Man Ordered to Stand Trial in Relatives’ Slayings
A 21-year-old man was ordered Friday to stand trial in the killings of his grandmother and mother, allegedly committed during a dispute over high credit-card charges.
Mario Newsome of San Diego is charged with strangling his grandmother Mamie Newsome, 67, in her home Sept. 5 after being confronted about his use of her credit card, on which he charged a television set and a videocassette recorder.
That same day, his mother, Marsha Newsome, 49, was stabbed to death in the same home on Sychar Road.
San Diego Municipal Judge Nicholas Kasimatis ordered an arraignment and trial-setting appearance in Superior Court for Nov. 2.
A key witness in the case, Steven Johnson, 18, testified several weeks ago that he heard a woman screaming the day the women were killed. He was standing outside the home.
Johnson said Newsome let him inside but that he became frightened and left to call police.
Deputy Dist. Atty. Mark Pettine said Friday that his office was still weighing the possibility of charging Newsome with special-circumstances allegations, which could bring the death penalty if he were convicted of multiple murders.
Newsome, who remains in County Jail in lieu of $2-million bail, had worked as a security guard. He surrendered to police 15 hours after the slayings.
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