San Diego Criminal Justice Memorial
Honorees
A memorial directory honoring deceased judges, prosecutors, and defense attorneys who advanced criminal justice in San Diego County.
Hon. Gordon Thompson, Sr.
1903-1948
Judge Thompson was born in Nanaimo, British Columbia and moved to San Diego with his family when he was 10 years old. He was educated in local schools and graduated from the University of Southern California Law School in 1925. Judge Thompson practiced with his father, Adam Thompson in San Diego. In 1931, he became an Assistant District Attorney and was re-appointed to that position in 1935. He was known as a first rate, tough prosecutor. He prosecuted many public corruption charges, for example, prosecuting a police officer for a jealousy murder in a love triangle and charging the Tax Collector with converting public funds to his own use. (LA Times 7/6/32 & 9/12/33).
In 1936, he was appointed to the Superior Court at the age of 32 (LA Times 1/25/36). He presided over many complex criminal trials, including death penalty cases (People v. Coleman, 20 Cal.2d 399 (1942)). He participated in the creation of an institute to inform alien workers of their rights and responsibilities as well as to dispel the attitude of suspicion held by the community (LA Times 10/28/40).
He was active in many community service organizations and served as President of the San Diego County Bar Association. He was a member of the State Judicial Council. At a unique ceremony at the home plate of Lane Field before a game against Oakland, Judge Thompson married Padres short-stop George Myatt to Georgia Smith, a girls softball team pitcher (LA Times 8/28/36 & 8/29).
Judge Thompson died unexpectedly of a heart attack on September 9, 1948.