Judge's exposure conviction is upheld

An appeals court upheld the conviction of a former judge who was convicted of exposing himself by using a sexual device while presiding over trials.

Former District Judge Donald Thompson was sentenced in August 2006 to four years in prison on four counts of indecent exposure.

On Thursday, the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals ruled that "sufficient chain of custody was established for admission of a penis pump" the judge had been accused of using behind the bench.

"It's not surprising that the Court of Appeals follows the ruling of the trial court, especially in a high-profile case like this," said Clark Brewster, Thompson's attorney.

He said the pump was severely damaged and should not have been allowed to be demonstrated in court "as if it did work."

The appeals court said evidence showed the device was in working order.

Thompson had spent almost 23 years on the bench and had served as a state legislator before retiring from the court in 2004.