Thompson denied change of venue; charges upheld

A district judge on Monday denied a change of venue and dismissal of counts against a Cloquet man accused in the murder of a pregnant woman and her child.

Sheldon James Thompson, who is accused of killing Jackie Defoe, her unborn child and her 20-month-old son, faces two charges of murder in the first degree each for the deaths of Jackie Ann Defoe and her son Kevin Lee Shabaiash Jr., and one charge of murder in the first degree of an unborn child, premeditated.

In the order filed Monday, Judge Jill Eichenwald, denied his attorney’s request to move Thompson’s trial out of Sixth District Court in Carlton and to dismiss first-degree murder/domestic abuse charges.

Eichenwald ruled that there wasn’t significant evidence produced or found that Thompson has received enough pre-trial publicity to sway any potential county jurors. The judge also dismissed claims that a grand jury received improper instructions in handing down eight charges against Thompson. His attorney wanted two first-degree charges dropped, citing the instructions that were based on vague state statute language. Eichenwald said the “heavy burden” of dismissing an indictment was not met.

His next court appearance will be Oct. 27.

— Pine Knot News