Amanda Lynn George’s jury trial was set for October 25 but was called off when she was late showing up. She was jailed for a short time on a failure to appear warrant.
George was expected to take a plea on her charges on October 30, but changed her mind and said she wanted to change lawyers. She has been represented by a Public Defender.
Prosecutor David Ethredge said of the about face, “this is a game this lady is playing.” Circuit Judge John Putman said it could well be but “the appeals court usually sides with the defendant on questions of lawyers.”
She was ordered to reappear on November 13.
NO SHOW
On October 25, prospective jurors were in place, as was Judge Putman and lawyers for the prosecution and defense.
When George was a no show for the 9 a.m. start of court, a short recess was taken, but still no defendant. At that point Judge Putman sent the jurors home and ordered a failure to appear warrant be issued for George.
The 42-year-old George of Mountain Home did appear about 9:30 — after the jury had been let go. She was arrested on the FTA warrant at the court complex and taken to the Baxter County Detention Center.
Her booking time was shown as 10 a.m. and she was released at 2:00 p.m.
Her defense attorney, Deputy Public Defender Clifford Sward, said he did not know why his client was not present for the start of court. He said, “we reached out to her but have not been able to communicate.”
Sward said George had been in his office frequently in the recent past to prepare her case for court.
There was no further explanation for her tardiness made during the session on October 30.
George’s charges stem from a drug sale made more than two years ago.
THE DRUG SALE ARREST
George was arrested February 24, 2021 after selling a person working with law enforcement what was reported to be 3.5 grams of methamphetamine.
Officers from the Mountain Home Police Department and agents with the 14th Judicial District Drug Task Force had been notified by the confidential source (CS) that an arrangement had been made with George to purchase an “8-Ball” of methamphetamine for $150.
The CS was told to meet George at her residence. When the source arrived, George is reported to have gotten into the person’s car where a brief money-for-methamphetamine exchange was made.
Officers met with the source at an undisclosed location for a debriefing after the transaction had been completed.
The substance George sold to the CS is reported to have field-tested positive for methamphetamine.
At the beginning and end of the “buy,” the CS was checked for anything other than items that had been provided by police.
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