OCEAN COUNTY – A man serving a life sentence for the murder of a Toms River shopkeeper back in 1999 claims he hasn’t been treated unfairly after prison officials brought him up on discipline charges for a package he attempted to mail in 2017.
Derick LeCompte drew up his own legal papers challenging the discipline he faced for attempting to mail a vial of body fluids – presumably, semen – and a sock shaped into a sex toy, along with an explicit letter detailing the package’s contents. The package, its intended recipient not identified in court papers, was searched by prison officials, who brought disciplinary action against LeCompte.
LeCompte took his issue to court, which ultimately didn’t side favorably with the inmate. A written decision by Judges Carmen H. Alvarez and Hany A. Mawla of the Appellate Division of Superior Court said LeCompte’s arguments lacked in merit and didn’t warrant much discussion in their written opinion.
LeCompte was convicted for the 1999 murder of Linda Thomas, 42, whom he stabbed 42 times while she was in a Route 37 consignment shop. He was sentenced in 2000 and must serve 30 years before being considered for parole.
