Paul Hill is put to death
"If you believe abortion is a lethal force, you should oppose the force, and do what you have to do to stop it," Paul Hill said, his voice steady, as he lay strapped to a gurney just before the state of Florida carried out his death sentence September 3rd. "May God help you to protect the unborn as you would want to be protected." Those were his last words.
• • •
In the early 90s, Paul Hill, a pro-life activist in Pensacola, Florida, came to believe that killing an abortionist was morally justified in order to save the lives of innocent children who the abortionist was about to kill.
Putting this belief into action first occurred to Paul on July 21, 1994. He was careful to hide his intentions from his wife, so she would not be implicated in the abortionist's death. The couple's son was 9 and their daughters were 6 and 3. It was heart-rending for Paul to know that he would be in prison— separated from his wife and children. The decision was agonizing, but Paul felt he must obey what he believed God wanted him to do. He bought a shotgun and practiced at a gun range.
On the morning of Friday, July 29, 1994, Paul went to The Ladies Center in Pensacola, determined to do everything in his power to prevent abortionist John Britton from killing any children that day—or ever again. Paul waited, shotgun in hand, for the abortionist to arrive at The Ladies Center in Pensacola. As abortionist John Britton, his bodyguard, James Barrett, and Barren.'s wife, June, arrived to carry out the abortion deaths of more than 30 innocent children. Hill aimed and fired several times, killing John Britton and James Barrett. and wounding June Barrett. He put his weapon down and waited for the police to come.
• • •
During his "trial," the judge silenced Paul by denying him the chance to present his theory of defense: the lawful use of deadly force to defend another. Paul was not allowed to show the court what he firmly believed—that his actions were necessary to prevent mass murder. Denied a truthful defense, Paul believed he had no defense. He stood before the court in silence because he was given no other option.
The government could not afford to allow Paul to argue that his actions were necessary to defend innocent children from being dismembered by the abortionist and to be found not guilty. Such a finding based upon the necessity defense would have encouraged others to act against abortionists and made it impossible to prosecute them.
At the conclusion of the government's show trial, Paul was found guilty of murder and sentenced to die by lethal injection.
Paul decided not to resist the government's efforts to execute him. He said his willingness to die for defending innocent unborn children would save more people's lives than if he were to resist the death penalty. On July 9th, Florida Gov. Jeb Bush signed the warrant for Paul Hill to be executed by lethal injection. Prison officials set Hill's execution for September 3rd at 6 p.m.
• • •
Paul was allowed to choose an organization to interview him on camera the day before he was to die. Paul chose Life Dynamics. So Life Dynamics sent a team of five people to the Florida State Prison in Starke.
The interview was conducted in a room with bullet-resistant glass between the camera crew and Paul. The camera crew quickly discovered that Paul was much different than the way the media described him. The words "defiant" and "arrogant" which the media used to describe Paul did not fit at all. Paul seemed very much at peace. He was composed and calm and no anger or bitterness was evident in him. He smiled frequently and laughed easily, even as his death was just a day away. The prison guards called Paul by name and treated him with a degree of humanity and courtesy not generally afforded to convicted murderers.
• • •
When the day of his execution arrived, Paul's demeanor was peaceful, as usual.
For the last time, he and his family had a couple hours together. Most of that time was spent in a room that separated Paul from his family with a bullet-proof window. But he was briefly allowed to be in the same room with them so that they could touch one another.
At 4:30 in the afternoon, Paul's attorney, Michael Hirsch, was notified that the United States Supreme Court had denied the final appeal filed on Paul's behalf. The sky over the prison began to grow dark, very much like it was scripted in an Old Testament movie. Turkey buzzards circled over the prison, a helicopter flew overhead with a sniper on board, and guards were on the ground to provide security to the protesters who had gathered at the prison. A rainbow appeared right over the prison, then disappeared. As 6 o'clock approached, lightening began to strike all around the prison. One lightening strike hit the ground about 50 yards from the media satellite trucks, causing dirt to fly up into the air. A news crewman said, "That's a warning shot." Regardless of people's belief in God, everyone present seemed to have a sense that something very out of the ordinary was happening, and people were very rattled by it. The media organizations were unable to go live as they had hoped to do at the time of Paul's execution.
Right at 6 o'clock, lightening struck just behind the death house. At that moment, the lights flickered inside the execution chamber as the curtain opened allowing 29 witnesses to see Paul lying strapped to a gurney.
Outside, people prayed out loud, some wept, some sang, and a bugle played taps over the backdrop of the thunder and crackling lightening. The prison guards didn't give each other high-fives or exclaim "We got the bad guy!" They lowered their heads respectfully as Paul passed from this world.
The lethal drugs were administered at 6:01 p.m. and Paul was pronounced dead at 6:08 p.m. Thunder gave way to a soft rain, and the hearse pulled away from the prison.
• • •
Paul's interview with Life Dynamics is available on the October 2003 Special Edition of LifeTalk. Please see page 4 to order your own copy on VHS tape. After listening to him, you can decide for yourself whether Paul Hill was a martyr or a madman.
Note: This article is neither
an endorsement nor a condemnation of
Paul Hill's actions.
Taken from Life Dynamics News, October 2003
Life Dynamics
Editor's comments: I haven't heard the tape but I don't need it to help me to determine if he was a madman. I know he wasn't that. He had courage very few have today. Whether man wants to call him a martyr for Jesus or a martyr for the thousands of babies being killed daily, let them decide but he was a martyr... That is plain and simple...
The madmen are those who are killing babies in the womb and those who are allowing it...
If reading this story doesn't put a lump in your throat or tears in your eyes then I could safely say that you don't have a conscience anymore.
The word of God says it this way,
"1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
"2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
"3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
"4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
"5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away."
America is dying fast or maybe, just maybe it is already dead and many are still asleep and don't know it yet. We are so fat, satisfied and content with little ones dying all around us daily and we don't care... We are sick, super sick...
A thought came to my mind in regards to what the Lord Jesus Christ said. "Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit."
The Lord Jesus Christ is talking about himself here but it can be applied to others giving their lives for a purpose. Once they give their life for a reason worth dying for then others come forth with the same vision and purpose. A seed buried in the ground produces the same fruit that it came from.
Jesus Christ did it first by giving his life and producing others with the same desire and love to reach out to those who are lost in sin, wickedness and evil.
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