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Convicted child rapist sentenced to life imprisonment

Thursday, April 12, 2012

Convicted child rapist James Alvin Hawkins, 40, has been sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole for rape and sodomy charges in Etowah County. Hawkins was found guilty in January of raping a child from the time she was 11 until she was 13 and gave birth to his baby. The victim of the sexual abuse, now 16 years old, testified in the trial. "She told the jurors that Hawkins began having sex with her when she was only 11 years of age, and that the abuse continued until after she gave birth to his child at age 13. The child was later given up for adoption," a release from Etowah County District Attorney Jimmie Harp stated. According to the D.A., the victim's mother helped Hawkins flee to Florida after DNA tests proved the victim's baby was fathered by Hawkins. The victim's mother now faces charges of hindering prosecution for helping Hawkins, who is from Attalla, escape the state. Police found Hawkins hiding in the home of another Attalla woman, who is also charged with hindering prosecution, according to the D.A. During the sentencing, the victim, who is now only a few days away from turning 17, gave the following statement: "God has given me the strength to stand up here and face the person that has put me and my family through many tests and trials, and has caused us a lot of grief...I do want to say that this experience has made me a stronger person."

The release from the D.A.'s office says the victim went on to say, "Right now I am speaking not only for myself, but I am speaking on behalf of my son, and other teen girls who don't have a voice to speak about their similar situations." Judge William Rhea sentenced Hawkins under the Habitual Felony Offender Act to life imprisonment on each charge of first degree rape and sodomy, and 30 years for each charge of second degree rape and sodomy. This is the longest sentence Deputy District Attorneys Carol Griffith and Marcus Reid say they've ever imposed in a child sex abuse case, but they said the facts of this case warranted the lifetime sentence. "This child was put through such an ordeal by this Defendant. She has been amazingly strong throughout the trial of the case, and showed tremendous courage today by speaking at the sentencing hearing as well," a statement from the D.A.'s office said. According to Harp, Hawkins could be given a life imprisonment sentence because he had three prior felony convictions. "We want people to know that this office will continue to seek the maximum sentence against those who abuse children in our community," Harp said.

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Keywords: Convicted, child rapist, James Alvin Hawkins, Etowah County, sexual abuse, Attalla,

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