12-01-1994

STATE REPORTS - FLORIDA: HILL'S FACE SENTENCING 12/2; STATE SENTENCING 12/6

           PENSACOLA NEWS JOURNAL's Graybiel reports that Paul Hill, at
      his 11/30 pre-sentencing hearing, declined to ask Escambia Co.
      Circuit Judge Frank Bell to spare his life: "Your honor, the
      issues connected with my life or death should be eclipsed by
      consideration of our unborn neighbors who are being put to death
      while we speak.  Therefore, rather than appeal to you or plead
      with you for my life, I'd rather call upon compassionate men to
      defend the unborn in the same way in which we defend unborn
      children" (12/1).  A 12-member jury in 10/94 recommended that
      Hill be executed in FL's electric chair for the 7/94 slaying of
      abortion-provider Dr. John Britton and his escort, James Barrett.
      Bell, who refused to let Hill use the justifiable-homicide
      defense at the trial, sentences him on 12/6 on the two first-
      degree murder convictions.  Special Asst. State Atty Ray Marky, a
      death-penalty expert, urged Bell to order Hill's execution, as
      well as a life sentence and 15 years for convictions of attempted
      murder of clinic-escort June Barrett and shooting into an
      occupied vehicle (Kaczor, Panama City NEWS-HERALD, 12/1).  Marky
      listed four aggravating factors that the laws requires to justify
      the death penalty:  He killed more than one person; he created a
      risk to other people in the vicinity of the shooting; the
      killings were "cold and calculated;" and Britton's killing was
      "especially atrocious and cruel because a knew what was coming
      while Barrett was taken by surprise" (NEWS JOURNAL, 12/1).
           FACE BUMPED UP:  Hill also is facing three possible life
      sentences in federal court for violating FACE.  U.S. District
      Judge Roger Vinson has advanced Hill's federal sentencing by one
      week to 12/2 (NEWS JOURNAL, 12/1).
           COMMENT:  James Barrett's son, Bruce, called Hill's
      statement on 11/30 "par for the course" from a "self-anointed
      martyr."  He said that he "doesn't care" whether Hill is executed
      or receives a life sentence (NEWS JOURNAL, 12/1).
           "BIZARRE INTERVIEW:"  Hill was interviewed by CBS' Connie
      Chung for the 12/1 "Eye to Eye."  Chung said that the interview
      was "really rather bizarre": "It's chilling.  He has a perpetual
      smile on his face and a gleam in his eye" (NEWS HERALD, 12/1).
      Chung, in an excerpt from the interview, noted that Hill "feels
      no remorse" for his actions.  Hill: "The killing of a person is
      not intrinsically wrong.  The killing of an innocent person is
      wrong.  The killing of a guilty person is not wrong, if the
      person deserves death."  Chung: "And in which category do you
      think you fit into?"  Hill: "My actions were to defend the
      innocent and therefore I am certainly guilty of no crimes; as a
      matter of fact my actions are honorable" (11/30).  He said he
      agreed to the interview because "I did not have the opportunity
      to say whatever I wanted to say (during the trial).  (The judge)
      refused to allow me to present the logic that I'm presenting here
      now, and that is the idea of justifiable homicide."  Asked
      whether he believes he will go to Heaven or Hell, Hill said, "I
      know for a fact that I'm gonna go to Heaven when I die" (NEWS
      HERALD, 12/1).

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