Louisville judge criticized for reduced sentence in violent kidnapping, sexual assault case

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A Jefferson County judge has sentenced a convicted felon to 30 years in prison, declining to follow a jury’s recommendation of 65 years in a case involving robbery, kidnapping, sodomy and sexual abuse.

Christopher Thompson, 24, was sentenced on Feb. 2 after a December conviction tied to a 2023 attack in which prosecutors said he abducted a woman, robbed her and sodomized her twice.

Court documents say Thompson kidnapped the woman in her own vehicle and forced her to perform oral sex on him in a school parking lot. Then, he drove her to an ATM, robbed the woman, drove back to the school lot and sodomized her at gunpoint again.

Thompson's sentencing hearing was marked by repeated disruptions, profanity and direct insults toward Judge Tracy Davis.

“Before we even get appearances, Mr. Thompson, I’m going to need you to be respectful,” Davis said.

“I ain’t doing nothing. Eat my d**k,” Thompson responded.

Moments later, the exchange escalated.

“It’s fine. Okay? It’s fine,” Davis said.

“If I could spit on you, I would,” Thompson replied.

“At the end of the day, I’m the one with the pen,” Davis said.

“I don’t care,” Thompson said.

Despite the continued outbursts, the court proceeded with sentencing. Prosecutors urged Davis to impose the jury’s recommended 65-year sentence.

“I don’t have sympathy for nobody. I don’t have sympathy for you, the victim, the victim’s family, I don’t care. Boo hoo,” Thompson said during the hearing.

Davis ultimately imposed a 30-year sentence, citing Thompson’s age and the possibility of rehabilitation — even as Thompson continued interrupting.

“I don’t care. I don’t care,” Thompson said.

“Unfortunately he fell through the cracks and ended up in this court as an 18 or 19-year-old,” Davis said. “This court does not believe Mr. Thompson, if given the resources that he can get while incarcerated, is beyond being rehabilitated.”

Metro Council members criticize sentence

The sentence has drawn criticism from Louisville Metro Council members, including Minority Caucus Chair Anthony Piagentini.

“Where is the concern for the victim? Do we think she’s going to get over this in 30 years?” Piagentini said. “Where is the concern for the safety of the public when he does get released from jail?”

Piagentini also raised concerns about judicial transparency, pointing to Davis’ use of shock probation in dozens of cases since 2023.

“My next step, in addition to condemning her decision, is to request for all of her shock probation cases to have the public learn about who she is releasing from the sentences that are given,” Piagentini said. “That’s the minimum I can do for the electorate of this community, so that they can make they can understand the decisions that she’s making.”

Commonwealth's Attorney 'disappointed'

Commonwealth’s Attorney Gerina D. Whethers released a statement regarding what she called a "disappointing' sentence."

“Due to the Defendant’s actions and inappropriate outbursts in court, the jury recommended a sentence of 65 years in prison. While we recognize that the Court has discretion in the final sentence, we are disappointed that the Court deviated from the sentence for less than half of what the jury of his peers determined was appropriate for this dangerous defendant. The jury’s recommendation was the most appropriate outcome in this case."

"Our pursuit of justice is unwavering. As prosecutors, our responsibility is to take to trial and present before the jury cases like these, where dangerous individuals pose a severe threat to the community and, as a result, need to be removed from it for as long as possible,” said Whethers.

Judge Davis did impose an additional sentence of more than four years for the statements Thompson made in court. He must serve that time before his 30-year sentence begins.

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