Husband an Ex-Partner of Mickey Thompson : Assets of Businessman’s Wife Frozen

In the latest development in a 4-year legal battle, a U.S. bankruptcy judge Thursday extended a court order freezing the assets of Diane Goodwin, wife of the former business partner of slain race promoter Mickey Thompson.

Judge John E. Ryan said that the order will be in effect for 10 days and that it will be considered again at an Aug. 5 hearing.

Lawyers representing the Thompson estate contend that the money belongs in the bankruptcy estate of Michael Goodwin.

Goodwin filed for bankruptcy in 1986 after a judge ruled that Goodwin had misappropriated Thompson’s investments in various joint business dealings and ordered him to pay Thompson $500,000.

Thompsons Murdered

In March, Thompson and his wife Trudy were shot to death as they were leaving their San Gabriel Valley estate for work. No arrests have been made in the case.

Dolores Cordell, a lawyer representing the Thompson family and Mickey Thompson Entertainment Group, said in an interview that Goodwin’s creditors sought the freeze because Goodwin transferred much of his business assets to his wife in 1985. At the time, Goodwin and Thompson were involved in legal battles that culminated in the 1986 bankruptcy.

“Today’s ruling is significant inasmuch as it puts the brakes on what Diane Goodwin can do with those assets,” Cordell said.

The assets affected by Thursday’s ruling total $2.1 million, Cordell said.