BOSTON — A Boston man who prosecutors said acted out a “one-man crime spree” over the weekend -- by vandalizing the Holocaust Memorial, Paul Revere’s grave and other tombstones, and damaging federal buildings, businesses and a police cruiser -- hurled expletives while facing a judge during his arraignment on Monday.
Lawrence Hawkins, 46, is charged with vandalizing property, two counts of malicious destruction of property greater than $1,200, and injury to a church of synagogue. Additional charges are expected, prosecutors said.
Judge Paul Treseler set bail at $22,500 cash, considerably higher than the $3,000 bail that had been requested by prosecutors. Hawkins was also ordered to stay away from all of the locations that were vandalized, to wear a GPX with an exclusion zone of downtown Boston, and ordered to undergo evaluation by a court clinician to determine whether he is competent to stand trial.
“This is an individual who over the weekend was his own one-man crime spree down downtown Boston,” Assistant District Attorney Samuel Jones said in court. “He took bricks and rocks and threw them into businesses throughout the Commonwealth.”
As Jones spoke, Hawkins began shouting expletives, loudly.
“You (expletive) piece of (expletive). (Expletive),” Hawkins shouted out in court.
The judge asked Hawkins to back down.
“Sir, why don’t you have a seat? Have a seat and relax, OK?” Treseler said. Two court officers stood on either side of Hawkins, watching him.
Jones said surveillance video captured Hawkins on a vandalism spree throughout Boston.
Hawkins is accused of throwing a brick into a building on Charles Street South, smashing the front windshield of a Boston Police cruiser, breaking a window at a business on Washington Street, vandalizing another location at Court Square, and also breaking a window on Sudbury Street.
He is also accused of smashing windows at two federal buildings, the John F. Kennedy Federal Building on Sudbury Street and the Thomas P. O’Neill Jr. Federal Building on Causeway Street. Prosecutors estimated damages to both federal buildings at $20,000 to $30,000.
“He took bricks and rocks and threw them into the glass of businesses windows and doors. He was seen on surveillance video committing all of these acts,” Jones said.
Surveillance video captured Hawkins throwing an object at the Holocaust Memorial located at 98 Union St., prosecutors said. Police later found the historic memorial, which honors the millions of people who died in the Holocaust, vandalized with a brick on the ground.
“These are random acts of violence against businesses, against property, the defendant having no wherewithal for the public and just going around throwing objects, causing damage to businesses, federal property, national landmarks and also landmarks for the deceased and honor for the dead,” Jones said.
Hawkins is also a person of interest in other reported vandalism, including at the Granary Burying Ground off Tremont Street where Paul Revere’s tombstone was vandalized over the weekend, among more than a dozen tombstones that were pulled from the ground and broken into pieces, prosecutors said.
Six additional tombstones in the adjacent King’s Chapel Burying Ground were also vandalized. Jones said federal and park authorities are investigating and additional charges are expected.
Investigators were able to trace Hawkins to the vandalism at various sites through surveillance cameras. He also trespassed at the State House building, from where a state police trooper drove him to a local shelter, Jones said.
Police later traced Hawkins to that shelter at 112 Southampton St., where he was arrested.
Jones said that Hawkins “has a litany of committed time” on his lengthy criminal record, which dates back to the 1990s. He also has been to Bridgewater State Hospital.
“He’s not a stranger to the criminal justice system. He’s also not a stranger to the Boston Police,” Jones said.
Hawkins then began shouting in court again, and the judge asked him to quiet down.
“Sir! Sir! Stop! Your attorney will have an opportunity to address me, OK?” said Treseler, the judge.
Defense Attorney Robert Glotzer said at one point, Hawkins “seemed to have a productive life” prior to his criminal record. He is a graduate of Tyngsboro High School, attended community college for a year, is a father and has worked as a construction worker. Hawkins now resides in a homeless shelter and takes “psychotropic medications,” Glotzer said.
Glotzer said it is “appropriate” for Hawkins to undergo a competency evaluation.
“Order that doctor come down. He can go. He can go at this point,” Treseler said at the close of the arraignment. “Let’s get a doctor down here.”
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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