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The defense suggests Alan Thompson's punch might not be all that killed a teen in May.
By CHRISTOPHER GOFFARD, Times Staff Writer
© St. Petersburg Times, published June 13, 2002
TAMPA -- Alan Thompson, accused of killing a Sickles High student with a single punch to the temple, must stay in jail without bail -- at least until more evidence about the unusual death comes forth, a judge ruled Wednesday.
Hillsborough Circuit Judge Rex Barbas said he would again consider bail for Thompson, 21, after hearing details of the autopsy on Christopher Fannan, 18. Fannan suffered the punch in the parking lot of the Citrus Park Steak n Shake on May 19.
"I'd be interested in that," Barbas told defense attorney Grady C. Irvin Jr., referring to the autopsy report.
Irvin suggested the punch might not have been the sole culprit in Fannan's death. He pointed to an April 13 incident in which Fannan, in an unrelated scuffle, was pistol-whipped behind a Mapledale Boulevard gym. The pistol-whipping "may have brought about his death as well," Irvin said.
Prosecutors disagree, saying the medical examiner has ruled the previous injury did not play a role in Fannan's death.
"The end result is, this guy killed my son with one punch," said the victim's mother, Cyndi Fannan, 42.
She said the pistol-whipping -- committed by a still-unknown attacker -- sent her son to the emergency room for three or four hours, caused vomiting and resulted in two staples on the back of his head. But he never lost consciousness, she said.
That attack involved the boyfriend of one of Fannan's ex-girlfriends, she said.
Thompson pleaded not guilty Wednesday to a manslaughter charge.
Arguing to keep Thompson behind bars, prosecutor Sami Thalji said Thompson was already facing two pending criminal cases at the time of the Steak n Shake incident.
In a December 2000 case, Thompson was charged with marijuana possession and delivery. In September 2001, the charge was using a credit card stolen from an 88-year-old woman in a purse snatching. Also, Thalji said, Thompson failed to show up for court appearances in July and November.
Calling Fannan's death "a regrettable incident," defense attorney Irvin said there was no indication Thompson was a threat to the community. He said Thompson had been working two jobs, at Winn Dixie and Kash n' Karry.
"This is a family that has raised three beautiful kids," Irvin said outside the courtroom of Thompson's family. "These are Christian people. I couldn't have met two finer people than Mr. and Mrs. Thompson."
While it was not mentioned in the courtroom, records show Thompson took part in a Dec. 15, 1998, scuffle in the parking lot of Lowe's home improvement center on Waters Avenue.
Along with two companions, Thompson, then an 18-year-old senior at Sickles High himself, confronted a 22-year-old St. Petersburg woman, Stephanie Blesie, who had a Confederate flag decal on her truck, according to records.
Blesie said Thompson spit in her face, and when she pushed him, he punched her.
Thompson said he was trying to apologize to her when she "got crazy and hit me," prompting him to hit her.
Thompson then punched Ryan C. Dabbs, a 19-year-old store worker who tried to intervene, though Thompson said Dabbs pushed him first. Dabbs, who is white, said the incident was "race hate motivated." He said Thompson's fist broke his nose and chipped two of his teeth.