Judge rules Anniston man competent to stand trial for murder of Wellborn Elementary teacher

Tyrone Thompson

A Calhoun County judge has ruled that an expert is not needed to determine whether an Anniston man is mentally competent to stand trial in connection with the 2011 death of a Wellborn Elementary School teacher.

30 year old Tyrone Thompson,  was indicted by a Calhoun County grand jury in May 2011 on a capital murder charge in connection with the kidnapping, robbery and killing of Kevin Thompson.

Circuit Judge Debra Jones deliberated for more than a week before finding that such an expert was not needed to determine Thompson’s competency. Jones at a hearing on Oct. 20 listened to prosecutors and defense attorneys make cases for and against the need for that expert.

In her ruling, Jones states that evidence and testimony at the hearing showed that Thompson does not posses an intellectual disability that would require the court to request an an expert.

Judge Jones wrote that “The mental retardation, or intellectual disability, of the defendant is not an issue in this trial. Tyrone Thompson is the second of three suspects to be tried in connection with the teacher’s death. A judge in September sentenced Nicholas Smith to death after being found guilty for his involvement in the killing.

Prosecutors in Smith’s trial alleged that Tyrone Thompson, Smith and Jovon Gaston, of Jacksonville, kidnapped Kevin Thompson, drove him to several ATMs in Anniston and Jacksonville and robbed him of $ 400 at gunpoint.

Those men also drove the victim to a secluded portion of U.S. 278 outside of Piedmont where Thompson was stabbed to death and left by the side of the road, prosecutors have said.

Thompson’s trial is to begin Feb. 2.