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Proceedings halted at Hillary murder trial as murder victim's grandmother collapses on courtroom floor

Posted 9/14/16

CANTON -- Court proceedings were abruptly halted in the Nick Hillary murder trial this afternoon when the grandmother of murder victim Garrett Phillips collapsed in the courtroom. Patricia Phillips …

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Proceedings halted at Hillary murder trial as murder victim's grandmother collapses on courtroom floor

Posted

CANTON -- Court proceedings were abruptly halted in the Nick Hillary murder trial this afternoon when the grandmother of murder victim Garrett Phillips collapsed in the courtroom.

Patricia Phillips fell to the courtroom floor during testimony from Marissa Hall, who was being questioned about the night Garrett Phillips died. She was recounting that from her apartment on the night of the boy's death, she and her fiance heard a loud bang followed by a young person faintly saying "No" or possibly "Help."

Patricia Phillips collapsed as she walked from her seat near the front of the gallery toward the back of the courtroom. A family member dropped to her side shouting "Mom! Mom! Mom!" 

A woman in the gallery who idetified herself as a nurse came to Phillips' aid in court.

Judge Felix Catena then halted proceedings immediately and cleared the courtroom.

She was taken from the courthouse by Canton Rescue Squad, which was filmed by news media from around the United States.

Proceedings had resumed this afternoon after a recess was declared this morning to allow the defense to interview a surprise witness who allegedly was to testify about the whereabouts of a second possible suspect at about the time the of the murder.

Garrett Phillips, a 12-year-old middle-schooler in Potsdam was murdered five years ago in the apartment he shared with his mother.

Oral “Nick” Hillary, a former Clarkson University soccer coach, is on trial, accused of second-degree murder.