Man admits Vista robbery — but not murder attempt

A man who has been fighting an attempted-murder charge for years made a plea deal on April 8, the day his case was set for jury selection.

Phillip Edwards Miller, previously identified as Phillip Esquire Miller IV, made a deal admitting first-degree robbery. Charges of attempted murder and assault with a firearm were dropped.

“Miller will be sentenced to six years,” said prosecutor Patrick Espinoza. Defense attorney Herb Weston said the sentence will run “concurrent with out-of-state warrant.”

Four years ago, on April 10, 2010, Miller allegedly put a gun to the head of a man with whom he had been smoking marijuana for an hour, but he missed the point-blank shot, according to testimony at a preliminary hearing.

The shooting took place in the Vista home of the dealer, after which Miller took off with three pounds of marijuana without paying the negotiated price of $11,500, according to testimony.

After the incident, Miller was at liberty on bond for almost four years, living in Kansas. He was taken into custody in California four months ago, on suspicion of new misdemeanor marijuana offenses; charges were filed in San Diego’s downtown courthouse.

Meanwhile, police in Kansas announced that they believe Miller was caught on home surveillance video, stealing packages off porches around Christmastime last year.

“Miller has a pending criminal case in Kansas that will be adjudicated when he is extradited,” Espinoza stated after the plea deal. Miller is now in jail in San Diego County.

Now 29, Miller will be sentenced in San Diego’s North County Superior Courthouse on May 23.