The Region - News from Jan. 15, 1986

Fugitive James Hawkins Jr., the Watts grocer’s son sentenced to 28 years in prison for the shotgun killing of a street gang member, called KNBC television station reporter Furnell Chatman to say he spent some time in the Glendora area since he escaped from the Los Angeles Criminal Courts Building last Nov. 27 but has moved out of Southern California and has no intention of surrendering. Hawkins, 41, said he has encountered police officers who do not recognize him as a wanted man but has broken no laws other than jaywalking. “Where I’m located,” he said, “jaywalkin’ is perfectly legitimate.” He said he was incarcerated for 16 months “by an ambitious district attorney” and feels he will eventually “prove to the world that I’m innocent.”