An Oahu Circuit Courtroom jury is deliberating the destiny of Eric Thompson, described throughout closing arguments Thursday as a liar and a spouse-controlling perfectionist who tried to repair his marriage via homicide.
Deputy Prosecuting Lawyer Benjamin Rose advised jurors that 11 days earlier than Thompson allegedly shot and killed his spouse’s lover, Jon Tokuhara, he made her signal an settlement relinquishing custody of their 3-year-old daughter in the event that they acquired divorced.
Protection lawyer David Hayakawa countered that Thompson didn’t kill Tokuhara, the Waipahu acupuncturist who helped the defendant’s spouse via her being pregnant, and was disposing of bricks at a dump when the sufferer was killed Jan. 12, 2022, at his Waipahu clinic.
Hayakawa argued that Honolulu police didn’t rule out different potential suspects and that prosecutors constructed their case on cherry-picked proof, shoddy DNA proof from a hat Thompson allegedly left on the homicide scene, questionable surveillance footage and false allegations that the defendant destroyed very important proof.
Thompson, 36, of Wailupe, is accused of taking pictures Tokuhara, 47, his spouse Joyce’s lover, 4 instances within the face. Tokuhara’s physique was present in a pool of blood by his mom the next day, on Jan. 13, 2022, at Tokuhara Acupuncture and Healthcare on Waipahu Depot Avenue.
Thompson was arrested Feb. 14, 2022, and indicted by an Oahu grand jury April 22, 2022, on prices of second-diploma homicide and carrying or use of a firearm within the fee of a separate felony.
He awaits the jury’s resolution whereas free after posting $1 million bail.
“The defendant intentionally testified falsely. He took the stand final week. He didn’t let you know the reality about what occurred on Jan. 12, 2022,” Rose advised the jury. “He couldn’t let you know the reality as a result of the reality is he dedicated homicide. He advised you a narrative so filled with holes it lacks any credibility.”
Thompson’s testimony that he went to the Waimanalo Comfort Middle to dump a number of luggage of bricks is bogus, Rose mentioned, noting that surveillance video of him leaving his home that day revealed nothing within the mattress of his truck.
Bricks are usually not even allowed to be dumped on the Waimanalo facility, Rose mentioned, and the safety guard on obligation Jan. 12, 2022, testified that he by no means noticed Thompson.
Apart from, Rose argued, the defendant would by no means have thrown away good bricks. He famous that Thompson purchased .22-caliber ammunition in bulk when costs had been low and lived together with his mother rent-free after school to save cash for a down cost on a home.
“Somebody like that doesn’t throw away good, usable bricks,” Rose mentioned. “It could counter each pure bone in his physique to only dump bricks. The defendant’s story doesn’t maintain as much as any stage of scrutiny.”
Thompson’s testimony about his relationship together with his spouse, starting in highschool, additionally was dishonest, Rose continued.
“We don’t dispute that they had been highschool sweethearts. Actually, it’s the very basis of the defendant’s worldview. It’s central to his id of an ideal life. ‘Fortunately ever after’—if solely it had been so.”
Thompson was controlling, Rose mentioned, referring to testimony by Joyce’s sister that a while after studying of his spouse’s affair, the defendant “allowed her to renew her regular life.”
Thompson additionally pressured his spouse to name her mother and father and admit to the affair. He advised her not see psychics anymore as a result of a psychic had advised Joyce it was OK to have an affair with Tokuhara. When Thompson came upon she was nonetheless consulting clairvoyants, he acquired indignant, in response to Rose.
The defendant additionally was a talented marksman who recurrently went to the gun vary with.22-caliber ammunition and is aware of methods to shoot to kill, the prosecutor mentioned.
Initially of his hourlong summation, Hayakawa declared, “Eric Thompson shouldn’t be responsible of homicide, interval. He’s not responsible as a result of he didn’t kill Jon Tokuhara. Let’s put that in a authorized method. He isn’t responsible as a result of there may be large cheap doubt on this case, and the protection solely wants to point out or that you must discover one, single cheap doubt about his guilt to seek out him not responsible.”
Hayakawa, armed with a laser pointer, a marker and a whiteboard, described an incomplete police probe that centered solely on Thompson. Cheap doubt and questionable DNA proof begged for investigators to discover and rule out different attainable suspects, however their ultimate report did no such factor, he mentioned.
Detectives testified that Thompson’s white, four-door Chevrolet Silverado is in surveillance movies close to Tokuhara’s workplace the day he was killed. Hayakawa pointed to a nonetheless body of the car within the footage and advised the jury it doesn’t come near resembling Thompson’s truck.
If detectives went via hundreds of truck registrations to seek out Thompson’s, why had been no car identification numbers listed of their ultimate report, he requested. And if Thompson is such a perfectionist, he wouldn’t have pushed his personal car via visitors detours in Waipahu on his method to and from Tokuhara’s clinic, Hayakawa argued.
As he rolled the prosecution’s surveillance video footage for the jury, the protection lawyer slammed the video compilation as “tousled.”
“That is one of the best they’ve,” Hayakawa mentioned. “And it’s all tousled. They usually knew it was all tousled, however they didn’t get up right here and clarify … the mess-ups.”
Hayakawa pointed to footage of visitors taken from the outdated Arakawa’s retailer that confirmed 5 white vans go by over a time frame.
“They declare it was the second truck going. Why? As a result of they’ll both see the license plate or the bumper, who is aware of how, however ‘we recognized that and it should be Eric Thompson’s truck.’ You resolve for your self if that’s what it exhibits.”
After closing arguments, Choose Choose Paul B.Okay. Wong excused jurors to start their deliberations.
