Miami

Girlfriend Found Guilty in Miami Cop Murder Case

A woman accused of killing her Miami Police officer boyfriend was found guilty Friday.

Tiniko Thompson, 48, was charged with second-degree murder for the 2014 shooting death of Officer Carl Patrick inside his Pembroke Pines home.

Closing arguments were heard Friday before jury deliberations began. The deliberations lasted just two hours before the jury found Thompson guilty.

There were hugs of comfort, prayers and tears of relief from Patrick's family after the verdict was read.

"A great relief for Lucille, Carl's mom," prosecutor Shari Tate said. " I'm wearing a pin on the inside of my jacket that says 'believe' that she gave me to hold on to for her and we wanted to get justice for her and to let Carl rest in peace."

Prosecutors said it all began when Thompson lied about being pregnant with Patrick's child.

"She took the one thing that she thought would keep all those lies intact. Because if Carl's dead, she can still cover up. She can get away with it," Tate said in her closing.

The defense admitted there was a fight, but said it was over credit card debt.

"They want you to believe that Carl Patrick, as educated as he was and a veteran of the police department don't know a pregnant woman when he sees one. That's inconceivable," defense attorney Roderick Vereen said. "He knew. He either knew and was in on it or he's the most inexperienced man when it comes to a pregnant woman I've ever seen in my life."

In a previous "Stand Your Ground" hearing, Thompson had confessed to the shooting but now claims it was self-defense.

"He's mad and he pulls a gun. But once you pull that gun and you point it at someone whether you're a police officer or not, when you're not in the line of duty, that's an aggravated assault," Vereen said.

But prosecutors say evidence shows Patrick could have survived the wound to his arm. In the 48 hours after the shooting, prosecutors said Thompson came back to the home five times while his body lay on the floor.

"You leave but and not only do you leave him there to die you leave them there to bleed out and do nothing," Tate said.

Thompson now faces up to life in prison.

"We just lost one of our finest, one of our heroes, Carl Patrick, and today justice was served," said Craig McQueen, a retired assistant chief with the Miami Police Department. "So two families are affected by this, of course the Patrick family that justice has been served, but also the Thompson family. They're gonna lose their loved one as well so it's not a celebrating, it's more of a relief for the police officers."

Contact Us