Man convicted in mother’s murder faces animal cruelty sentencing

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    DES MOINES, Iowa (KCCI) — A Des Moines man sentenced to life in prison for murdering his own mother faces further sentencing Tuesday for animal cruelty charges.

Christopher Thompson, 33, is accused of killing his mother, Paula Thompson, and her cat with a crowbar in March.

According to court documents, Thompson admitted to killing his mother after she attempted to get him to move out of her home.

Thompson told officers he also killed his mother’s cat by hitting it once with the crowbar and then discarding the cat in a trash can.

Thompson’s lawyers have already asked the court to set aside his murder conviction, claiming COVID-19 restrictions compromised their ability to thoroughly question potential jurors in his trial.

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