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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 4, 1994)
Jury calls for death in abortion clinic slayings PENSACOLA, Fla. (AP)—A jury recom mended Thursday that a former minister be sent to the electric chair for the shotgun slayings of an abortion doctor and his body guard. Paul Hill, a 40-year-old who had claimed that killing abortion doctors was divinely ap proved, showed no emotion as the jury’s rec ommendation was read. Hill had portrayed himself as a martyr to the cause. The jury took nearly four hours to choose between the death penalty and life in prison without parole. The same jury took just 20 minutes Wednesday to convict Hill of murder. Circuit Judge Frank Bell is not bound by the recommendation and could instead impose a life sentence. A sentencing date was not set. Barred by the judge from arguing that the slayings were justifiable homicide to save fe tuses, Hill, acting as his own lawyer, offered no defense at his trial. He put no witnesses on the stand and asked no questions. He finally spoke directly to the 12 jurors just before they began weighing his fate. “In an effort to suppress this truth, you may mix my blood with the blood of the unborn and those who have fought to defend the op pressed,” Hill said. “However, truth and righ teousness will prevail. May God help you to protect the unborn as you would want to be protected.” Wielding a 12-gauge shotgun, Hill am bushed Dr. John Bayard Britton, 69; his body guard, retired Air Force Lt. Col. James H. Barrett, 74; and Barrett’s wife, June, 68, as the three arrived at the Ladies Center clinic on July 29. Mrs. Barrett was wounded. On Thursday, Assistant State Attorney James Murray told the jury it had a responsi bility to recommend death for Hill. “The defendant had been telling the doctor for the past six months: Execute Abortionists.” Murray said. “He had 30 rounds of ammunition in order to cany out his murderous rampage. You give him the same level of mercy and compassion he gave Dr. Britton and Colonel Barrett.” While many abortion opponents have de nounced Hill and his use of violence, a few have said that if he was executed, it would help their cause. “His hope and mine is that his executior will save the lives of many, many more chil dren,” Donna Bray, director of the Defenders of the Defenders of Life in Bowie, Md., said during the trial. Leaders of the National Organization for Women and the Feminist Majority said Hill shouldn’t be executed. “Paul Hill is only one actor in this very bad play,” said NOW President Patricia Ireland. “Until we get the entire national network of terrorists who arc going after the clinics, go ing after the doctors, going after all of us who they deem to be accessories, none of us can feci safe.” Mother arrested; search concluded UNION, S.C. (AP) - The mother who said a caijacker dumped her on a lonely road and drove off with her two young sons in the back seat was arrested Thursday when the car was found in a lake with two bodies in it, police said. Susan V. Smith, who had made tearful pleas on national television for the boys’ return, is in custody and will be charged with two counts of mur der, Union County Sheriff Howard Wells said. The nine-day search for 3-year-old Michael and 14-month-old Alex, which stretched from Georgia to Se attle, ended where it began, in John D. Long Lake near where Smith told police a gunman forced her from the car Oct. 25 and drove away with the boys. Hundreds of volunteers from the small town tom by the disappear ances had combed the area. Divers had searched the lake several times during the past few days, and police cordoned off the area Thursday. The identities of the bodies in the burgundy 1990 Mazda would have to be confirmed through an autopsy, Wells said. Mrs. Smith was scheduled to be arraigned Friday. Dozens of people crowded around the outside of the county courthouse and many gasped and sobbed as Wells said she would be charged with mur der. “If she didn't want those children, she could have given them to me or any other mother in Union. We would have taken them,” said Karen Huss, the mother of two sons, ages 2 and 4. District 46 Continued from Page 1 have first-rate students. If we have those two things, we will have a good education system.” Landis said that did not mean raising salaries for the entire fac ulty. Raises should go to those that need it. “We need to keep the pace for faculty salaries,” he said. “There may be some in which we’re do ing fine, and others in which we are not doing as well.” Rcinsch disagreed that faculty needed to be paid more. “The university has a good fac ulty, but the teachers may want a higher salary.” he said. “Some are i_ part-time and aren’t worth $40,000 a year.” Both candidates said they saw areas where the university could improve. Landis said NU should spend more money on upper-level classes. “We have a big drop in people who enter the university and who actually graduate,” Landis said. “There is a large selection of in troductory level classes, so we don’t have as much to use for third and fourth-year student classes.” Rcinsch said he thought a new building for the law