Starke, Fla.
Paul Hill, a former Presbyterian minister, was executed by lethal injection in Florida last week for the murders of an abortion doctor and his bodyguard. Hill, 49, was unrepentant to the end. “I expect a great reward in heaven,” he said, smiling. “I am looking forward to glory.” In 1994, Hill went to the parking lot of the Ladies Center of Pensacola and opened fire, killing Dr. John Bayard Britton and his bodyguard, retired Air Force lieutenant colonel James Herman Barrett. Barrett’s wife was wounded in the attack. When police arrested Hill, he said, “No innocent babies are going to be killed in that clinic today.” Around 50 protesters—some anti-abortion, others anti-capital-punishment—held a vigil outside the Florida State Prison while the execution took place. Florida Gov. Jeb Bush had received letters threatening more violence if Hill was executed, but Bush said he wouldn’t be “bullied” into commuting the sentence.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
