Murder suspect's mental health questioned

A fitness hearing may be held next month for a one-time football standout with NFL aspirations who is accused of killing his Lombard neighbor.

Hubert "Boo Boo" Thompson, 29, is accused of hurling his 66-year-old neighbor to his death on March 30, 2007, over a third-floor railing, sparking a seven-hour police standoff on Lombard's southwest side.

Authorities have said Thompson confessed during a videotaped police interview to killing his neighbor, James A. Malone, after accusing the man of trying to poison him.

From the onset, his defense attorney has raised questions about Thompson's mental health. A court-appointed psychiatrist who evaluated Thompson recently found him unfit to stand trial. Dr. James Murray found Thompson likely could be restored to fitness with the proper mental treatment.

In court Wednesday, prosecutor David Imielski said his office will decide by Sept. 17 whether it wants to seek another opinion or instead proceed to a fitness hearing based on Murray's findings.

DuPage Circuit Judge Robert Anderson is presiding over the high-profile murder case. If he finds Thompson unfit, the defendant will be sent to a high-security mental institution for treatment until experts deem him ready for trial.

The fatal melee began on the 1100 block of South Finley Road after neighbors said they heard a commotion on the third floor of the building, including a scream and a thud. Police responded to find a severely injured man sprawled out on the pavement.

Malone was pronounced dead a short time later.

Thompson had retreated to his sister's nearby apartment. He was alone and unarmed. A team of four dozen SWAT officers encircled the building. Thompson surrendered peacefully seven hours later.

At Proviso West High School in Hillside, the 6-foot, 5-inch Thompson ran a 4.7 40-yard dash and bench pressed 375 pounds. He was the nation's top-rated defensive end prospect his senior year in 1996-97. Thompson also won back-to-back state heavyweight wrestling titles.

After high school, he went to Michigan State University but sat out his first two seasons because of poor grades. During the 1999 season, he was named the team's most-improved player after recording 45 tackles and seven sacks.

Thompson left college early to declare for the NFL draft, but he was not selected. The New Orleans Saints signed the free agent in 2000, but he never played a down in the league after getting cut two days into workouts after a sideline dispute with a veteran teammate.

Thompson did play for the Chicago Enforcers of the failed XFL in 2001.