Judge Halves Recommended Sentence for Violent Sex Attacker Despite Threats
A Kentucky judge has sparked controversy by sentencing a convicted sex attacker to half the prison term recommended by a jury, even after the defendant threatened to kill a prosecutor upon release. Christopher Earl Thompson, 23, was found guilty in December of robbery, kidnapping, sodomy, and sexual abuse for a brutal attack on a woman in July 2023.
Horrific Crimes and Courtroom Outbursts
Thompson wore a ski mask when he abducted the victim in her own car, held her at gunpoint, and forced her to perform oral sex twice. During the sentencing hearing, he repeatedly lashed out with vulgar threats, telling prosecutor Milja Zgonjanin, "I will see you in 20 years, b****" and adding, "Eat my d****, b****. I'm going to pop your a**." He also directed profanity at the judge and expressed no sympathy for the victim or her family.
Despite this behavior, Judge Tracy E. Davis of Jefferson County Circuit Court sentenced Thompson to 30 years in prison instead of the jury's recommended 65 years. She claimed Thompson had "fallen through the cracks" as a teenager and could be rehabilitated with resources in incarceration. "This court does not believe that Mr. Thompson, if given the resources that he can get while incarcerated, is beyond being rehabilitated," Davis stated.
Political Backlash and Public Safety Concerns
Louisville Republicans have strongly criticized the decision. Councilman Anthony Piagentini, the minority caucus chair, called it an assault on Kentucky's justice system. "Where's the concern for the victim? Do we think she's going to get over this in 30 years?" Piagentini said, per the Louisville Courier Journal. He labeled Thompson a "disgusting, evil sociopath" who should never breathe "free air" again and raised alarms about public safety upon his potential release.
Piagentini also highlighted data showing Davis granted shock probation more frequently than other Jefferson County judges between January 2023 and August 2024, urging transparency. "I think the public would be appalled to hear what she is doing and how her decisions reduce the safety of our community," he added.
Legal Context and Defense Arguments
Thompson's crimes were described as "every woman's worst nightmare" by prosecutor Zgonjanin. After abducting the victim, he drove her to a school parking lot, forced sexual acts at gunpoint, and took her to an ATM to withdraw money between assaults. His prior record included juvenile offenses like theft, robbery, and truancy, and he was on probation at the time of the attack.
Defense attorney Clay Kennedy argued he had never seen a judge bypass a jury's recommendation and cited Thompson's troubled upbringing as among the saddest in his career. A court spokesperson defended Davis's decision, stating judges must sentence "dispassionately, proportionately, and according to law," not based on public perception.
Thompson will be eligible for parole after 20 years, raising further questions about justice and rehabilitation in high-profile criminal cases.
