Derrick Thompson’s federal trial starts Monday, state trial postponed until February 2025

The federal trial involving gun and drug charges against Derrick John Thompson is on the docket for 9 a.m. Monday morning in courtroom 3A in downtown St. Paul. So far, only the one trial day has been reserved.

He faces three federal counts arising from a June 2023 car crash where Thompon is accused of killing five young women with his just-rented Cadillac Escalade. His brother Damarco Thompson was reportedly in the passenger seat in this incident.

As the trial date fast approaches, a flurry of last-minute court filings have been made in the case revolving around the admissibility of evidence. A pretrial conference took place on Wednesday and lasted for two hours.

Even as Thompson’s Federal case moves forward, his state murder case moves backward. In state court, Thompson is charged with 15 felony counts for the deaths of the five young women on Lake Street in Minneapolis last year.

The trial was scheduled to begin on December 2 in Hennepin County court in Minneapolis. This week, the trial date was pushed back to February 18, 2025, a further three-month delay.

The original trial date in the case was set for February 2024, the current date represents a full year delay.

If and when the state trial does commence, KSTP-TV has filed a request to televise the proceedings.

It will be appointment television.