10 Wheels

Same here.....

benjdm

Google News Search for "Christopher Thompson", sorted by date. (If you want to look for the news coming out. Last check is a story 40 minutes ago, without a sentence.)

dougmc

Breaking news: Doctor gets 5 years in road-rage incident with cyclists

https://www.latimes.com/news/local/la...,4008059.story (no story yet for the sentence)

benjdm

L.A. Times Blog reports Sentence

Mercury News

mikeybikes

Good to hear he didn't get away with it. 5 years, and hopefully his medical license is revoked. Sounds like a fair punishment.

Hopefully he has enough money left for the cyclists in a civil case.

dougmc

I'm not sure his medical license should be revoked just because of this conviction -- it doesn't automatically make him a less effective doctor, after all.

Though if the rules are that they're revoked after any felony conviction -- then so be it.

FriendlyFred

He should have his license revoked because he broke the first rule of being a doctor....first, do no harm. He willfully injured two people. As a former ER Doctor, he of all people should have known better. And, apparently he'd done the same stunt, fortunately with no injuries, twice previously. Yes, yes he SHOULD lose his license

Digital_Cowboy

I think I asked this before given as it was the "good" doctor's fault that the one cyclist lost his teeth does that mean that the "good" doctor and/or his estate is responsible for his dental work for the rest of his life?

dougmc

Um, that's not the first rule of being a doctor.

1) that's said to be part of the original Hippocratic Oath, not the modern version. The modern version has no such verbage. In fact, the traditional version had no such verbage either, though at least the original version had some similar words, "to abstain from doing harm".
2) the oath is meant in a medical context, not a road raging driver context.
3) not all doctors take the oath, and
4) even if they do, it's not binding (the are other ethics rules that are binding, of course.)

By all means, read up on it -- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hippocratic_Oath
Or, here's more on "do no harm" specifically -- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Primum_non_nocere

Yes, he broke the law. He should have known better (and that has nothing to do with being a doctor.) He's going to pay for his crime.

I don't know what the rules are for losing one's medical license. If one loses it (or has it reviewed) for being convicted of a felony, so be it. But this felony had nothing to do with being a doctor, so I wouldn't say that he should automatically lose his license because of it, unless we start saying that EVERYBODY (electrician, barber, lawyer, masseuse, plumber, driver, pilot, etc.) should lose their professional licenses due to a conviction such as this.

Digital_Cowboy

Given that I think it's been said before that he was an ex-ER doctor I think that one could say that he voluntarily "revoked" his license himself.

I would like to see him have to do some sort of community service when he gets out.

dougmc

I would imagine that your license would continue even if you're not a practicing (working) doctor, or if it doesn't, it's a simple matter to get it re-enabled (requiring some paperwork, small fees and perhaps continuing education at most if it's been a long time.) But to actually have your license revoked, that would seem to be a much more serious matter, hopefully reserved for serious errors made while practicing medicine, and once actually revoked, it's difficult at best to get it back.
He's already been sentenced. I don't recall anybody saying he was also sentenced to community service -- so that seems unlikely.

Unless he's paroled early and that's part of his parole, I guess ...

mikeybikes

One of the articles stated his license was suspended pending review by the state medical licensing board.

Here is what the med board's website has to say: https://www.medbd.ca.gov/convictions.html

Leaves it entirely open ended on whether or not this would be enough for them to revoke it.

Tem

From what I've read, he was still a practicing ER doctor at the time of the incident. He resigned afterwards. I think that the fact that he downplayed the cyclists' injuries at the scene, when he clearly knew better, would have a direct effect on how the medical board evaluates the way he practices medicine.
*******************************
Does anyone know how much time he is likely to serve under California law? I haven't seen anything on the status of his driver's license either. It would be a shame if he gets to start driving as soon as he's released.

dougmc

Actually, that page is about license applications, not existing licenses. The rules are likely to be different.

Is this the guy? Sure looks like it, though three people have the same first and last names -- https://licenselookup.mbc.ca.gov/lice...seNumber=31475

If so ... his license is currently suspended. "Licensee suspended during incarceration following a felony conviction." I guess it would be un-suspended once he gets out?

It also says malpractice judgement, though I imagine that's unrelated.

San Rensho 

The tough-guy when he is in a car, is really a cry-baby at the sentencing. He's doing time in state prison, don't bend over to pick up the soap!

ItsJustMe

One article said that his CA license to practice medicine was suspended, and he's financially about broke. He and his wife had to move out of the state due to harassment after the incident.

In addition, he's 60 years old, so if he serves the whole 5 years he'll be 65 and broke (and probably divorced) when he gets out. He's probably unlikely to regain his fortunes during the rest of his life.

gcottay

Five years seems about right to me. Perhaps he could be given a chance to work in the prison hospital.

dougmc

His legal defense failed. He's going to prison for a number of years. He's likely to be somebody's b*tch (with all the benefits and responsibilities that said position entails.) When he does get out, he'll likely be broke and will have civil judgements over his head as well. He may have problems with his medical license. His name is all over the media, and not in a good way. People will likely remember him when he does get out, putting his name into the media yet again.

It's an appropriate time to cry.

CCrew

Can he prescribe drugs with a felony conviction? They're federally controlled..

dougmc

All this because he couldn't keep his mouth shut, wouldn't exercise his fifth amendment rights.

Had he not been so forthcoming with the police (wanted to teach them a lesson), it's entirely possible that none of this would have happened. The case probably would have gone to the DA, but the DA probably wouldn't have prosecuted due to lack of evidence, they never would have found the other related case, etc.

Personally, I don't see this case as any sort of watershed event. It's just a case where the evidence (much of it came out of his own mouth!) was strongly against the defendant, so it went to court, got a guilty verdict and a decent sentence. Motorists will still continue to do what they've always done, and without witnesses, it'll still be `he said, she said' and few will result in prosecution or conviction.

thdave

It's not a watershed event?

Goofy. It's the biggest new out there regarding cyclists and legitimizes/ supports our rights to ride on the roads, while sending a message to those trying to harass us.

It's irrelevant that the guy did it to himself.

I'm happy with a 5 year sentence.

CB HI

Most/all of the claims by the defense are BS in a play for sympathy, hoping the judge would give him probation.

As to the claim that the Doctor is nearly broke, I am sure he has been very busy moving his assets to family and hidden accounts to also prevent the cyclist from getting at it in the civil case. Remember, OJ has been pennyless for many years; anyone see photos of him living in a cardboard box, or have most of the photos been of him on the golf course?

rumrunn6

that driver requires vigilante justice

genec

Riding a bike will help alleviate some of those health problems.

mandovoodoo

The punitive nature of the US criminal system proves quite ineffective. This man's flaw destroyed his life, the people he hurt are likely to get nothing.

How about permanent revocation of license to drive? Requirement that he compensate the victims for all compensatory damages immediately. Requirement that he keep working and give some high $ (30%? 40%) to his victims up to a lifetime cap of some interesting amount, such as 100,000 per victim. And a "day" fine representing his income for some period of time. Perhaps 180 days. Payable so much per year. Requirement for anger management counseling. Convertible to a jail sentence and liquidation of assets by the state should he commit another act of violence.

The fellow's life would be impacted sufficiently to attract his and other's attention.

The fellow would be off the road.

The victims would be compensated.

The state would be compensated.

The state would continue to benefit from his medical skills.

The state would not absorb excessive maintenance costs from jailing him.



Seems highly equitable to me. The jail for everything solution is simply stupid.