that date the court will review progress and the court is scheduled to proceed with motions July 14. The Judge said the case will be tried in L. A. instead of Pasadena.
June 13, 2005: Lead Deputy Public Defender Elena Saris, did not appear in Court due to her Mother's death. She did not notify the D.D.A., thereby Alan Jackson did appear and was told Saris would not return to work for possibly a month.
July 14, 2005: Scheduled next court date for August 17, 2005 regarding the appointment of a Special Master to evaluate all evidence making certain no defense, attorney client privileged evidence would or could be utilized by the prosecution. Nothing else took place.
August 17, 2005: A Special Master, George Bird, was appointed. The next court date is scheduled for September 20, 2005, Pasadena Superior Court.
September 20, 2005: Pretrial hearing moved to November 17, 2005, Dept. E Pasadena Superior Court, on 8:30 a.m. calendar. A series of defense hearings tentatively scheduled to begin, November 28, 2005, Dept. E, Pasadena on a defense request to recuse the L.A.D.A. Office from prosecuting Goodwin.
October 14, 2005: The November 17, 2005 date, was changed by the defense to November 16, 2005 for an update by the Special Master.
November 16, 2005: The Special Master, George Bird, reported to the Judge on film in closed session. Judge Schwartz, in open court, ordered the Special Master to separate any possible attorney client privileged documents or any out of scope documents that was seized under a search warrant. A hearing on that matter and to recuse the L.A.D.A.'s Office is scheduled for Jan. 10, 2006 in the same courtroom. A motion for Goodwin's bail will be heard on Nov. 30, 2005, in Judge Schwartz's same courtroom.
Nov. 30, 2005: For the second time in an L.A. County Court, Goodwin was again denied bail.
Dec. 8, no action, next court date: Jan. 10, 2006; changed to Jan. 17, 2006 for another defense recusal motion.
Jan. 17, 2006: In Judge Schwartz's courtroom. More defense motions. Next court date: Feb. 6, 2006.

PREVIOUS ACTION IN ORANGE COUNTY: Fourth Appellate Court, Division 3 (925 N. Spurgeon, Santa Ana, CA) dismissed case due to jurisdiction issues, L.A. Filed Case and arrested Goodwin, June 2004.
Orange County Trial Judge: Superior Court Judge Francisco P. Briseno, Orange County, Main Central Court Building, 700 Civic Center West, Santa Ana. 11th floor, Department C 45
Note: The L. A. D. A. had never turned the case down.

* * * * *

Information on Court Action Started In Orange County:
(Note: There were additional court dates of which we were not aware, until after the fact.)
Orange County District Attorney Office, Santa Ana, CA, Case # 01CF3294;
O. C. Deputy District Attorney, David Brent, Prosecutor.
O. C. Deputy District Attorney, James Mulgrew, Writs & Appeal.
4th Appellate District, Div. 3, Case Number: G031285.

December 13, 2001; Michael Frank Goodwin Arrested for Thompson murders.
December 17, 2001; Goodwin arraigned, ordered held without bail for two counts of first degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder, plus, three special circumstances: (1) Lying in wait, (2) murder for financial gain and (3) multiple homicide.
February 15, 2002; by request of Goodwin's defense, his Federal Probation Violation Hearing was rescheduled to Feb. 17, 2003.
March 1, 2002; Recusal Hearing (995 defense motion, to move case from Orange County) rescheduled by Judge Gary Pare to March 8th, and that Recusal hearing of Orange County District Attorney's Office was reset to March 18th.
March 18, 2002; Orange County Superior Court Judge F. P. Briseno, denied the defense Recusal Motion to remove case from Orange County.
April 15,16 & 18th; Preliminary Hearing: Superior Court Judge Briseno, 10th floor.
April 18; Preliminary Hearing: Judge Briseno ruled there was sufficient evidence to bind Goodwin over for trial for the Thompson murders.
April 30th; Superior Court Arraignment, Judge Kreber, Dept. 5, Goodwin pleaded not guilty. Judge Kreber ordered Goodwin held for all murder charges, without bail.
May 10; Judge Kazuhara Makino, Dept. 30; For a Penal Code Section "995" motion to dismiss case for insufficient evidence at preliminary hearing date. Set 995 hearing, June 28. Scheduled murder trial to begin July 8, 2002 before Judge Briseno.
June 28; Defense failed to file their motion and the June 28 date was removed from the court calendar. July 8 is scheduled to be the next court appearance before Judge Makino who will set a new date for trial.
July 3; The 4th District Court of Appeals refused to hear the appeal of the Defense, to overturn the court's denial of their recusal motion (to remove the trial from Orange County Courts).
July 8; In the Superior Court of Judge F. Briseno, Goodwin's trial was delayed to December 9, 2002. A 1538.5 motion (suppress evidence, unlawful search and seizure) scheduled Sept. 6, Judge Briseno's Court. On this same date in Dept. 38, Superior Court Judge Frank Fasel, set a 995 hearing, scheduled for July 26. Note: The July 26, 995 Motion hearing was later delayed until August 23, 2002. (Note: that hearing date was also rescheduled.)
Sept. 6; Judge Frank Fasel, rescheduled the 995 motion, due to be heard in his court, Sept. 20, 9:00 a.m. (moved to the 11th floor).
Judge F. Briseno ordered an information hearing for Sept. 20, 11th floor, for the 1538.5 motion. (A motion by defense to suppress evidence seized by officers serving search warrants. The defense filed a 1050 motion to continue.
Sept. 20: Judge Fasel denied the 995 defense motion. Trial has been ordered to remain in Orange County. Judge Briseno, after hearing the prosecution and defense, set another hearing for Sept. 27, regarding discovery requirements under Penal Code Section 1054.1
Sept. 27: Judge Briseno ruled that the defense discovery motion was too broad and denied some of their requests. Judge Briseno ordered another hearing for 8:30 a. m., Oct. 18, to discuss the progress of discovery. The Oct. 18 date was continued until Oct. 25, which was again continued until Nov. 1, and on that date was continued until Nov 8.)
Nov. 8, Judge Briseno granted the defense's motion and reset the trial date from Dec. 9, delaying trial another four months. The new trial date is April 7, 2003, 9:00 a.m. in the Courtroom of Judge Briseno, 11th floor.
Dec. 9,2002; Hearing scheduled on the progress of discovery evidence.
Note: the victims' family and prosecutor appeared in the courtroom, only to learn all action concerning the case had been stayed by the Court of Appeal, with exception of the appearance court on Feb. 21, 2003.
Feb. 19, 2003, (Advanced from Feb. 21) 9:00 a.m., 925 N. Spurgeon, Santa Ana. Good Cause Appearing. Hearing before the 4th District Appellate Court,. Jurisdiction: O.C. or L.A.?
April 7, 2003 Murder trial was scheduled to begin. Note: Trial has been Stayed until a ruling by the DCA.
Oct. 21, 2003. 4th D. C. A., scheduled to hear more arguments on Goodwin's appeal regarding jurisdiction of the case. Reset to Oct. 23.
Oct. 23, 2003 Rescheduled, the 4th Dist. Appellate Court heard arguments on the Jurisdiction of the case.
April 23, 2004 Calif. 4th District Court of Appeal rules that Orange County does not have jurisdiction of the case.

Case moved to L. A. County, June 2004 (See above)