Summary: Richard Thompson, a former U.S. prosecutor, was arrested and charged with aggravated assault for stalking a former girlfriend.
A former U.S. prosecutor who resigned from the position over ten years ago when it was discovered that he had abused his position is in trouble with the law again. Now Richard S. Thompson is facing felony aggravated stalking charges.
Thompson was released after spending a week in the Glynn County Detention Center. He had been arrested and accused of aggressively following and harassing an ex-girlfriend since their breakup a year ago. The victim’s lawyer states that Thompson has violated several protective orders that his client obtained.
Thompson was released under the condition that he check into a psychiatric hospital to be treated. He must also post the $10,000 bond and complete a 24-week family violence intervention program. If he contacts his ex-girlfriend or her attorney, Donna Crossland, he will violate the conditions of his release.
From 2001 to 2004, Thompson was the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. In 2002, a complaint was filed against him. The Department of Justice investigated and determined Thompson had abused his power and violated department policy by interfering in elections when he announced there was an investigation into the opponent of his political ally. Thompson resigned by the end of the investigation.
Thompson has since resigned from his position at a law firm where he was a partner, according to his former partner Nathan Levy.
Crossland wishes to keep the identity of Thompson’s ex-girlfriend confidential because of the history of stalking. Crossland said, “He would drive by the house, pound on her front door, park outside of the house and watch, park outside of (her) work and watch, follow her in the car while she was walking her dog.” Crossland also claims that Thompson sent disparaging emails about her to her friends and family.
The former girlfriend stated that Thompson nearly hit her car with his on St. Simons Island. On the same day while on the mainland, he allegedly pulled in front of her car and stopped, preventing her from being able to turn onto that leads to her home. The warrant also stated that she could see him from “across the water” watching her while she was on her porch.
The ex-girlfriend obtained multiple protective orders but he violated them all. When his threats started to increase again, she renewed an application for an aggravated stalking warrant. He was immediately arrested and taken into custody after a hearing last week.
Crossland said, “We have no intention of dropping the criminal charge. My client has given him every opportunity to comply voluntarily, and after three court orders, she has no confidence he will comply if she were to drop the charge.”
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