January 22, 1996 - Docket

Tommy Thompson did it again. This is the second time. What was he thinking?!!! While a bench warrant was still outstanding!!!

Tommy Thompson was charged with "Driving Under the Influence". In this case, The People of the State of California vs. Tommy Dee Thompson, Case No. 6VN00338, Tommy pled "no contest", however, the judge found him GUILTY!.

Tommy was placed on probation for a period of 48 months, under the following terms and conditions:

• that he serve 48 hours in Los Angeles County jail
• that he pay a fine of $390, plus a state penalty fund assessment of $663, plus $1 for night court, $35 for a fee, $33 for a laboratory service fund, $75 for the alcohol and drug problem assessment and another $50 for the alcohol abuse/prevention assessment; or
• he has to serve 13 days in the Los Angeles County jail.
  In total it appears that the total amount he had to pay for his criminal act was $1,347.00.
  One of the conditions for Tommy was that since he has a drinking problem, he has to use an "Ignition Interlock Device" when he drives. [This is a device used to help prevent drunk driving.]

On January 29, 1996, after being pulled back into court, he managed to get the probation put back in place, but not before he was charged another $100 in order to do so.

On February 8th, 1996, Tommy Thompson had to go to court again. This time he had to show how he was progressing. (Although we will see how that doesn't seem to be possible for Tommy.) He had to file a progress report on how his alcohol program was going as well as his continued use of the Ignition Interlock Device.

Click here to see a picture of someone showing how the Ignition Interlock Device is used in a car. Everytime Tommy goes anywhere, he would have had to use this.

Tommy then came back to court on May 28, 1996 to file his progress reports, explaining how he was still progressing on the alcohol program as well as continuing to use the Ignition Interlock Device.

However, before Tommy would have been able to travel anywhere far fast, he had to come in the next day to pay part of his fine, that is to say he had to pay $800 right there and then.

Now, despite the fact that Tommy knew that his next scheduled court appearance would be on July 29, 1996, he decided that he knew better. You see, he has to feel like he is above the law. So when the scheduled appearance came on July 29, 1996, did Tommy Thompson appear? No!

The Judge had no choice, he simply had NO CHOICE. If someone decides not to abide by the law, then the Judge had no choice but to apply the next level of justice. The Judge therefore revoked his probation and issued a bench warrant against him, in the amount of $15,000. This is now the second time the Judge in this case had to demand that Tommy Thompson abide by the law by issuing a bench warrant. This kind of conduct does not go over well for criminals in front of a Judge who has the power to send them to jail.

It took almost a month before Tommy Thompson was back in front of the Judge. The Judge, luckily for Tommy, reinstated the probation, however, with only one slight modification...a $347 fine due at once. In fact, Tommy ended up paying $447 right there and then before the bench warrant would be lifted and he could go.

On November 26, 1996, Tommy Thompson was in front of the Judge yet again to give his progress report on how he was doing on the alcohol program as well as the Ignition Interlock Device.

And amazingly, just like he was supposed to, Tommy Thompson came back into court on January 3, 1997 to file his latest progress reports. Then on May 5, 1997, after filing his progress reports, he was finally able to remove the Ignition Interlock Device. But he had to continue the alcohol program. It wasn't until September 18, 1997 when he was back in court and it was confirmed that he had completed the "Alcohol Program", that the proceedings ended.

But the real question is, what kind of award or certificate does one get for completing the "Alcohol Program"? Unfortunately, it looks like only Tommy Thompson will ever know. For all I know, he could still have it framed somewhere.