THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, November 3, 1994 TAG: 9411030429
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: FROM WIRE REPORTS
DATELINE: PENSACOLA, FLA. LENGTH: Short : 45 lines
A Florida jury took only 20 minutes Wednesday to convict Paul J. Hill of two counts of first-degree murder for shooting to death a doctor and an escort outside an abortion clinic last summer.
The jury of six men and six women will consider today whether to recommend that Hill, a former Presbyterian minister and a militant opponent of abortion, be executed in Florida's electric chair or be sentenced to life in prison without parole.
Acting as his own lawyer, Hill did not cross-examine any of 20 prosecution witnesses, nor did he call any witnesses of his own during the three-day trial, which was closely watched by both sides in the national debate on abortion.
Wearing the same slightly bemused expression that he maintained throughout the proceedings, Hill showed no reaction when the verdicts were read. He was found guilty of two counts of first-degree murder, one count of attempted murder and one count of firing into an occupied vehicle.
The victims were Dr. John B. Britton, 69, who performed abortions at the Pensacola Ladies Center, and James H. Barrett, 74, a volunteer escort at the clinic. Barrett's wife, June, was wounded but survived.
Earlier Wednesday, June Barrett testified about the shooting.
``I thought `He's pretending he's going to shoot us,' '' she recalled. ``I heard boom and I said, `Oh my God, he is shooting.' ''
After two blasts, she said, there was silence. ILLUSTRATION: Color photo
[Paul J. Hill]
The jury will consider whether to recommend that Hill be executed or
sentenced to life without parole.
KEYWORDS: ABORTION MURDER by CNB