The Region : Friends Rally Behind 41-Year Escapee

Thousands of friends and supporters in the Hollywood movie industry have rallied to the cause of retired studio electrician Vincent Pelliccia, who was jailed Tuesday for escaping a Virginia chain gang 41 years ago. At least 1,000 employees at the Burbank Studios had signed petitions urging Virginia Gov. Gerald Baliles to pardon the 62-year-old Pelliccia for the burglary he committed when he was 19. The petitions also will be sent to Gov. George Deukmejian, who has the authority to block Virginia’s effort to extradite Pelliccia. Studio employees were also preparing to print T-shirts and bumper stickers emblazoned with Pelliccia’s name. The studio’s payroll department plans to set up a defense fund because so many of Pelliccia’s former co-workers and friends want to donate money to defray his legal expenses. “He was loved by everyone here,” said Shirley Krims, a studio spokeswoman. “In 28 years no one has yet said one thing against him.”