Action News 5 - Memphis, TennesseeJury finds Hawkins guilty of murder, dismemberment

(WMC-TV) - After six days of gruesome testimony, it took a jury less than two hours to find James Hawkins guilty Friday of murdering his girlfriend and forcing their daughter to help him dismember the body.

Prosecutors said Hawkins stabbed and then strangled Charlene Gaither in front of their three children and made his then 12-year-old daughter help him cut off her mother's hands and feet using a circular saw.

However, the morbid details didn't stop there.

The couple's daughter, now 15, testified that her father had repeatedly sexually abused her, even getting her pregnant and punching her into the stomach. She later had a miscarriage.

"She's a wonderful, bright, well-spoken and intelligent child and she is actually doing remarkably well," said prosecutor Missy Branham.

Prosecutors called Gaither's three children the real heroes in the case and credited Gaither for their courage.

"She did a remarkable job while she was raising those children," said prosecutor Marianne Bell.

"The kids and the way they've held up from day one, we're talking three and a half years, and they were on the stand with all the poise and dignity you can ask from anyone, much less kids," said prosecutor Jennifer Nicols.

Gaither's three children are now being raised by her sister, Cynthia Guy. Guy said the children sleepwalk, have nightmares and ask difficult questions about their mother to this day.

"Kids keep asking whether they have found other parts of her body," said Guy.

Gaither's mother died 12 weeks after the murder. A family pastor testified that Gaither's father has not been the same since.

Because the jury returned a verdict of guilty of first degree murder, they moved immediately into the sentencing phase of the trial.

Their task is deciding whether Hawkins should be put to death for killing Gaither. The sentencing hearing allows jurors to look at graphic autopsy photos of Gaither's dismembered body that were considered too disturbing during the trial.

A criminal court clerk employee read to jurors Hawkins' extensive record of aggravated robbery and assault.

Hawkins' attorney told jurors he will call witnesses who will say Hawkins was sexually abused as a child.

Guy said she does not care if Hawkins gets the death penalty.

"It doesn't matter to me as long as I know he won't ever get out," said Guy. "That's enough for me."

For her father, Lewis Irvin, it's a different matter.

"I'm a Christian. I'm not supposed to want death," he said. "This man mutilated my child. Yeah, I think he's a menace to society. I think he should get the death penalty."

Sentencing will resume Saturday morning at 9:00 a.m.

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