A Cobb County man who admitted killing his mother's 1-year-old poodle was supposed to be sentenced Monday. But when Darwin Kerrington Thompson had a diluted drug test and admitted to smoking marijuana while free on bond, Judge Gregory Poole delayed the sentencing for a week.
Thompson, 21, would have to consume massive quantities of water for the test to be diluted, a trick sometimes used to quickly flush drugs from the body, Poole said. Poole ordered a second drug test for Thompson, to be completed Tuesday morning.
“If that drug test comes back dirty and he’s lying to me, it’s going to be a really nasty day tomorrow in courtroom 7300,” Poole said. “He’s dirty now or he’s not doing drugs and the lab messed up, which happens about once in 1,000 cases. Just about the worst thing he could’ve done was to walk in here dirty.”
After a quick recess, Thompson and his attorney returned to the courtroom and told the judge there had been no lab error.
“What drug is in your system?” Poole asked.
“I did smoke marijuana,” Thompson replied.
Thompson, who previously admitted he had a drug problem, told the judge he smoked marijuana to relieve stress. But in doing so, he violated the conditions of his bond.
“The test knew you were trying to lie to us,” Poole said.
Thompson was arrested in August 2014 after he brought the dog's lifeless body to Banfield Pet Hospital on Austell Road, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution previously reported. A veterinarian at the hospital told police that the injuries to the female dog, Brooklyn, were consistent with being beaten rather than attacked by another animal, Thompson's arrest warrant says.
Thompson, of a Marietta address, was arrested at the animal hospital and charged with aggravated cruelty to animals, a felony. He was booked into the Cobb County jail and later released on $5,000 bond, booking records showed.
On March 29, Thompson entered a guilty plea and was told he would be drug tested before his Monday sentencing. Monday’s hearing was delayed about an hour while the test was completed and results returned to Poole.
The district attorney’s office had previously asked Poole to sentence Thompson to serve three years in prison. The defense attorney had asked for Thompson to be sentenced to boot camp to avoid prison time.
“This case is just bad, to be honest with you,” Poole told the courtroom. “It shocks the conscience.”
Thompson must return to court Tuesday at 9 a.m. for a second drug screening. Sentencing was rescheduled for June 20 at 9 a.m.
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