Friend convicted in murder of UNC grad

After a month-long trial, it took a jury less than 90 minutes on Wednesday to convict Jonathan Broyhill of murdering recent UNC graduate and Democratic political strategist Jamie Kirk Hahn.

The attack against Jamie Hahn and her husband, Nation Hahn, happened on April 22, 2013. Jamie died two days later, and Nation survived the attack. The attack shocked friends and family, as Broyhill, 33, was a friend of the Hahns and was the best man at their wedding.

A week before the attack, the couple was on their way to celebrate their fourth wedding anniversary, according to a blog post by Nation Hahn on Friday.

Nation Hahn graduated in 2008, and Jamie Hahn, who was 29 at the time of her death, graduated in 2006. After graduation, both worked as Democratic strategists.

Gary Pearce, a liberal political consultant who's worked for a number of Democratic candidates and knew Jamie, attended the trial. Pearce said Nation and Jamie met while working on John Edwards’ 2008 presidential campaign.

“She was on the fundraising staff, and Nation was a volunteer. That’s how they got to know each other,” he said.

Pearce said at the sentencing hearing, Jamie Hahn’s father said she was hoping to focus on non-profit work to provide healthy meals outside of school to kids who receive free lunch.

“She was driven to help people less fortunate. She made a difference in the few years she had and she could have made an even bigger difference.”

On his blog, Talking About Politics, Pearce quoted a statement from Chris Kirk, Jamie Hahn’s father.

“We would give all that we have to have Jamie with us, to see her grow older and become a mother, and to witness the difference she would have made in the world,” Kirk said.

The Jamie Kirk Hahn Foundation, created in her memory, works to develop community leaders who work on issues that Jamie valued, including poverty, education, food and hunger.

“Jamie was very committed to community, committed to service, and we knew that we had to carry that forward and carry her commitment to community forward,” said Alexis Trost, interim executive director. “Our vision is to see an army of Jamies.”

The organization has recently focused on Second Saturdays in Raleigh, which involves pop-up markets, community gardens and urban farms. This summer, the foundation is launching a fellowship program.

Trost said the organization’s goal is to carry on Jamie Hahn’s unique drive to do more than the average person.

Pearce said he is glad the trial is finally over.

“It was a wrenching experience (for) everybody concerned and most of all for Nation and the family,” he said. “But there’s still a very long, hard journey ahead for them,”

Nation Hahn said in his blog post that he is learning to still see the good in the world despite the tragedy.

He said moving forward, he hopes to live with optimism, the way that Jamie Hahn lived.

“I know that no act of evil could kill Jamie’s spirit. It cannot take away her lesson to us all  —  that during our life we must try to right wrongs, heal suffering and help our fellow man.”

state@dailytarheel.com

CLARIFICATION: The story has been updated to clarify the involvement of Gary Pearce and Jamie Hahn in Democratic politics in North Carolina.