Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Jury convicts Leonard Paul Thompson of murder; judge sentences him to 35 years
Summary
A Jefferson County jury found Leonard Paul Thompson guilty of murdering Peggy Ann Pier; the court heard disputed discovery issues during trial including phone records and a missing body‑camera review, and the judge denied a spoliation instruction before sentencing Thompson to 35 years.
A Jefferson County jury in the 252nd District Court convicted Leonard Paul Thompson of murder and the judge sentenced him to 35 years in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, court records show.
The conviction stemmed from the September 2023 death of Peggy Ann Pier. Prosecutors introduced DNA evidence taken from under the victim’s fingernails and testimony from officers and witnesses; defense attorneys focused on gaps in the investigation and disputed handling of discovery, including a cell‑phone extraction and portions of body‑camera footage that were not preserved for jury review.
The question of what investigators reviewed and turned over to the defense arose repeatedly at trial. Detective Hancock testified about call logs extracted from the defendant’s phone and confirmed entries showing calls to a contact labeled “Peggy,” including an incoming call recorded at about 10:12 p.m. on Sept. 12, 2023. Defense counsel Marcus Wilkerson told the court he had only recently been given certain files — including a cell‑phone extraction and…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
