Brother Of Defendant Takes The Stand As Defense Begins Their Case In Eric Thompson Murder Trial

Brother of defendant takes the stand as defense begins their case in Eric Thompson murder trial

HONOLULU (KHON2) — One of the first witnesses to take the stand for the defense was a firearms safety expert, brought in to challenge the timing of the murder.

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They argued that gunshots would have been heard coming from Jon Tokuhara’s Waipahu clinic at the time of the murder, based on the size of the clinic and the type of firearm allegedly used.

“Would sound travel from those four gunshots, .22 caliber?” questioned defense attorney Nelson Goo.

“Yes, high likely hood it would travel,” responded firearms expert, Lindy Terao.

However, in cross examination, prosecutors were quick to push back.

“Do you agree that a silencer or suppressor would also quiet the sound of a gun firing?” asked Deputy Prosecutor Ben Rose.

“Sure,” Terao said.

In a key moment in the case, the defense called Michael Thompson to testify about his younger brother’s character and behavior.

“I would say he’s pretty easy going. He doesn’t let things effect him very much,” Michael Thompson said.

Michael Thompson said he noticed nothing unusual about his brother in the months before the murder on January 12, 2022 and on the day after, saying Eric Thompson acted normal, even helping install a security door on his house.

But prosecutors tried to paint a different picture of their family relationship, asking when he learned about the affair between Joyce Thompson and Jon Tokuhara.

“When was that disclosed?” Rose asked.

“I would say sometime around January or February of 2022,” Michael Thompson said.

“Would it be after January 12, 2022 that you learned of the affair?” Rose asked.

“I believe so, yeah,” Michael Thompson said.

The defense, however, tried to assure the jury Michael Thompson’s testimony was honest and not influenced by family loyalty.

“Are you lying for your brother?” Goo asked.

“No,” Thompson said.

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As the trial now moves into this next phase, the defense will likely continue to raise questions about the reliability of the prosecution’s evidence. Whether Eric Thompson will take the stand in his defense in this trial, remains to be seen.

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