Derrick Thompson's defense pins blame for fatal Minneapolis crash on another driver in filing

The son of a former lawmaker who is standing trial for the killing of five young women in a 2023 crash in Minneapolis plans to argue that someone else was behind the wheel, according to court documents.Defense attorneys for Derrick Thompson filed a motion Tuesday informing the court of a planned "alternative perpetrator" defense. Thompson is charged with five counts of third-degree murder and 10 counts of criminal vehicular homicide. Jury selection in his trial began Tuesday.The June 16, 2023 crash killed five friends: Salma Abdikadir, 20Sabiriin Ali, 17Sahra Gesaade, 20Sagal Hersi, 19Siham Odhowa, 19Prosecutors allege Thompson drew the attention of a state trooper on Interstate 35W by driving erratically at more than 100 mph.Before the trooper turned their emergency lights on, Thompson allegedly cut across several lanes of traffic and exited onto East Lake Street, still speeding. Surveillance cameras captured his vehicle blowing a red light and slamming into a Honda Civic carrying the five young women.Charges said Thompson then ran from the scene and was found nearby, covered in sweat and blood.Thompson was convicted last fall of several federal drug-related charges in connection to the crash, earning an eight-year sentence. He rejected a proposed plea deal from the Hennepin County Attorney's Office for the state charges last summer. Another pre-trial filing from Thompson's defense seeks to disallow the testimony of a chaplain, citing state law preventing clergy from revealing information gleaned from a confession.Thompson is the son of former Minnesota State Rep. John Thompson, a close friend of Philando Castile who served one scandal-laden term representing St. Paul's District 67A before losing reelection in a landslide.