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Teen Gets 10 Years Behind Bars In Pasco County Shooting

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By TODD LESKANIC | The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 14, 2009

DADE CITY - Roger Gayle Thompson avoided a trial and possible life sentence today by pleading no contest to an attempted murder charge.

Thompson, 19, of 38650 Barbara Lane, was sentenced to 10 years in prison. He also pleaded no contest to assaulting another inmate while in the Land O' Lakes Jail in June 2007. His five-year prison sentence for that offense will run concurrently with his time for the attempted murder.

He entered his pleas minutes before jury selection was to begin for what was expected to be a three-day trial on the attempted murder charge. He faced life in prison had a jury found him guilty as charged.

Thompson was accused in the shooting of Christopher Arnold on Nov. 4, 2006. Arnold, of Dade City, was shot six times outside a mobile home on McKray Road in Lacoochee. He spent a month in a hospital recovering.

Thompson was arrested Dec. 12, 2006.

In his deposition in 2007, Arnold told attorneys he wasn't sure why Thompson shot him.

Reporter Todd Leskanic can be reached at (727) 815-1084 or tleskanic@tampatrib.com.

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