Huntington Beach : Not Guilty Plea Entered in Russian Roulette Case

A 29-year-old Huntington Beach man charged with shooting and killing a friend in a game of Russian roulette pleaded not guilty at an arraignment Monday.

Judge Luis Cardenas of West Superior Court set a Sept. 5 pretrial hearing for Randy Douglas Keller.

Keller was arrested after George H. Nagata, 22, of Long Beach died from a gunshot wound at point-blank range at Keller’s Huntington Beach apartment on June 1.

Police said Nagata initially pointed a .38-caliber Smith & Wesson revolver at Keller, but it did not fire. When Keller pointed the gun and allegedly pulled the trigger, the gun fired, police said.

Although a third person was present, Deputy Dist. Atty. Richard Toohey said that charges were filed only against Keller.

“There was no evidence to indicate that the other person was involved,” Toohey said Monday.

The prosecutor added that he will seek a second-degree murder conviction against Keller, with an added charge for using a gun to commit a felony.

If found guilty, he could receive a maximum sentence of 17 years to life imprisonment.

In Russian roulette, a revolver is loaded with one bullet and the chamber is spun. The weapon is then pointed and the trigger pulled.

Keller is free on bail.