Man Is Convicted of Killing BBC BroadcasterA man said to be obsessed with celebrities was convicted Monday of killing popular British television personality Jill Dando on the doorstep of her west London home.Barry George, 41, was sentenced to life in prison. George had denied involvement in the broadcaster's 1999 murder. Dando, 37, a newscaster and host of a British Broadcasting Corp. crime show, died after being shot in the head. The jury of six women and five men deliberated for over 30 hours before convicting George on a majority vote of 10-1. George's lawyer, Michael Mansfield, had argued that the case against him was weak. Dando's death was headline news in Britain, and the media followed George's trial closely. Television news programs frequently showed closed-circuit footage of the fresh-faced blond broadcaster shopping just hours before she died. Dando was among the most familiar of Britain's TV personalities, well-liked for her down-to-earth demeanor. She sometimes anchored the evening news and hosted "Crimewatch," which sought information from the public about crimes, and a popular travel program. |
| People's Daily Online --- http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/ |