John Thompson

A bitterly divided Supreme Court on Tuesday tossed out a jury verdict won by a New Orleans man who spent 14 years on death row and came within weeks of execution because prosecutors had hidden a blood test and other evidence that would have proven his innocence. The 5-4 decision delivered by Justice Clarence Thomas shielded the New Orleans district attorney's office from being held liable for the mistakes of its prosecutors. The evidence of their misconduct did not prove "deliberate indifference" on the part of then-Dist.

It's the stuff of a television crime drama: Prosecutors withhold blood evidence that would exonerate the defendant in an attempted armed robbery case. The defendant is then convicted of an unrelated murder after a trial at which he dared not testify lest his previous robbery conviction be mentioned. After 14 years on death row, his execution is imminent. At the last minute, evidence clearing the defendant of the robbery attempt is produced. Later he is tried again for the murder and acquitted.

John Philip Thompson, 77, who expanded his family's business into the nationwide 7-Eleven chain, died Tuesday of brain cancer in Dallas. Thompson held top positions in Southland Corp. -- now 7-Eleven Inc. -- for more than 30 years after being named president and chief executive at age 35. He was a community leader and philanthropist in Dallas who made Southland the largest contributor to the Muscular Dystrophy Assn., raising $81.5 million. Thompson's father, Joe C.

A bitterly divided Supreme Court on Tuesday tossed out a jury verdict won by a New Orleans man who spent 14 years on death row and came within weeks of execution because prosecutors had hidden a blood test and other evidence that would have proven his innocence. The 5-4 decision delivered by Justice Clarence Thomas shielded the New Orleans district attorney's office from being held liable for the mistakes of its prosecutors. The evidence of their misconduct did not prove "deliberate indifference" on the part of then-Dist.

Craig Esherick's emotional ride continued Monday night, as his Georgetown basketball team nearly upset the No. 11 team in the nation at New York. But St. John's, 14-3 overall and 5-1 in the Big East, got 18 points from Bootsy Thornton and 20 from point guard Erick Barkley and held off the Hoyas, 71-69, handing Esherick his first loss in his second game since taking over as coach for John Thompson.

A few minutes after his team had easily dispatched Virginia Tech in December of 1989, John Thompson walked into an interview room at Capital Centre for his postgame comments. As he sat down, he heard a security guard out in the hallway carrying on a conversation. "Bill, Bill," Thompson said, turning angrily toward the school's sports information director, Bill Shapland. And then he began to shout, "I need someone to tell those people to shut up out there. Right now, tell them to shut up."

A look at their early-season schedules might not have told you which was the Division I team. A look at their play left no doubt. Georgetown scored the final 21 points of the first half and the third-ranked Hoyas beat the University of the District of Columbia 112-39 for the third-largest margin of victory in schoolistory. Why were these teams playing each other? Well, Georgetown coach John Thompson was a high school teammate of UDC coach George Leftwich.

Ronny Thompson needed to talk with his father, John, the basketball coach at Georgetown University. "It was about this time last year," recalled Ronny, whose skills as a 6-foot-4 guard for Flint Hill Academy had grabbed the attention of many college coaches. "It was after our last game and coaches were starting to call." "Dad, I have to start making my visits." Laughter. "No, I'm serious. I want to make my visits and think about schools I'm going to." "You don't have to do any of that."

The tall young man approaches on the street of the nation's capital. Frantic, he looks at his watch. He might be wearing something with "Georgetown" on it, or simply Georgetown's colors in athletic casual. Can you help me out? I'm running late for practice, and if I'm not there on time, Coach Thompson will give me all sorts of. . . . Heck, everyone knows John Thompson--and the Jesuit order--run a tight operation. So every once in a while, with the most gullible, the sting works.

When John Thompson accepted an invitation to join the coaches on the bench for a Washington Capitals exhibition game, he had no idea what he was getting into. "I didn't even realize that there wasn't a partition in front of the bench. I'd have never agreed to do it," the former Georgetown basketball coach said. "Here we are standing up there, and they're hitting the hockey puck over there near us and I'm saying, 'Oh, shoot, that thing could come up here!'

John W. Thompson, the outgoing chief executive of network security firm Symantec Corp., has emerged as a leading contender to be Commerce secretary, a move that would give the high-tech industry a major voice in the Obama administration. Over the last decade, Thompson led the Cupertino, Calif.-based company from a small software maker to the top provider of antivirus and security programs, known for its Norton brand of products.

Sorry, Mark Cuban. It's just not a good year for Mavericks. John Thompson Chino

LAS VEGAS -- For many, the frenzy of four high-profile basketball tournaments operating simultaneously here this week is a highlight of the summer. Former Georgetown coach John Thompson has another view. He says the scene is more evidence that the game is troubled. "So much is built on promises that aren't being kept, people are bribing others -- it's not regulated, and it's not regulate-able," Thompson, 67, said Monday as he watched the USA Olympic basketball team practice at Valley High.

1 Chalk again: With all four No. 1 seeds alive in the Elite Eight for the first time since 2003 and three of the four No. 2 seeds alive -- only Wisconsin lost -- this is going down as a by-the-book NCAA tournament. 2 Maybe it's Memphis: After 25 consecutive wins, the Tigers are getting a lot more difficult to dismiss.

Marty Schottenheimer is definitely superior to Bill Belichick in instructing his team how to celebrate with class. Belichick is just a little better at making sure his team has a reason to celebrate. JOHN THOMPSON Chino To "The Drive" and "The Fumble," Marty Schottenheimer can now add "The Challenge." BRIAN S. DICKER Culver City The team anthem should be changed from "San Diego Super Chargers" to "San Diego Stupid Chargers." BOB DALLAPE Laguna Niguel It appears Bill Plaschke has the same feelings about seeing a Marty Schottenheimer-coached playoff game that I have about reading his columns.

Well, at least this time around, Art Shell won't have to take as much heat for not playing Marcus Allen. JOHN THOMPSON Chino

This is the ghastly way a North Dakota farm boy became an American hero: While loading barley into a machine, he slipped on some ice. He tottered against a metal bar that was spinning in a blur parallel to the ground. His shirt was reeled in, then his hands. For a few seconds, his body was a human propeller, twirling head over heels. The force pried off his arms just below the shoulders and pitched the rest of him 20 feet away.

Sorry, Mark Cuban. It's just not a good year for Mavericks. John Thompson Chino

Hoping to revive its men's basketball program, Georgetown hired John Thompson III, the son of the only coach to lead the Hoyas to a national title. The younger Thompson has been Princeton's coach since 2000. His father's 1984 Georgetown team, led by Patrick Ewing, beat Houston for the NCAA championship. Georgetown also reached the national title game in 1982 and 1985 under Thompson, who left the school in 1999 and now works as a TV analyst. "I am John Thompson's son.

John Philip Thompson, 77, who expanded his family's business into the nationwide 7-Eleven chain, died Tuesday of brain cancer in Dallas. Thompson held top positions in Southland Corp. -- now 7-Eleven Inc. -- for more than 30 years after being named president and chief executive at age 35. He was a community leader and philanthropist in Dallas who made Southland the largest contributor to the Muscular Dystrophy Assn., raising $81.5 million. Thompson's father, Joe C.