George Thomas-
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KNOXVILLE (WATE) -- A judge denied a motion for acquittal for George Thomas Tuesday that was filed before Thomas was convicted of murdering Channon Christian and Christopher Newsom.
Thomas was found guilty by a jury in December 2009 and sentenced to life in prison without parole.
His attorneys had filed a motion for acquittal during the trial, but Judge Richard Baumgartner, the presiding judge, ruled that the state's case was "well presented."
The judge upheld Thomas' conviction after reviewing the pleadings, evidence and state law.
Channon Christian and her boyfriend, Christopher Newsom, were carjacked, raped and murdered in Knoxville in January 2007.
The guilty convictions of Thomas on all 38 counts against him were the most severe convictions a jury in the Christian-Newsom murders has returned, although the state had no DNA evidence or fingerprints from Thomas.
His attorneys argued in December that the state didn't meet its burden of proof in the case, but Judge Baumgartner reserved his judgement on the motion.
The judge could've thrown out the verdict if he felt it wasn't backed up by the evidence.
The last defendant in the case, Vanessa Coleman, is due to stand trial in May.
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