college would improve UNL. “The building is so old,” Reinsch said. “I’d like to tear it down and build a new building.” Reinsch said he wanted to make the law college strictly for Nebras kans. “That school should only be re served for Nebraskans.” he said. “We should make it easier for Ne braskans to be lawyers and judges.” As the election approaches, Landis said he thought the 46th District race had been positive from the beginning. “In our race both candidates have laid our own positive views and not commented on the other’s views. I find that refreshing.” In Nebraska’s 1st Congressional District UN-L students, faculty and administrators might want to remember the following about - Doug Bereuter 1. He is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of UN-L and a supportive alumnus. 2. In his congressional role, he has been actively supportive of a wide range of construction, research and educational programs and projects at UN-L. 3. As a state senator he conceived and initiated a four year undergraduate education improvement program which added 40+ "Bereuter professors” at UN-L and started the undergraduate teaching excellence awards at UN-L. 4. Served as a part-time associate professor at UN-L for several years. UN-L students should know that Doug Bereuter: • was an original co-sponsor of the legislation that created Americorps, the domestic "Peace Corps," where students perform public service in return for an education stipend to be used for postsecondary education. • was an active participant in the creation and implementation of a system of direct student loans. • was a longtime supporter of changing the need formula for financial aid so that a family farm or home is no longer considered when determining financial need for students applying for aid. • has been an original co-sponsor of several bills to make the interest on student loans tax deductible, to allow penalty-free withdrawal from IRA and 401 (k) plans to pay for higher education expenses, and to create an Education Savings Account. Unfortunately, the Democrat leadership in the House has not allowed a vote on any of these bills that would help make postsecondary education more affordable. M Dov0 - Bereuter CONGRESS Paid for by Bereuter for Congrew Committee, Jim Hewitt, Treaiurer, P.O. Box 94794, Lincoln, NE 68509 Smith Continued from Page 1 "We won t know until we get into it next session,” Wescly said. Moira Ferguson, a professor of English and women's studies at the University of Ncbraska-Lincoln, said Smith's address was “very rich and provocative in its ideas and formula tion.” She said she agreed with Smith’s emphasis on research and positive movement into the 21st cen tury. Andrew Loudon, UNL student re gent, said Smith was the kind of per son with whom students could get along. i “In President Smith, we have someone who is going to be rational and veiy straightforward,” he said. Having worked with Smith on the upcoming budget sessions with the Legislature, Loudon said the presi dent would help NU’s chances of get ting away with little or no budget cuts. “He’s increased our stock a ton,” he said. “That does nothing but help students. “It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that if there are cuts, big tuition increases are on the way, and that scares me.” Charles Thone, former governor of Nebraska, said Smith had a down to-earth style that would serve him well in Nebraska. Smith would be a change from the other NU presidents with whom he had dealt in his administration, he said. “Smith will be, without a doubt, a strong, forceful president of the sys tem,” Thone said “I don’t think there is going to be any campus bickering allowed. “He is going to be in charge, and that is going to serve the system well.” .. ■ 1 1 11 i Nebraskan Editor JefTZsIeny Night Newt Editor* Chris Hein 472-1766 Doug Kouma Managing EdHor Angle Brunkow Heather Lamps Assoc News Editors Jeffrey Robb Sean Green Rainbow Rowell Art Director James Mehsllng Opinion Page Editor Kara Morrison General Manager Dan Shattll Wire EdHor Deb McAdams Production Manager Katherine Policky Copy Desk EdHor Mike Lewis Advertising Manager Amy Strut hers Sports EdHor Tim Pearson Asst. Advertising Manager Sheri Krajewskl Arts A Entertainment EdHor Matt Woody Publications Board Chairman Tim Hedegaard, 436 6266 Photo Director Damon Lee Professional Adviser Don Walton, 476-7301 FAX NUMBER 472-1761 The Daily Nebraskan(USPS 144-060) is published by the UNL Publications Board, Nebraska Union 34,1400 R St.. Lincoln. NE 666664)446. Monday through Friday during the academic year; weekly during summer sessions. Reader* are encouraged to submH story ideas and comments to the Daily Nebraskan by phoning 472-1763 between 6 a m and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. The public also has access to the Publications Board. For information, contact Tim Hedegaard. 436-9256. Subscription pnc# it $50 foe ont yttr. Postmaster Send address changes to the Daily Nebraskan, Nebraska Union 34.1400 R St ,Lincoln. NE 685664)446. Second-class postage paid at Lincoln, NE. ALL MATERIAL COPYRIGHT 1964 DAILY NEBRASKAN Custom Design! 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