My story is the very story that should never happen within the penal system, nowhere in America, Thompson said. There was a window of opportunity. The film, directed by Kyle Thrash and Haley Elizabeth Anderson, focuses on Thompson, the longest serving non-violent offender in Michigan history, who became the subject of an intense legal battle to win his freedom. Michael Thompson. Crime and Public Safety | Tony Walker, an actor and London . I saw it. Both men are represented by the Lake County public defenders office, which did not respond to a request for comment Wednesday. Others familiar with the Aryan Brotherhood say Thompson had also angered another leader, Robert Lee Blinky Griffin, around the same time he dropped out. He says he wants to be a voice for the incarcerated people he was with, and be an advocate for prison reform especially regarding nonviolent cases like his that result in decades of punishment. In 1994, Thompson was sentenced to 42 to 60 years in prison for selling three pounds of cannabis to a close friend turned police informant, and he remained there even as Michigan legalized the recreational use of marijuana, a release about the film said. Michael Lynn Thompson. Phone & Email (6) Discovery Company. When the would-be assassin stabbed him a third time, Thompson disarmed him and grabbed the shank. Michael Thompson, American musician and touring member of the Eagles. Michael R Thompson, 70. Michael Thompson with his grandson during a party his family threw to welcome him home. He was born on March 03, 1964 the son of Forrest Lynn Thompson and Jaimie Lou Mullen in West Germany. Which is exactly what happened. He joined the Bay Area News Group in 2014. Then six months later, you hear about it and then next month you dont hear about it no more, he said. LAKE COUNTY (AP) A one-time top member of the notorious Aryan Brotherhood who claimed to have turned his life around after 45 years in prison is now charged with defrauding Northern Californians out of nearly $400,000 in unemployment benefits. We know a fair bit more now because on Friday, December 4 th, Lynn Thompson released a video about the sale of Cold Steel to the American conglomerate, GSM Outdoors. But due to prior drug convictions, he was sentenced in 1996 to up to 15 years for the drug charges and 42 to 60 years for firearm possession charges. I was just looking around because I wanted to see whose faces stand out and Id remember.. Thompson, whose nickname is Sky, is the more prominent of the pair and says in one online post that he belonged to the Aryan Brotherhood from 1977 through 1983 before becoming the highest ranking gang leader to drop out of a prison gang., Illiterate and dyslexic as a youth, Michael taught himself to read and write in prison and over time earned college degrees, the post states. Heres a man, he killed nobody, he said. And I want you to go home and understand, it wasnt easy. You think about it.. The April 23 decision by a California parole board marks the first time that Michael Lynn Thompson, 67, has been recommended for parole, after more than a dozen denials going back to 1986.. A 33-count criminal complaint filed in Lake County Superior Court says the alleged scheme began in May 2020, just as the multibillion dollar California EDD fraud cases were exploding among inmates and scamsters worldwide as unemployment benefits were being funneled into bank accounts during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. The April 23 decision by a California parole board marks the first time that Michael Lynn Thompson, 67, has been recommended for parole, after more than a dozen denials going back to 1986. In recent court records, he described Thompson as a liar and exaggerator whose multiple hearsay claims about Hickeys murder never should have been given to jurors. Michael Thompson, 69, seen during a 2021 podcast recording session, was arrested in Lake County, Calif., on Monday, June 7, 2021, on charges of collecting more than $383,000 in fraudulent. We still have a lot of work to do, but today is a step in the right direction, Whitmer had said. In-depth interviews with Thompsons attorneys and family members reveal the heartbreaking damage done to the families of the incarcerated, noted the release, and the hypocrisy of a system that keeps non-violent offenders locked up as others profit from cannabis legalization.. She didnt get to enjoy what I enjoyed growing up with my father, Littles said. As for Thompson, he says hes still recovering from the aftermath of his bout with coronavirus. The film is Executive Produced for MSNBC Films by MSNBC President Rashida Jones and MSNBC Films Vice President of Longform Acquisitions Amanda Spain alongside Bryn Mooser, Kathryn Everett, Justin Lacob, Lydia Kives for XTR, and William Crause. Arnold Schwarzenegger and lawmakers are looking for ways to review the state's determinate sentencing practice. Michael Bakari Jordan (/ b k r i /; born February 9, 1987) is an American actor. All Rights Reserved. But now you want to make money off it, Thompson told the audience, alluding to the burgeoning legal trade in marijuana. In sum, no rational