Co-defendant in Oklahoma Capitol bomb threat case testifies against love interest

Whittni Butts, 18, tells the judge that Eric Thompson, 45, persuaded her to make threats using the name of his ex-girlfriend.
By Tim Willert Published: April 30, 2013

A man accused of making a bomb threat that led to the evacuation of the state Capitol planned revenge against an ex-girlfriend for sending him back to jail and enlisted the help of his 18-year-old lover to make it happen, a co-defendant testified Monday.

Whittni Nikole Butts, of Waukomis, agreed to testify against Eric Randolph Thompson at his preliminary hearing in exchange for a 10-year deferred sentence, prosecutors said.

Butts and Thompson, 45, of Oklahoma City, are charged with two counts each of telephoning a bomb threat and one count each of conspiracy.

Butts acknowledged dating Thompson even though she knew he was still seeing ex-girlfriend Denise King.

Butts said Thompson told her he wanted to get even with King for previously bailing him out of jail and then rescinding his bond when she found out he was seeing Butts.

“He said he wanted to get Denise King back,” Butts testified. “I told him … this was a bad idea.”

Gov. Mary Fallin was in her office at the Capitol when the threat was made about 10:30 a.m. Feb. 1. She ordered the building be evacuated. More than 1,000 people, including 500 schoolchildren, were at the Capitol at the time, officials said.

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by Tim Willert
Education Reporter
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