By Brian Lazenby
Staff Writer
A defense lawyer began presenting witnesses in Hamilton County Criminal Court today in the murder and child rape case against Nicholas Todd Hilt.
Mr. Hilt, 27, is accused of brutally raping and beating his girlfriend’s 5-year-old son to death in January 2003. He is charged with first-degree murder, felony murder, child rape and aggravated child abuse.
Dr. David A. Solovey, a clinical psychologist, testified that Mr. Hilt was in a delusional state on the day Nathaniel Upshaw was raped and beaten to death.
Previous testimony indicated that Mr. Hilt carried Nathaniel as well as the child’s brother and sister to different parts of a cemetery where the child is believed to have been raped.
Mr. Hilt confessed to throwing the child into a wall multiple times and stomping his chest because he was angry, according to a taped statement played for the jury.
Mr. Hilt said the child was disruptive while he was trying to study.
Prosecutors have argued that Mr. Hilt was sane at the time of the offense and knew right from wrong.
Testimony is expected to continue this afternoon.
E-mail Brian Lazenby at blazenby@timesfreepress.com
See tomorrow’s Chattanooga Times Free Press for full coverage.
Staff Writer
A defense lawyer began presenting witnesses in Hamilton County Criminal Court today in the murder and child rape case against Nicholas Todd Hilt.
Mr. Hilt, 27, is accused of brutally raping and beating his girlfriend’s 5-year-old son to death in January 2003. He is charged with first-degree murder, felony murder, child rape and aggravated child abuse.
Dr. David A. Solovey, a clinical psychologist, testified that Mr. Hilt was in a delusional state on the day Nathaniel Upshaw was raped and beaten to death.
Previous testimony indicated that Mr. Hilt carried Nathaniel as well as the child’s brother and sister to different parts of a cemetery where the child is believed to have been raped.
Mr. Hilt confessed to throwing the child into a wall multiple times and stomping his chest because he was angry, according to a taped statement played for the jury.
Mr. Hilt said the child was disruptive while he was trying to study.
Prosecutors have argued that Mr. Hilt was sane at the time of the offense and knew right from wrong.
Testimony is expected to continue this afternoon.
E-mail Brian Lazenby at blazenby@timesfreepress.com
See tomorrow’s Chattanooga Times Free Press for full coverage.