juror could have convicted anyone of anything solely on the word of the admitted perjurer and schemer Thompson, the prosecutors wrote. Subscribe to Deadline Breaking News Alerts and keep your inbox happy. Because one minute you hear about it, and then the next week, you dont hear about it. Includes Address (36) Phone (19) Email (7) Lives in Pittsboro, North Carolina. view all He went to Columbia College in Chicago to study film and then moved back to California to pursue his dream of working in the entertainment industry. Last Edit: 2019-11-06 Vials of the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine are prepared to be administered to front-line health care workers under an emergency use authorization at a drive up vaccination site from Renown Health in Reno, Nevada on December 17, 2020. Thompson and Hutchins would convince the victims to provide information allowing them to apply for unemployment money from the state in their names and then inflated the victims' incomes in order to receive the maximum amount, prosecutors said. Her father is of Afro-Panamanian ancestry and her mother is of Mexican and British Isles . Address : Fort Worth, TX 76140. . Price has been appealing his conviction and death sentence for more than 30 years. 2023 Cable News Network. It is real. The documentary short tells the powerful story of Last Prisoner Project constituent Michael Thompson, the longest serving non-violent cannabis offender in Michigan history who spent 25 years in prison and was released last year. Michael Thompson (horn player) (born 1954), British brass musician. Its not just an injustice that it happened, its an injustice every day that our system allowed it to go on in a case thats so obviously unfairly sentenced., Michael was washing his clothes in his toilet, he was hospitalized when he contracted Covid he was often quarantined for months on end because someone else would contract Covid, even though hed already had it, and then theyd use that quarantine as a basis to deny his access to phones, Corral said. Because I havent felt this kind of love in a long time.. Serving 45 years from 1973, he was involved in numerous life and death situations, including getting shot 22 times. From that point on, a lot of what was said in our first two interviews came under fire, people wanted answers and more context to the man they either grew to love or hate. God called your name so gently that only you could hear no one heard the footsteps of the Angel drawing near Everybody wonders where I like to wash my clothes now. We feel we have done that with our previous episode, in which Mike's wife came on to speak on the criminal charges he is facing. Michael Lynn Thompson. The state's top attorney says it's time he's released. Thompson had no prior connection to Lake County, officials said, and had had no interactions with law enforcement officials there until his arrest Monday. A representative for the Orange County District Attorney asked that Thompson not be paroled, citing his unwillingness to confess to the murders, describing Thompson as a narcissist and unwilling to change. Suggest Edits . He was featured in several documentaries, and has touted himself as a symbol of redemption after 45 years behind the iron gates.. Get Morning Report and other email newsletters. Who have marijuana killed? It is now available to stream on Amazon Prime. He said he will work there if he is released. The film, directed by Kyle Thrash and Haley Elizabeth Anderson, focuses on. Michael Lynn Thompson, 56, of Lakewood, CO went home to be with our Lord on November 18, 2020. Thompsons story is very different. Signup for Breaking News Alerts & Newsletters, Get our latest storiesin the feed of your favorite networks. Michael Thompson spent more than two decades behind bars for convictions stemming from a marijuana sale. He was paroled after turning on the group and cooperating with authorities in criminal cases. When his daughter, Rashawnda Littles, spoke to CNN on Friday morning, she was shoe shopping for her father. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. But according to authorities in Lake County, Thompson found prosperity through something else entirely: a massive fraud scheme that raked in millions through fradulent business loans and Employment Development Department applications. He also co-founded a nonprofit called Live, Learn & Prosper, a self-help program for folks trying to make positive changes in their lives. 