The capital murder trial of Brandon Hawkins is slated to begin on December 7th in Calhoun County, exactly four years to the day following his arrest in connection with the slaying of a 56 year old Oxford restaurant employee.
Barbara Exum was the assistant manager at the Snow Street location of Papa John’s Pizza – when – around 11:30 on the night of September 9th, 2011 – Hawkins allegedly entered the restaurant, struck one employee in the head with a handgun – then demanded money from Exum before shooting her in the chest.
Hawkins was 21 at the time of the shooting.
He was charged with capital murder because the killing also involved a robbery.
He was also charged with second degree assault for hitting the other employee.
Hawkins later pled guilty to a first degree robbery charge in relation to a hold up at the HR Food Mart in Anniston; that incident occurred the week following the Papa John’s robbery.
(ABC33/40/www.abc3340.com)
