SAN DIEGO : George Denies Guilt on Three Counts
Johnaton Sampson George, accused of killing a motorist in the Gaslamp Quarter earlier this month, pleaded not guilty in federal court Tuesday to two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm and one count of escape.
One of the weapons charges, which could send George to prison for the rest of his life for being an armed career criminal, stems from an incident Dec. 20, 1990. The other comes from the alleged theft of a gun from a sheriff’s deputy before Michael (Mick) Champion was shot in the Gaslamp Quarter on Oct. 5.
The escape charge relates to an incident June 1 in which George allegedly disappeared from a holding cell at the South Bay courthouse, where he was awaiting trial on charges of robbery and petty theft.
U.S. Magistrate Barry Ted Moskowitz ordered George to appear before another judge Dec. 7 to set a trial date.
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