A Johnson man is facing attempted murder and other charges after police said he shot another man who lived in the same apartment building as him in the neck and then fled.
George Goins, 64, pleaded not guilty Thursday during a hearing in Lamoille County Superior criminal court in Hyde Park to the attempted second-degree murder charge as well as counts of heroin possession, aggravated assault and aggravated assault with a weapon.
Aliena Gerhard, the Lamoille County deputy state’s attorney, said in court Thursday that since Goins faces up to life in prison if convicted of the attempted murder charge, the law allowed for her to request that he be held in custody without bail.
Rory Malone, a public defender representing Goins, did not challenge that request, but asked for a hearing where a case could be made for Goins’ release.
“Based upon our reading of the information and the addavit and the discovery the state provided, Mr. Goins would have a very strong case for self defense,” Malone said in court Thursday.
Judge Lisa Warren ordered Goins held without bail pending a hearing to determine the strength of the state’s case.
Goins had been set to be arraigned on the charges Wednesday, but invoked his right to wait a day before entering a plea to the charges.
Goins had been found by federal Drug Enforcement Agency officers at the Price Chopper on Route 7 in South Burlington at about 10:30 a.m. Wednesday. Authorities had been looking for Goins since Tuesday.
Miranda Wells, 25, of Fairfax was also cited into court for harboring a fugitive, according to police.
Goins allegedly shot Alexander Harcourt, 26, at about 2:45 a.m. Tuesday while the two men were arguing at the apartment building where they both lived, Detective Cpl. Kevin Lehoe of the Lamoille County Sheriff’s Department wrote in an affidavit filed in support of the charges.
Lehoe wrote that following the shooting he interviewed Harcourt at the University of Vermont Medical Center in Burlington, where Harcourt was being treated for a gunshot wound to the right side of his neck.
Harcourt told police he lived in the same apartment building as Goins on Railroad Street in Johnson and he had “continual issues” with Goins. Harcourt said the issues centered on his allegations that Goins was dealing drugs, the affidavit showed.
Harcourt said that he came home early Tuesday morning from a friend’s house and “described himself as having drank too much before walking home” to his apartment, according to the affidavit.
“Harcourt did not know exactly what triggered him when he got home, but he became upset and started to make comments about Goins while outside the residence,” the filing stated.
Harcourt said Goins eventually came out of his apartment, the filing indicated, and the two exchanged words, got into a physical altercation, and Goins shot him. “Harcourt advised that Goins took the gun from his pocket and was very quick on the draw,” Lehoe wrote.
Harcourt told police he didn’t realize he had been shot until after the physical altercation started, according to the affidavit.
“Harcourt was clear that he told Goins to come outside so that he could beat Goins’ ass,” Lehoe wrote.
“Although upset with Goins, Harcourt said Goins should not have been fearful for his life,” the detective added. “Harcourt said that Goins did not need to come out of his residence and could have just let Harcourt rant.”
Part of the encounter was captured on a neighbor’s security camera, Lehoe wrote.
The detective also wrote that a gun was found behind the building, and another gun and heroin was located in the residence where Goins was living. The affidavit stated that “at this time” authorities could not confirm either gun had been used by Goins in the shooting.
The affidavit also described text messages from Goins’ phone number to Lamoille County Sheriff Roger Marcoux, in which the writer — identified as “George” — suggested he was holding a muzzleloader that went off when Harcourt lunged at him. The writer said he planned to turn himself in but needed to take care of a few things first.
