Woman's slaying leads to lawsuit

Her father sues the mental health facility from which the gunman escaped and the Sheriff's Office, which returned his gun in spite of his being listed as a missing endangered person.

By CHRIS TISCH, Times Staff Writer
© St. Petersburg Times
published June 26, 2002

LARGO -- When Stephen Look threatened to kill himself, his former girlfriend, Jennifer Lynn Thompson, called Pinellas sheriff's deputies to help him.

Deputies took away Look's gun and brought him to Pinellas Emergency Mental Health Services in Pinellas Park for treatment under the state's Baker Act.

The law requires someone be held at a mental health facility for evaluation for at least 72 hours.

But the next morning, Look scaled a fence and escaped the facility.

Three days later, he went to the Sheriff's Office to see about getting his gun back.

Even though Look was listed as a missing endangered person, sheriff's employees returned his gun.

Hours later, Look shot Thompson, 20, of Largo, seven times in the head, killing her.

On Monday, Thompson's father, Benton Thompson, filed a lawsuit in Hillsborough County against the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office and the mental health facility, which is now known as Personal Enrichment through Mental Health Services Inc., or PEMHS.

The lawsuit argues that the negligence of the Sheriff's Office and PEMHS led to Thompson's death.

Thompson seeks damages of more than $15,000 for wrongful death.

The chain of events occurred in November 2000.

Look, 22, was arrested and charged with first-degree murder in connection with Thompson's death.

He was convicted of the crime a year later and sentenced to life in prison.

The events prompted a policy change at the Sheriff's Office.

Deputies now run a background check on anyone who wants to pick up a gun that has been seized by the office.

Sheriff's Office spokesman Cal Dennie on Tuesday declined to comment on the suit, saying the agency does not talk publicly about pending litigation.

Officials at PEMHS could not be reached for comment.

-- Chris Tisch can be reached at 445-4156 or tisch@sptimes.com.

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