On Friday she pleaded guilty to attempting to burn down her ex - lover’s house but today – 42 year old Wilma Thompson says it wasn’t arson, it was self-defense. As we reported – Thompson copped the plea to a lesser charge of damage to property for setting Raymond Jex’s house on fire in October of 2006. Jex says Wilma was stalking him and that she set his bedroom on fire in a jealous rage. That’s his story – but today Wilma told us and the court her story. She says they were still in a relationship at the time – but more importantly she says it was an abusive relationship – and 4 years of abuse culminated on October 4th of 2006. And that’s why the non-custodial sentence handed down this afternoon was bittersweet for the 42 year old grandmother who was prepared to go to jail. She told us why.
Keith Swift Reporting,
Wilma Thompson left the Supreme Court a free woman this afternoon - but there was hardly reason for this 42-year-old grandmother to celebrate. She had just pleaded guilty to damage to property - for an incident in which she claims she was defending herself.
Wilma Thompson, Charged for Arson
“Sir I don’t regret defending myself because we women out here have to defend ourselves from men who are beating us. A lot of us sweep it and put it under the rug and I was one of them but I had enough. The last time he whapped me up with the machete, I couldn’t even lay down - I couldn’t even lay down, I couldn’t sit down. I didn’t tell my family nothing. I took that packing on my own and the whole of Rootsville or whatever it is named behind Martin’s know that and saw that. I took that beating that night, you understand what I mean?”
Keith Swift,
You feel you did anything wrong?
Wilma Thompson,
“I know I did nothing wrong Sir, I was only defending myself. Defending myself, that man had a machete…when he come after me again and hoist that machete in front of me, the lady Lorna who had the lot of stitch on her head, I saw myself look just like she and I didn’t intend to have another chop. You see my disfigured face already, I born so and no one put this on me and I don’t intend for no man to put any on me, you understand.
That plea bargain, yes I did that but I didn’t even know. I am still waiting for somebody to come and tell me Wilma let me hear your side of the story. No one at court asked me my side of the story yet. This what they are portraying me to be this man stalker, that doesn’t fit my image. Whosoever knows me, knows that doesn’t fit my image. I am not that type of person, I am not a bad person. It still hurts me that they are telling me to pay $2,700 plus court costs to pay to somebody who was beating me. So I will pay a man $2,700 for beating me plus have to pay court fee. That is not really fair, that is not really fair for me. But I got to give my side because that is not me. That is not me.”
Keith Swift,
You realize that because you pleaded guilty, you face jail time?
Wilma Thompson,
"Yes sir I know that but believe me and you could ask anyone of my family, my bag was already packed. In garbage bags my things are already packed because I am making a stand for us women and for me who defended myself.”
But granny Wilma won’t be heading to prison – at least not if she pays $6,700 in fines and compensation.
Wilma Thompson,
“As a person who has no job and who has a lot of siblings to take care of, I am the bread winner in my house, it is rough but like I said my whole family is contented because it is better to be out here and be there for my grandchildren. And you know I really love my children and I live for my grandchildren – everybody who knows me, knows me as that and I have ten of them. I am not against the court, I see that they did it in my best behalf but it is very hard to pay $4,000 plus compensation for somebody who beat you. That is very rough.”
And again, despite protestations of her innocence – Wilma Thompson did plead guilty to damage to property and faced 10 years in prison. Justice Herbert Lord however didn’t send her to jail, he instead fined her $4,000 – half of which she has to pay by June 30th or spend three years in jail. She also has to pay Raymond Jex $2,700 in compensation for the property damaged in the fire. She was not defended in court and had three character witnesses. In passing the non-custodial sentence – Justice Lord says he took into consideration her clean police record.
