The man at the center of a hostage standoff in January at Tomball Regional Medical Center is back in jail tonight, in part, because of an Easter weekend baptism videotaped at his Magnolia church.
George Pickering Sr., 59, ordered hospital workers and family members out of his son's hospital room because he believed they were about to disconnect him from life support. His son Georgie, 27, has a history of strokes and seizures and Pickering said he had been told his son was brain dead.
"I had a gun with me. But I didn't intend to hurt anybody," Pickering told KHOU 11 News in an interview in the sanctuary of Silver Springs Baptist Church in Magnolia.
"It was just that if George was going to die, I wanted to die with him," he said. "But then George squeezed my hand three to four times on command. And I knew he wasn't brain dead."
Pickering eventually surrendered and spent more than 70 days in jail, charged with two counts of aggravated assault. And, while awaiting trial, he was issued a no contact order that specified he was not to have any contact with his ex-wife or his two sons.
But this past Easter weekend Pickering was baptized in an emotional service at his Magnolia church. He talked openly about trying to turn his life around. Then the congregation began to applaud when Pickering's son stood at the back of the church. He recovered from that hospital stay and walked to the front of the church to be baptized too. Pickering himself helped baptize his own son. The church, celebrating the change in Pickering's life, published the baptism on social media.
"I'm proud that it happened. Real proud. And I love him so much. I think it's a miracle, a blessing," he said. "It's beautiful. It's beautiful that he's alive and well."
Beautiful, but also a violation of that no contact order. So when Pickering appeared Friday morning for a previously scheduled court hearing, he knew there was a chance Judge Mark Kent Ellis might send him back to jail.
"I'm hoping I go home, number one. I want to go home," he told us before entering the courtroom.
"He was admonished by the judge saying no contact means no contact of any kind," said prosecutor Brittney Aaron. "Right now the church video is the one incident of contact that we do have proof of." Aaron said there were also multiple reports from family members that father and son were often together.
Pickering's attorneys tried to convince the judge that the father and son are inseparable, that Pickering is the primary caretaker for his son and his ongoing medical issues. The judge rejected the argument and immediately revoked Pickering's bail. He is back in the Harris County Jail, held without bond, until his attorneys can get another bond hearing scheduled. At that time Judge Ellis would decide if Pickering would be released or instead held until his case goes to trial.
