Judge Drops 3 of 14 Cases In The Herman Thomas Sex Trial

Alabama Mobile The prosecution rested its case. Only 11 of the 14 accusers testified. The defense will start presenting its case at 2:00 p.m.

by WKRG Staff

Published: Tue, October 20, 2009 - 9:07 am CST Last Updated: Tue, October 20, 2009 - 12:38 pm CST

MOBILE, Alabama - 1:35 p.m.
- Judge is waiting to decide on other charges until after defense rests.
- The defense will start presenting its case when court resumes at 2:00 p.m.

1:03 p.m.
The judge is deciding which charges will go to the jury. So far he is allowing all the sex abuse and kidnapping charges.

11:45 p.m.
The state (prosecution) has rested its case.

10:07 a.m.
Only 11 of the original 15 men accusing former Mobile County Circuit Court Judge Herman Thomas of paddling them in exchange for leniency will testify in Thomas' sex trial.

This morning, the judge dismissed the final three cases. He dismissed the case involving the 15th accuser before the trial began. The judge also dropped one of the sodomy charges saying the state did not meet its burden of proof on that charge. He also dismissed the remaining two ethics charges saying they are outside the statute of limitations.

The jury has been excused while attorneys hammer out whether the kidnapping and extortion charges will remain. He says there is enough evidence on the sex abuse charges to send those to jury. The judge has not yet ruled on the kidnapping, extortion, or assault charges.

Herman Thomas is charged with 52 felony counts including sex abuse, sodomy, kidnapping and extortion. Thomas has denied all of the allegations.

For updates from inside the courtroom throughout the day, follow me on twitter.

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theodore Says:

Tue, Oct 27, 2009 at 8:10 pm

dear WKRG, when telling someone to watch what they post, could you please let the person know what it was that offended someone else? if no foul language was used, no one was threatened, and the “terms” of your policy was not violated, then what exactly was posted to be issued a warning? I noticed no other posts about any one getting their feelings hurt by any post I have made concerning this issue! please be a little more CLEAR!!!

rmseek1234 Says:

Tue, Oct 20, 2009 at 1:07 pm

“judge is questioning whether belt is capable of causing death or serious physical injury”

Well,there is one way to find out. Have Hermie stand up,drop his drawers, and take a few licks. If he isn’t seriously injured, doesn’t die,or “rise” to the occasion…then drop the charges.

engtchr Says:

Tue, Oct 20, 2009 at 11:40 am

If the good judge honestly believed he was doing these young men a service by paddling them, then why didn’t he hand down paddlings as sentences to people who came before him? Why did he conduct these paddlings in private, in his office, at weird hours??? At best he knew what he was doing was wrong. At worst, he was getting his thrills from doing it.

abigail Says:

Tue, Oct 20, 2009 at 11:34 am

It is a pretty good bet that the charges that would bring him the most time in jail will be thrown out and the remaining ones, if he is found guilty, will only net him probation or something that won’t involve jail time. He will probably be back on the bench doing his evil thing.

flyonthewall Says:

Tue, Oct 20, 2009 at 11:17 am

The idea that submitting to physical abuse to provide sexual gratification is a “method that is sometimes helpful in the development if young men” sounds like a quote from a master on the plantation. Abuse of those who must submit or face the loss of their freedom is a crime. Anyone who still believes that Herman Thomas was trying to help anyone other than himself is obviously easily conned.