James Scott, 44

James Scott, a 44-year-old black man, was shot and killed Wednesday, July 8, in the 3300 block of Marine Avenue in Gardena, according to Los Angeles County coroner’s records. 

Scott was found by his former girlfriend on the sidewalk near her residence, said Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Lt. Victor Lewandowski. 

He was pronounced dead at the scene at 5:28 a.m., according to coroner’s records.

Joseph Hector Duhon, a 67-year-old black man from Long Beach and the father of Scott’s ex-girlfriend, was arrested on suspicion of murder on Saturday, July 11. 

Duhon was arraigned Tuesday on one count of murder, according to Los Angeles County district attorney's office spokesman Ricardo Santiago. He is due back in Los Angeles County Superior Court on July 23 in Department 4 of the Torrance courthouse.

Scott had been released from jail the evening before he was killed; he had been charged June 30 with a misdemeanor count of injuring a child's parent — his ex-girlfriend, who is the mother of his child.

On July 7 Scott pleaded no contest to the charge and was sentenced to 36 months of probation, an order to keep away from the woman, and 24 days in county jail, Santiago said. 

Scott was scheduled to appear in court Aug. 21 and was released from jail at 5:12 p.m. on July 7, according to Los Angeles County jail records. 

Later that evening, he went to the Gardena residence of his ex-girlfriend, Lewandowski said. She called the Sheriff's Department, and when deputies arrived, Scott voluntarily agreed to leave, Lewandowski said. 

Scott allegedly returned to his ex-girlfriend’s neighborhood again that night, and the woman called her father. Lewandowski said he couldn’t comment on whether the men exchanged words, but Duhon is accused of shooting Scott on the sidewalk outside his daughter’s residence. 

Investigators contacted Duhon “pretty quickly” after the shooting, Lewandowski said. “He was cooperative with us.” 

The case is still under investigation. Anyone with information is asked to call the Sheriff’s Department Homicide Bureau at (323) 890-5500. Those who wish to remain anonymous should call Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-8477. 

— Jeanette Marantos