Omar Thompson is sentenced to consecutive sentences of 3 1/2 years and 2-6 years for seperate incidents--one involving a police officer, the other, his girlfriend.
In late January, just prior to jury selection, Thompson opted to plead guilty rather than go to trial. In Oneida County Court Monday, he explained why he told his probation officer that he felt he was being 'railroaded.'
"Because I was mad at the time (of the interview)...mad at the whole situation," Thompson told Judge Michael Dwyer.
"I was angry when I read that," Dwyer said. The judge continued, "you insisted" you wanted to plead guilty instead of going to trial. "Do you feel you have been railroaded?", Dwyer asked. "No", Thompson replied.
Thompson faced trial on a charge of Menacing a Police Officer for allegations that he pulled a weapon on a Utica police officer who was responding for an incident that had nothing to do with Thompson, prosecutor Lauri Lisi said. When the officer arrived, he was saw Thompson reach for his waist. Thompson then took off and before running into a home, turned and pointed it at the officer, Lisi said.
The officer says it was a gun, Mr. Thompson says it was a knife, Lisi said.
Thompson was sentenced to 3 1/2 years on the menacing charge, which will be served consecutively with the sentence of 2-6 years for Aggravated Criminal Contempt, related to a domestic dispute with his girlfriend.
Thompson's father and girlfriend where both present during sentencing.
"He choked you, he hit you and he tried to throw you out a window. How much worse can it get?", Dwyer asked Thompson's girlfried, who decided to drop a restraining order. "Do you think he's going to make some miraculous change?'', Dwyer asked. "Yes", she replied.
"Do I feel Mr. Thompson is a threat to society, I do", Lisi said prior to sentencing.
Thompson's father disagreed and asked Dwyer to sentence his son to concurrent sentences, so both sentences cold be served at the same time. "I don't believe he was carrying a gun. I don't think my son is violent at all," he said.