Robber gets plea deal in drowning

One of four men accused of forcing a robbery victim into Hillsborough River will get 25 years. The others face life at trial.

By CHRISTOPHER GOFFARD, Times Staff Writer
© St. Petersburg Times
published September 4, 2002

TAMPA -- Jennifer Simon knew Eddie George for just one day.

They were on their first date, sitting on a picnic table before sunrise at Temple Crest Park in May 2001, when robbers forced them into the Hillsborough River at gunpoint.

Simon, then 22, swam out alive. George, 19, drowned.

On Tuesday, Lucious Williams, the oldest of four men accused in George's death, pleaded guilty to charges of second-degree murder and agreed to testify against his alleged cohorts.

Williams, 23, also pleaded guilty to charges of armed robbery, grand theft auto, and burglary in connection with the crime. As part of the plea agreement, he will receive 25 years in prison.

At the sentencing hearing, Williams apologized to George's family and asked for forgiveness. He said he did not mean for George to die.

Three other men -- Anthony C. Francis, 20, Tremayne J. Hall, 19, and James I. Murray, 19 -- still face charges of first-degree murder, robbery, grand theft auto, and burglary. They could get life in prison if convicted. Their trial dates have not been set.

Jennifer Simon, now 24, said she was washing her car windows at a local gas station when George struck up a conversation with her in May 2001. She skipped work to meet him for a date the next day.

She said they were drinking Sprite in the park when the robbers struck, about 4 a.m.

"We were just sitting there," Simon said. "There was no partying, no drinking, no sex, nothing -- we were innocent people."

The robbers shouted "Hands up!" One of them had a gun. They rifled through Simon's car. They ordered George and Simon to jump into the river. When the robbers left, Simon swam back to shore. George had gone under.

"I thought he was swimming behind me," Simon said.

Simon came to the courthouse Tuesday prepared to testify, but the plea deal made it unnecessary. She is expected to testify against the other defendants.

"Do I feel sorry for those guys?" she said of the defendants. "No, I don't. If I have to live with this forever, then so do they. They'll never have the guilt that I have. If I would never have spoken to (George) at the gas station, and had gone to work that day, he'd still be alive."

Simon, a nurse's aide, added: "Everybody tells me, 'Jenny, don't put it on yourself.' But I can't help it."

Hillsborough Circuit Court Judge Cynthia Holloway will sentence Williams in December.

-- Times researcher John Martin contributed to this report. Christopher Goffard can be reached at 813-226-3337 or goffard@sptimes.com.

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