Yes thugs is more common (at least in text when people are being polite). But these folks were lawyers that defended thugs for a living, they are supposed to be "progressive" and such hence the different not so stereotypical terms.
Also people please remember this kid JUST GRADUATED from Mercer Law School too! He is NOT some weird janitor that sits around all day doing nothing but obsessing over his pretty blond neighbor. He was EXTREMELY busy and working hard to graduate, then working hard in preparation of the bar exam! He has NO PAST HISTORY of violence, cruelty, unstable rude behavior, weird writings or diaries, etc....
I mean come on, is it really likely he thought "Hey I just worked my <modsnip> off for 3 years and finally graduated law school! I need to celebrate! Instead of going to Disney Land I think I will dismember my neighbor and then spend a couple of weeks in the Bibb County Jail as the prime suspect to a horrendous murder which I will likely never live down...which will probably ruin every chance I have of a successful professional life, and will taint me forever even if they do convict some other guy for the killing. It will be a heck of a good time and after THAT I will buckle down and ace that bar exam!"