Opening statements to begin in Hill trial

Judge will also hold hearing to decide status of Hill statements

Web posted February 7, 2000

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 David Mark Hill trial special section.

By Greg Rickabaugh
South Carolina Bureau

Opening statements get under way today in the death penalty trial of David Mark Hill, nearly 3 1/2 years after three Department of Social Service caseworkers were gunned down in their offices.

Circuit Judge Marc Westbrook traveled to York County on Sunday to gather up 12 jurors and two alternates and transport them to Aiken for trial. The jurors were picked in York County because of pretrial publicity in Aiken County.

The judge is sequestering the jury in a local hotel for the duration of the trial, which is expected to last as long as two weeks. Judge Westbrook plans on working evenings and weekends to allow the jurors to return home as soon as possible.

During today's opening statements, the prosecution and defense will have an opportunity to outline their cases to the jury.

Also today, Judge Westbrook will hold a hearing to determine whether to allow the jury to hear statements Mr. Hill allegedly made to an agent with the State Law Enforcement Division the day after the killings. Second Circuit Solicitor Barbara Morgan has said Mr. Hill confessed to committing the shooting rampage and told the SLED agent whom he shot and in what order.

Defense attorney Bob Harte has objected to allowing the statements into evidence, saying the SLED agent has refused to talk to defense counsel about the alleged remarks.

The solicitor's case against Mr. Hill is bolstered by nearly 30 witnesses to the shootings. Defense attorneys have made it clear they plan to seek one of two verdicts: not guilty by reason of insanity, or guilty but mentally ill.

Mr. Hill, 39, is accused of barging into the North Augusta office of the Department of Social Services, firing a semi-automatic handgun at three caseworkers and killing each with a bullet to the head. Police say he was upset because the agency planned to place his paraplegic 4-year-old daughter and twin sons into foster care.

Soon after Mr. Hill was found by police on a railroad track near the DSS office, bleeding from an apparent suicide attempt with a handgun, Ms. Morgan announced she would seek the death penalty in the case.

An Aiken County grand jury indicted Mr. Hill in 1997 on three counts of murder in the deaths of Michael Gregory, 30, of Belvedere, and Josie Curry, 33, and Jimmy Riddle, 52, both of North Augusta. He also was indicted on three counts of possessing a firearm during the commission of a violent crime and one count each of assault with intent to kill, kidnapping, burglary first-degree and illegally carrying a pistol.

Reach Greg Rickabaugh at (803) 279-6895.