Eddie Murphy's Face Used in Jailbreak

July 17, 2001 -- Mistaken identity is a common scenario in the films of Eddie Murphy, from The Distinguished Gentleman to Bowfinger, but it was no laughing matter when a man used the Trading Places star's likeness to escape from jail.

Kevin Jerome Pullum, 31, used a fake ID card with a photo of Murphy as his ticket to freedom, Los Angeles police revealed Saturday.

Pullum, who was convicted of attempted murder for a 1999 shooting and faced a possible life prison term, walked out of a downtown Los Angeles jail on July 6 by posing as a civilian employee with a fake ID card.

A prison informant told police that Pullum, who had represented himself in court and had access to office supplies and machines, put a picture of Murphy taken from an advertisement for the movie Dr. Dolittle 2 on the card, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Police believe Pullum was able to keep the civilian clothing he wore in court under his prison uniform, which he apparently dumped somewhere along a tunnel that connects an inmate reception area to an adjoining building.

Pullum, who has two prior convictions, was due to return to Van Nuys Superior Court Thursday for sentencing. He is apparently still at large. There's no word on whether he's still posing as the Beverly Hills Cop star.

Reuters contributed to this story.