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Lower Brule Man Sentenced for Voluntary Manslaughter
Pierre, South Dakota – In a shocking turn of events, 32-year-old Joseph Thompson, Sr. has been sentenced to 10 years and eight months in federal prison for voluntary manslaughter. The incident occurred on March 25, 2023, in Lower Brule, South Dakota.
Thompson, who was convicted of voluntary manslaughter following a three-day jury trial in federal district court in Pierre, was sentenced on November 6, 2023. He was also ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund and $3,550 in restitution to the victim’s family.
The conviction stems from an incident where Thompson fatally stabbed a man five times, piercing his heart, after hearing a disturbance outside the residence of an acquaintance. There was no indication that the other man was displaying a weapon when Thompson committed the crime.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Major Crimes Act mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in Federal court as opposed to State court. The case was investigated by the FBI and the Bureau of Indian Affairs – Office of Justice Services – Crow Creek Agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Troy R. Morley prosecuted the case.
Thompson was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service to begin serving his sentence. The defendant was indicted by a federal grand jury in May of 2023 and was convicted in July of 2023.
The community is still reeling from the incident, and many are calling for greater action to be taken to prevent such crimes from happening in the future. As for Thompson, he will now face the consequences of his actions and serve out his sentence.
Key Facts
- State: South Dakota
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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