Death Penalty Urged for Hawkins in 2 Slayings

Prosecutors urged jurors Thursday to recommend the death penalty for James Hawkins Jr., the son of a prominent Watts businessman, who has been convicted of the execution-style slayings of two reputed drug dealers.

Deputy Dist. Atty. Harvey Giss told jurors in his closing argument at the penalty phase of Hawkins’ trial that they should have no doubts that the defendant committed the murders and that they should view with skepticism Hawkins’ claim that he is “a changed man.”

“It’s utter nonsense” that Hawkins, 41, who has a history of violent crimes, became a changed man after his 1978 prison release, Giss said.

“The defendant admitted he was a renegade without a cause” in his 20s, the prosecutor said. “Ladies and gentlemen, the tiger never changed its stripes.”

“This defendant was still up to his notorious, illegal shenanigans right up to the murders.”

Hawkins, the son of businessman James Hawkins Sr., was convicted in August of the execution-style shooting deaths of reputed drug dealers Roger Grant and Larry Turner in June, 1984.

Jurors can recommend only one of two punishments: life in prison without parole or death. Hawkins’ attorneys will later argue for jurors to spare their client’s life.

A co-defendant, Marshall Bridges, will be tried in the murders later.

Hawkins escaped from the downtown Criminal Court Building in November, 1985, several weeks after being sentenced to 28 years in state prison for the 1983 shotgun slaying of reputed street gang member Anttwon Thomas, 19.

Hawkins was at first hailed as a hero for standing up to gang members after the Thomas slaying.

He was recaptured in January, 1986, during an early-morning car chase and a shoot-out with a sheriff’s deputy on a country road near Oakland.

He remains in custody without bail.