An accused Chula Vista bank robber who was convicted of strangling his cellmate was sentenced July 26 to 25 years to life in state prison for first-degree murder.
A handcuffed Clinton Forbel Thinn, 31, entered the courtroom in a green jail uniform with his arms across his chest for security purposes. He said nothing before San Diego Superior Court Judge Leo Valentine, Jr. sentenced him to the maximum term in the slaying of Lyle Woodward, 30, which occurred in December 2016.
Security was elevated because of some statements Thinn made in a videotaped interview with the probation department which was part of his sentencing report. A probation employee asked him how he planned to serve his expected long sentence.
“Kill people daily,” was Thinn’s response. He then added, “But if I can, I’ll break out.”
Deputy District Attorney Karra Reedy said those words suggested he was “a very dangerous” prisoner who had already killed once while in jail. “This is very concerning to the (prosecution),” added Reedy.
Thinn’s attorney, Kenan Gultekin, said Thinn was misunderstood by the probation officer. The report indicated the worker didn’t ask him any more questions and the interview ended shortly after that. He refused to discuss how he injured his cellmate.
Valentine ordered Thinn, who is from New Zealand and whose sister is a member of parliament in the New Zealand government, to pay $2,720.70 for the victim’s funeral expenses.
Edward Woodward, the victim’s father, told the judge that had he lived, he would have turned 32 years that day. “It is the (parents) worst nightmare,” said Woodward, who described his son as being “a caring, loving, and helpful person.”
Lyle Woodward was in jail for a misdemeanor possession of methamphetamine charge. Trial testimony indicated that Woodward pressured Thinn for coffee since Thinn had money on his books for the jail commissary.
Reedy argued to jurors that Thinn grabbed an old t-shirt and fashioned it around Woodward’s neck with pressure enough to cause loss of consciousness. Woodward was found lying on the floor with blood around his face, as his head apparently struck the floor.
Thinn got on the intercom and notified sheriff’s deputies, saying a nurse was needed “to check his vitals.” Gultekin argued that proved Thinn didn’t intend to kill him since he was trying to save his life at that moment.
Woodward never regained consciousness and his family agreed to take him off life support system a week later as doctors determined he was brain dead.
A deputy testified that Thinn appeared to be in shock at the time and when asked what happened, Thinn replied, “we had a little fight,” according to the probation report.
Thinn was in jail at the time because he tried to rob a Bank of America branch on E Street in Chula Vista on June 24, 2016. He didn’t get any money because he entered the bank about a minute before it closed and the tellers had closed most of their stations.
Thinn fired an orange flare gun which struck a wall and said he would kill people, but he was arrested by Chula Vista Police shortly afterwards as the bank was locked and he could not leave.
He has a trial date set for Oct. 26, but the probation report says the DA’s office has agreed to seek a three year and eight month term consecutive to the murder count if he pleads guilty.
Valentine gave him credit for already serving 541 days in jail since the slaying. He was fined $10,224. Thinn will appeal the conviction.
A jury deadlocked three ways in February and a mistrial was declared in his first murder trial. A jury convicted him of first-degree murder June 27 after a day of deliberations.
