Mom forgives 21-year-old son’s convicted killer in emotional courtroom speech in Alaska
The mother of a 21-year-old who died after being shot more than a dozen times forgave one of the men charged in his death during a sentencing hearing, Alaska prosecutors said.
The mother of Sosaia Finau gave “an emotional victim impact statement” during Mickee Bobby Marcel Thompson’s sentencing on Jan. 10, the Alaska Department of Law said in a news release.
”It’s tough being a mom,” she said as she forgave Thompson and commented on “how their families have ‘grief bonded’ over the incident,” according to prosecutors.
Thompson, 25, from Anchorage, was sentenced to 65 years in prison, plus five years of supervised probation, prosecutors said.
McClatchy News reached out to his attorney on Jan. 15 and was awaiting comment.
Thompson is accused of shooting Finau in April 2018 at an apartment in Anchorage.
Finau was dating Thompson’s ex-girlfriend and was at her apartment when Thompson and another man, Robert Smith, came over “uninvited,” prosecutors said.
The two men “left without incident” but then returned to pick up Thompson’s son, according to prosecutors. An argument broke out and Thompson fired at Finau 17 times with a 9mm gun, according to prosecutors.
Then as Thompson left, Smith came in “and fired seven more shots at Finau,” prosecutors said.
In all, Finau was hit in his arm, legs, torso and head with 15 bullets, prosecutors said.
Thompson had argued that he was defending himself and that Smith caused Finau’s death, according to prosecutors. A jury convicted Thompson of first-degree and second-degree murder in February 2024, prosecutors said.
Smith pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in 2022 and was sentenced to 35 years behind bars the following year, according to the Anchorage Police Department.
This story was originally published January 15, 2025 at 5:15 PM with the headline "Mom forgives 21-year-old son’s convicted killer in emotional courtroom speech in Alaska."
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