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He died on 13 June 1975, in his hometown, at the age of 20, and was buried in Ogden, Weber, Utah, United States. Derek Harris, a Louisiana man who was sentenced after selling weed but was freed this week after 10 years in prison. See Photos. Mike Lynn was born in San Clemnte, California. Michael Lynn Thompson He was paroled Aug. 12, according to the state Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Thompsons younger daughter, Princess, was just 3 years old when her father was incarcerated, LIttles said. Get Morning Report and other email newsletters, Michael Lynn Thompson, 67, was recommended for parole at a hearing last He served in Vietnam during the war. Prosecutors allege that the men, who had met in prison, bilked mainly homeless people or transients who were living off Social Security or disability payments by pretending to counsel them, the Sacramento Bee reported. The commissioners seemed to agree, despite voicing skepticism that Thompson was ready for release. I caused it by not taking a responsible position as it relates to these victims and their families and the communities.. Join Facebook to connect with Michael Lynn Thompson and others you may know. Contrary to some reports, Michael was never a troubled teenager, [citation needed] but his mother ' s boyfriend . It will also screen March 13 through 17 at the South by Southwest. Through Michaels heartbreaking but also inspiring story, directors Haley Elizabeth [Anderson] and Kyle Thrash shine a light on the disparity that is so often felt in our justice system and capture the devastating effects incarceration can have on a family and a community. Former Aryan Brotherhood member, highest ever, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Former Aryan Brotherhood member, highest ever to drop out, recommended for parole, Aryan Brotherhood member who murdered prison guard and spent 36 years in isolation, dead at 67. In 1987, while waiting to testify in a criminal case in Los Angeles, Thompson provided information to authorities that later led to the arrest of a deputy, according to the Los Angeles Times. . This film was made to advocate for Michael and help get him out of prison, but its also become part of the larger national conversation around cannabis criminalization and the future of legalization, directors Thrash and Anderson said in a statement. The announcement of the films release comes a week after President Biden declared he was pardoning federal prisoners convicted of marijuana possession and said his administration would examine whether marijuana should still be declassified as a Schedule 1 drug like heroin and LSD. Completed High School. Michael Thompson with his two daughters, Rashawnda Littles, left, and Princess Thompson. Want more California prison stories? Lynn is majoring in management and is on track to graduate in May of 2023. In 1994, Michael Thompson was sentenced to 42-60 years for selling three pounds of cannabis to his friend turned police informant, and he remained there as Michigan legalized the recreational use of marijuana. Michael is the son of Yan Zheng, and he was born on Feb. 25, 2001. Posted by Julie on 3/06/2016 Report abuse. Thompson and Hutchins also were accused of falsely applying for EDD benefits themselves, alleging they were working while they were still in prison, and they are suspected of $1.5 million in loan fraud, authorities said. Featured in numerous documentaries, Michael Thompson was an original leader of the Aryan Brotherhood (AB) prison gang in California. Did you encounter any technical issues? View Details. "And in most of these cases they never got any of the unemployment.". The cable news channel will premiere the short film on October 30, with the Documentary+ debut coming on November 1. Those weapons included antiques and most were inside a locked gun safe, according to a clemency petition Thompsons attorneys previously provided to CNN. He and co-defendant Eric Hutchins, 45, are accused of taking advantage of at least 16 people last year as the state Employment Development Department was handing out money to help those whose jobs were lost because of business closures during the COVID-19 pandemic. At 4 a.m. on Thursday, he finally walked out of prison to greet his family and. I knew what I could do to him, Thompson told the parole board. He was a former High school football star. We invite you to use our commenting platform to engage in insightful conversations about issues in our community. The alleged scheme involved a number of companies formed in the area, including one called Mann Ranch Inc. that Thompson lists himself as chief operating officer on his Linkedin page. Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. He has volunteered his time with the Belmont Community . As the trial unfolds, her fears mount. . The majority of the money was immediately pulled out, as much as they could get in cash on a daily basis, Smith said. I want to make sure theyre given a fair trial, if it goes to trial, she said. Steven Barnes was in witness protection, so the gang settled for murdering his father. Each day countless lives are lost, leaving behind children to face an uncertain future. Words cant explain how I feel right now, she said. View Details. This documentary, I just hope you felt it the way I feel it, because its real. The Veterans History Project Collection includes oral histories along with documentary materials such as original letters, diaries, photographs, and memoirs. He will be dearly missed by all that knew him, but one thing is certain he will never be forgotten. They were divorced July 29, 1985. 2038!. also provided immunized court testimony for the state against members of various gangs. 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