Fla. Abortion Foe Jailed in Molestation

MILTON, Fla. -- An activist with ties to anti-abortion violence has been jailed after losing an appeal of his conviction and 18-year prison sentence for molesting a teenager at the home for troubled girls he operated.

Sheriff's deputies took John Burt, 67, into custody Wednesday. A three-judge panel of a state appeals court on Friday unanimously upheld his conviction on five counts of lewd or lascivious molestation or conduct with a child under 16.

Defense lawyer Nicole Ferry said Burt will appeal further.

Burt has been a key figure in anti-abortion protests and violence in nearby Pensacola. He had associated with Michael Griffin, now serving a life sentence for fatally shooting an abortion doctor in 1993, and Paul Hill, executed in 2003 for the shooting deaths of another doctor and clinic escort in 1994.

Burt was convicted last year of molesting a 15-year-old resident at Our Father's House, which he and his wife operated near Milton.

His appeal objected to Circuit Judge Ron Swanson's decision to let the victim, now 18, testify from Northern Ireland on a satellite television link, arguing that deprived him of being able to face his accuser.

The victim testified Burt improperly touched her and wrote a note propositioning her.