Judge grants defense’s motion for delay as accused Hedingham shooter appears in court
A Wake County judge approved the defense team’s motion Friday to delay the murder trial of a Raleigh teen accused of a mass shooting in the Hedingham neighborhood.
Austin Thompson, 17, faces multiple charges, including five counts of first-degree murder and two counts of attempted first-degree murder, in the October 2022 shootings. He was 15 years old when police say he opened fire in his neighborhood near the Neuse River Greenway Trail after killing his older brother in their Sahalee Way home.
Thompson’s trial was slated to start Sept. 22, 2025, but his defense attorneys filed a motion Wednesday to delay the case until 2026. The teen suffered a severe brain injury after reportedly shooting himself in the head during a standoff with police and is living in a rehabilitative facility an hour from Raleigh, The News & Observer previously reported.
Friday marked Thompson’s first public appearance in court since the case moved up to Wake County Superior Court from juvenile court. Wearing a gray sweater and khakis, Thompson didn’t speak during the roughly 25-minute hearing, but a scar down the middle of his forehead was a reminder of the shooting.
Public defender Deonte’ Thomas argued Friday that Thompson’s injury and the complex nature of the case necessitated more time for Thomas and his colleague, Kellie Mannette, to prepare.
Expert witnesses in the case, like forensic psychiatrist Dr. George Corvin, also need more time to go through the evidence, Thomas said. In an affidavit submitted to the court, Corvin said he had 126 active cases and would be participating in several trials leading up to September.
Friday also brought the first details on the extent of Thompson’s injury. Thomas said Thompson’s gunshot wound “pretty much split his skull.” The teen lost parts of his brain as a result, Thomas noted.
Assistant District Attorney Patrick Latour argued the September date should stay in place, given it has already been over two years since the shootings occurred.
Victims’ family members sobbed in the courtroom as Superior Court Judge Paul Ridgeway ruled in the defense’s favor, stating he didn’t want to risk the defense requesting a delay again in the summer.
Thompson’s trial is now tentatively set to begin Feb. 2, 2026.
This story was originally published January 10, 2025 at 3:39 PM.
