t
t state to -abolish the death
penalty? A bill in front of lawmakers would not apply to
the seven men currently on
Utah’s -death row, but it
would prevent prosecutors from
-seeking the death penalty in
the future. Tonight.. KSL
investigator Daniella Rivera
explains how this proposal is
different from past efforts..
which have failed.
1:13 - 1:19 1:31 - 1:35 1:44 -
1:513:15 - 3:21 5:07 - 5:13
July 24th, 1984 -- An
unthinkable crime. Brenda
Lafferty, and her daughter, 15
month old Erica -- suffered
brutal deaths in their
American Fork home. Brenda’s
brothers in law -- Ron and Dan
Lafferty -- said God compelled
them to kill the mother and
her infant girl. Sharon
Wright Weeks: I WANTED EXACTLY
WHAT THE STATE TOLD ME WAS
JUSTICE. Brenda’s sister --
Sharon Wright Weeks -- was 15
at the time of the murders.
For his part, Dan would
receive life without parole...
and Ron Lafferty, a death
sentence. A promise to the
victims’ family of ultimate
justice... Sharon: IT WAS A
COUNTERFEIT PROMISE.Ron
Lafferty died of natural
causes in 20-19... having
lived more than three decades
on Utah’s death row. During
that time, he was awarded a
retrial... received another
guilty verdict... then pursued
appeal after appeal. Sharon:
I AM NOW 53 YEARS OLD. THIS
HAS LITERALLY BEEN MY ENTIRE
ADULT LIFE. She once hoped for
an execution. Now, Sharon is
calling on lawmakers to do
away with the death penalty.
Rep. Lowry Snow: SHE BROUGHT
TO ME A PERSPECTIVE FROM A
VICTIM STANDPOINT, THAT I
HADN’T REALLY CONSIDERED
Republican Representative
Lowry Snow is sponsoring House
Bill 1-47. Rep. Lowry Snow IS
THERE A BETTER USE OF
TAXPAYER’S FUNDS, WHEN WE CAN
NEVER PRODUCE THAT OUTCOME FOR
SOCIETY AND WE CAN’T FOR THE
VICTIM EITHER? Sim Gill: IT
IS A PUNISHMENT, THAT IS AN
EMPTY PROMISE TO VICTIMS.Salt
Lake County District Attorney
Sim Gill, a democrat, and Utah
County Attorney David Leavitt,
a Republican -- both told the
KSL Investigators they’re
ready for the death penalty to
die. David Leavitt: I
SIMPLY COULD NO LONGER JUSTIFY
SAYING WE’RE GOING TO SEEK A
SENTENCE WHICH WILL LIKELY
NEVER BE CARRIED OUT
Legislative efforts to repeal
the death penalty in 20-16,
and again in 20-18 failed.
The proposal in front of
lawmakers this time -- is
framed as a measure to repeal
and replace. Right now --
Aggravated murder convictions
can lead to the death penalty,
life without parole -- or a 25
years to life. House Bill 1-47
eliminates the death penalty
and adds an additional
sentencing option of 45 years
to life. Sim Gill: THAT NEW
ADDITION IS A CRITICAL
ADDITION. Those who want to
see the death penalty become
an element of utah’s past cite
the re-victimization families
like Sharon’s have endured...
The fact that innocent people
have been sentenced to die in
America, And the cost: -GFX-
According to a report
presented to lawmakers in
20-18, the Utah Association of
Criminal Defense Lawyers found
Utah spent $40 million dollars
during a 20-year period in
which only two out of 165
death-eligible cases resulted
in death sentences. Andrew
Peterson: THE ATTORNEY
GENERAL’S OFFICE DOES OPPOSE
REPEALING DEATH PENALTYAndrew
Peterson says Utah’s top law
enforcer is against the bill.
Andrew Peterson: THE PRIMARY
BENEFIT IS JUSTICE. JUSTICE IS
GIVING EACH PERSON WHAT THEY
DESERVE.The last execution the
state carried out was in 2010
-- Ronnie Lee Gardner had
previously spent nearly 25
years on Utah’s death row.
Danie: ARE WE REALLY CARRYING
OUT THAT JUSTICE? Andrew
Peterson: IT’S TRUE, THE
WHEELS OF JUSTICE GRIND SLOWLY
WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT GO
FASTER, BUT BUT THAT’S NOT A
REASON TO REPEAL IT.Some argue
the death penalty is used now
-- as an tool to force plea
deals, allowing the state to
secure life sentences without
proving cases at trial. -GFX-
Using court records, the KSL
Investigators analyzed death-
penalty eligible cases during
the last 15 years, and only
identified 24 in which
prosecutors filed formal
notices of intent to seek the
death penalty. But none of
those cases have gone to
trial... in fact, half have
ended in plea deals. And in
another five, prosecutors
withdrew their death penalty
notices. David Leavitt: IF
THE DEATH PENALTY WEREN’T
BEING USED AS LEVERAGE, YOU’D
SEE DEATH PENALTY CASES GOING
TO TRIAL. The attorney
general’s office argues
without it -- the price of
prosecutions will rise.
Andrew Peterson: SO IF YOU
WANT TO OBTAIN THE TOP
SENTENCE FOR THE WORST OF THE
WORST, YOU’RE GOING TO HAVE TO
TAKE IT TO TRIAL. While the
A-G’s office argues people
sentenced to life file plenty
of appeals too, those who want
the death penalty repealed say
death row inmates... become
notorious... capturing the
curiousity of the public
through headlines as they
exhaust their rights to
appeal. David Leavitt: PEOPLE
HAVE A FASCINATION WITH DEATH
ROW AND WITH DEATH ROW
INMATES. PUTTING SOMEONE IN
PRISON FOR LIFE, NO ONE
REMEMBERS THEM. Danie: DO
YOU CONSIDER THE DEATH PENALTY
TO BE A FORM OF JUSTICE?
Sharon: NO. Danie: WHY?
Sharon: BECAUSE IT’S NOT A
REAL THING. IT DOESN’T HAPPEN.
Sharon is pusing for change
now -- because through her
family’s own, painful journey
-- she’s come to believe
there’s a better way.
Sharon: JUST ALLOW THE PERSON
WHO SO HEINOUSLY TOOK YOUR
LOVED ONES TO FADE INTO
OBSCURITY AND NEVER SPEAK
THEIR NAME AGAIN. Daniella
Rivera: TOP LEGISLATIVE
LEADERS AND GOVERNOR SPENCER
COX HAVE NOT SAID WHETHER THEY
BACK THE BILL. AND IT HASN’T
BEEN DEBATED AT THE CAPITOL
YET. BACK TO YOU.