A Shreveport man who beat and robbed an acquaintance over a monetary dispute was found guilty of second degree robbery Tuesday, May 7, 2024, in Caddo District Court.
The eight-woman, four-man jury in District Judge Michael Pitman’s court deliberated about 30 minutes before returning its guilty-as-charged verdict against Johnny “Pooh” Thompson Jr., 47, in connection with the April 2, 2022 crime.
The jury learned, through evidence and testimony, that on April 2, 2022, victim Robert Wayne Williams went to a friend’s house on Audrey Lane to play dominoes, during which time he placed money on the kitchen table. While Williams and his friend drank and played dominoes, Thompson arrived and, seeing the money, confronted Williams about $60 he owed him. Thompson demanded the money and struck Williams in the face. Thompson continued to strike Williams , despite efforts by the friend to stop the beating. Williams, beaten unconscious, was then dragged by Thompson out of the house and into a car to be taken to an abandoned house on Kelsey Street, about a mile away.
Williams was found by officers, disoriented and unable to say how he got there. He was transported to Ochsner LSU Heath and over time was taken to a nursing facility, and then hospice, where he died in February 2023, about 10 months the after the altercation with Thompson. However complicating health factors led to a determination that Williams died from natural causes.
When Thompson returns to Judge Pitman’s court May 29, 2024, he faces a sentence of imprisonment for at least three and up to 40 years at hard labor.
Thompson was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Victoria Washington and Sam Crichton. He was defended by Michael Enright.
The case was docket No. 391914.
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