Graduate student Andrew David Thompson and his lawyer Kimberly Savage stand before Judge Donald Allen Thursday morning at the 55th District Court. Thompson, who admits to beating 10 Italian greyhounds to death, was arraigned in the 55th District Court June 27 for 10 counts of animal killing.
After spending more than 100 days in Ingham County Jail, Andrew Thompson was released on a $5,000 cash surety bond Monday afternoon.
Thompson, a 24-year-old College of Osteopathic Medicine student who faces 13 charges of animal killing/torture, has been in custody since turning himself into the Meridian Township police on June 25.
Thompson’s bond was lowered on Sept. 28 to $50,000 by Judge Paula Manderfield in Lansing’s 30th Circuit Court.
Prior to that, Thompson was being held on two $500,000 bonds in East Lansing and Meridian Township for a total bond worth $1 million.
With a surety bond, Thompson only had to pay 10 percent of the total amount, so after an unknown source paid $2,500 to each municipality, Thompson was released.
Thompson’s attorney Stacia Buchanan did not return calls from The State News on Monday.
Ingham County Prosecutor Stuart Dunnings said he was not surprised Thompson’s bond was posted.
“His family had the resources to do it, we knew that all along, and that’s why the bond was set so high,” Dunnings said.
Dunnings said he does not yet know who posted Thompson’s bond or who he will be staying with since his family lives in Arizona and the lease on his apartment in Okemos expired in August.
As a stipulation of Thompson’s release, he must wear a GPS tether and adhere to a curfew between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m.
Although Thompson will be monitored, Dunnings said he has concerns about his release, but would not comment on the specifics.
Following Thompson’s bond reduction, Ingham County Animal Control Director Jamie McAloon Lampman said she was unsettled by the idea of Thompson’s release.
She said he was a threat to both humans and animals because of his past alleged animal abuse and because of threats he made against his former roommate who testified against him in district court.
Thompson’s former roommate declined to comment on his release.
Thompson was suspended from the College of Osteopathic Medicine after his initial arraignment in Meridian Township.
If found guilty of felony animal killing/torture, he will be expelled from the college.
Thompson’s next court appearance has not yet been scheduled.Alleged dog killer leaves jail on bond
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