Judge Refuses to Cut Bail in Assault Case

A San Diego Municipal Court judge turned down a request Thursday to lower a $25,000 bail for two men suspected of robbing and assaulting a young man in North Park.

Both Randall Rollings, 19, and Richard Gorondy, 18, were arrested last week by San Diego Police following reports that 35 residents, many of them gay or lesbian, in Hillcrest and North Park had been robbed or assaulted.

The two men have not been charged with a hate crime in the Dec. 18 holdup of a 24-year-old college student, which occurred on 30th Street.

The mothers of both defendants attended the bail review, and their attorneys argued that the weapon allegedly used is merely a replica and not a real gun.

Gorondy’s attorney, Bart Sheela III, said the arrest comes during “the hysteria that is happening in Hillcrest” following the Dec. 13 killing of John Wear, 17, which police believe was done by men described as skinheads.

Deputy Dist. Atty. John Rice said the man in the Dec. 18 attack suffered no serious injuries but had a laceration on his head.

“The crime was interrupted by an undercover police officer,” Rice said.

Judge Robert McDonald asked the attorneys a number of questions about the case before ruling to leave the bail as set.

The pair face a preliminary hearing Jan. 7.