CLINTON, Tenn. (WVLT) -- Admitted white supremacist Ricky Hawkins eyeballed Local Eight News Reporter Mario Boone with a stoneface in Anderson County Criminal Court Friday. Hawkins was there with his lawyer William Pratt answering charges he viciously beat Michael Gipson with a baseball bat.

The reason, according to a sheriff's arrest report, Gipson has a white girlfriend. That was enough to tick off Hawkins, a lieutenant in the Aryan Nation skinhead gang.

Deputy Rick Coley writes he saw Hawkins hit Gipson twice while yelling "shut up n-word." When asked why Hawkins attacked the victim, he allegedly replied, "that n-word used to date that white woman."

In court Hawkins made no effort to hide his beliefs. His arms are covered in Aryan Nation tattoos.

And this isn't Hawkins' first brush with the law. He was locked up for assaulting the same man last July. Hawkins also has drug convictions in Georgia.

As for Gipson, we tracked him down in a Lake City motel. He declined comment.

Hawkins left the courthouse without commenting also. He told a judge that he's not guilty of the charges.