posted July 28, 2009
A clerk and the manager at the Walgreen's on Rossville Boulevard testified Tuesday that George Jackson Blackwell cursed and threatened them during a recent robbery.
They also said that as the robber was leaving, he turned and told the customers in the store to get down on their stomachs.
Clerk Glenda Richards and manager Sarah Gore identified Blackwell as the robber.
They said they did not see a gun, but Blackwell indicated he had one in his pocket and threatened to shoot them if they did not hand him money.
Ms. Richards said Blackwell came up and put a note on the counter. He said he pushed it closer to her.
She said the note said: "Put the money in the bag. Do it and do it now."
Ms. Richards said she looked up at him and he said, "This is no joke. This is robbery."
She said he became more and more irate as she told him she could not get the cash register open until she rang up a purchase.
Ms. Richards said he was cursing her, but she declined to say the words. "I'm not going to," she said.
General Sessions Court Judge Bob Moon stated, "And I'm not going to make you."
Ms. Gore said she came up from the back of the store and Blackwell told her to open the cash register and give him the money or she would be shot.
She said he was given $137.68.
Blackwell's aggravated robbery case was bound to the Grand Jury.
Judge Moon raised his bond from $30,000 to $100,000 after learning from prosecutor Lila Statom that he had prior convictions for criminal trespass, aggravated burglary and possession of cocaine and had twice violated his probation.
Judge Moon told the store manager to take every possible precaution she can to protect the store's employees and customers.
He said with the down economy that crime is going to get worse.
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