PIERRE, (KCCR) — A Lower Brule man has been sentenced in federal court for voluntary manslaughter. A federal jury in July found 32 year-old Joseph Thompson guilty of one count of voluntary manslaughter at the end of a three day trial in Pierre. U-S Attorney Alison Ramsdell says Thompson was at a home in Lower Brule in March of this year when he heard a disturbance outside. That’s when Thompson exited the structure, walked around the home and located a man. Thompson took out a knife and stabbed the man five times, including once in the heart. The victim gave no indication at the time of having a weapon. Thompson was sentenced to serve 10 years and eight months in federal prison and three years of probation upon his release. In addition to the prison time and probation, Thompson was ordered to pay the family of the victim three-thousand 350-dollars and 100-dollars to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
