Local News in Brief : Westminster : TV Appearance Leads to Suspect’s Extradition

The extradition from Georgia of a karate master wanted in Orange County on child molestation charges took place after a Huntington Beach police officer spotted him on a television talk show, Assistant Dist. Atty. Michael Koski said Monday.

James A. Hydrick, who was in court here Monday for an arraignment that was delayed until today, had appeared on a Nov. 29 “Sally Jessy Raphael” show, talking about psychic power, when an off-duty police officer recognized him, Koski said. Officers then were able to trace Hydrick to a jail in Georgia, where he was being held on a minor theft charge.

On Monday at Orange County Municipal Court in Westminster, Deputy Public Defender Loel Patten-Gallardo, representing Hydrick, asked Judge Michael Beecher if Hydrick, wearing orange prison garb, could appear in court today wearing street clothes.

“The defendant said he preferred to face the media in street clothing,” she said.

The request was denied.

Hydrick had his muscular, tattooed arms shackled to a chain draped around his waist. He has reportedly broken out of jails in three states.

Hydrick had also appeared on national television during the early 1980s, demonstrating psychic powers that he later admitted were sleight of hand, according to Koski. He also gave numerous karate demonstrations and appeared on the November cover of Inside Kung-fu magazine.

“He’s one of these types of guys who seem to be a magnet to kids,” Koski said.