The Virginian-Pilot
                             THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Wednesday, January 3, 1996             TAG: 9601030451
SECTION: FRONT                    PAGE: A2   EDITION: FINAL 
SOURCE: BOSTON GLOBE 
DATELINE: BOSTON                             LENGTH: Short :   36 lines

ABORTION-CLINIC SHOOTING SUSPECT CREATES SUICIDE SCARE IN JAIL CELL

John C. Salvi 3rd, accused of murder in last year's abortion-clinic attacks, slipped a noose made from a pillow case around his neck last month while sitting on his bed at the Norfolk County Jail, but a guard spotted him before he could harm himself.

``There were no marks or any visible sign that he had actually tried to commit suicide,'' said Josephine Shea, Norfolk County special sheriff, of the Dec. 21 incident.

She said Salvi was taken for observation to the jail's medical unit and returned to his cell two days later after interviews by the psychiatric staff.

Salvi is charged with two counts of first-degree murder in the slayings of Shannon Lowney and Lee Ann Nichols at two Brookline abortion clinics Dec. 30, 1994.

Salvi has been declared mentally competent to stand trial Feb. 5. His lawyer J.W. Carney has said he will try to convince a jury that Salvi is not guilty by reason of insanity.

Salvi was initially charged with the shooting at the Hillcrest Clinic in Norfolk. The charge of shooting into an occupied building was set aside by prosecutors, however, so Salvi could be returned to Massachusetts to stand trial on more serious murder and assault charges there. The Norfolk charges can be refiled later. by CNB