Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, September 23, 1993                   TAG: 9309230247
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C-2   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

IN VIRGINIA

NORFOLK - Billy A. Franklin, a private investigator who wrote a book about U.S. Sen. Charles Robb, was in critical condition Wednesday after suffering a heart attack.

Franklin was admitted to DePaul Medical Center on Tuesday. Chris Wagner, a DePaul spokeswoman, said Franklin was in critical but stable condition and was being monitored.

Last week, Franklin filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court against members of Robb's election committee. The $3.5 million lawsuit accused Robb's staff of illegally recording Franklin's phone conversations and buying phone records in an attempt to find out who was being interviewed for his book.

Franklin's 1991 book, "Tough Enough," was based on the investigator's two-year probe linking Robb to cocaine parties in Virginia Beach, allegations that Robb repeatedly has denied. - Associated Press