Hilbun Jury Persuaded to Keep Deliberating

A jury will return Monday for a 17th day of deliberations to determine whether postal worker Mark Richard Hilbun was insane when he killed his mother and a co-worker and injured five others during a two-day rampage.

Jurors said Thursday they were deadlocked, but agreed, after being prompted by Superior Court Judge Everett W. Dickey, to return Friday and consider whether any new direction from the court might help them reach a decision. They presented the judge a list of questions before leaving for home Friday.

The same jury has already found Hilbun guilty of two counts of first-degree murder, seven counts of attempted murder and other felony counts stemming from the rampage that began early May 6, 1993, when Hilbun stabbed his 63-year-old mother, Frances, to death in her Corona del Mar home and killed her pet cocker spaniel. Hilbun then went to the Dana Point post office where he worked and opened fire on three co-workers, killing his best friend and wounding another colleague.

Hilbun fled in a pickup stocked with survival gear, including a kayak that defense lawyers said he planned to use to escape the apocalypse with a female colleague he had been stalking. He shot and injured two more people and tried to rob three others, wounding two, before he was captured in a massive manhunt.

The guilty verdict rendered Aug. 6 included special circumstances that would make him eligible for a death sentence if he is found to be sane. If he were found insane, Hilbun would be sent to a state psychiatric hospital where he would remain until it is determined he has regained his sanity.

The panel said Thursday it was about evenly split on the complicated question of Hilbun’s mental state during the rampage, although they were deadlocked 8 to 4 in favor of finding Hilbun insane on one charge.

Defense lawyers contend the spree was inspired by his delusions the world was about to end. Medical experts testified that Hilbun has a long history of mental problems and was psychotic at the time of the crimes. But the prosecutor maintains Hilbun exaggerated his mental problems and knew what he was doing because of the planning and evasive actions Hilbun took.