In 2007, Michael Goodwin, creator of the sport of Supercross, was convicted of orchestrating the 1988 murders of racing legend Mickey Thompson and his wife.  The shooters have never been identified and little effort has ever been made to find them but prosecutors convinced the jury that Goodwin, never linked to the murders in any way, conspired with the killers to have the Thompsons murdered. Goodwin claims that this grave injustice resulted in a large measure from the lead investigator's falsified evidence and his other wide-ranging misconduct throughout the investigation, both Orange County and Los Angeles prosecutions and L.A. trial.

The murders took place in L.A. County, but Goodwin was charged in Orange County in 2001 by the District Attorney, Tony Rackauckas, who had been Thompson's sister's personal attorney in 1988. 

Goodwin forced the Orange County D.A. to drop the primary evidence used to charge Goodwin in 2001 when it was shown to have been falsified by the lead investigator, L.A. Sheriff's Department's Mark Lillienfeld. In 2004, the 4th District Appellate Court, in a rebuke of O.C.D.A. Rackauckas, dismissed the case because there was no evidence to have charged Goodwin in Orange County

The L.A.D.A.'s office had been reviewing the case for many months and had repeatedly declined to file charges against Goodwin for insufficiency of evidence. However, following the Appellate Court's dismissal in Orange County, charges were filed by the L.A.D.A. and Goodwin was convicted in January of 2007.  "I was  convicted of conspiring with unidentified killers!  And, there is not one iota of evidence linking me to the murders." Goodwin said.  "I now have unequivocal documentation of the bogus evidence that Detective Lillienfeld provided to prosecutors to wrongfully convict me."

Goodwin's conviction was affirmed on appeal and his petition for rehearing was denied early in 2015. His petition for review by the California Supreme Court was denied this May

Goodwin has always claimed innocence.  "My trial was manifestly unjust! It will go down as one of California's most prejudicial trials ever."  On November 15^th Goodwin filed with the L.A. Superior Court his Motion To Invoke Supervisory & Inherent Powers To Order An Investigation & To Correct A Manifest Miscarriage Of Justice.

In the summer of 2014, the Professional Standards Division of the L.A. Sheriff's Department began an investigation of Detective Lillienfeld.  Goodwin says, "This detective's misconduct was extraordinarily pervasive. I provided L.A.S.D. with solid documentation of massive evidence tampering, rampant perjury and other malfeasance. It is unimaginable that Detective Lillienfeld has not been charged. The L.A. Sheriff's Department says the investigation was concluded and administration action was taken. They have not elaborated on what that means,"

Justice on Trial's inquiries to James McDonnell, head of L.A. Sheriff's Department and Lt. Reinhardt Schuerger  Jr., who was in charge of  L.A.S.D.'s investigation, have gone unanswered to date.

Soon after the L.A.D.A. set up a $1 million Wrongful Conviction Unit, Goodwin sent documentation of the extensive problems with his trial that led to his wrongful conviction to AHD Ken Lynch, head of the newly formed unit.  Goodwin said, "This trial is, unquestionably, a prime example of malfeasance at all levels that resulted in a wrongful conviction. Since the L.A.D.A. set up the Wrongful Conviction Unit to correct such injustices, their investigation of this fraudulent trial and the correction of my unjust conviction would be a win-win for all concerned."