Page 2 - Sharon Wright Weeks News Today

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- A push to repeal the death penalty in Utah has been narrowly rejected, but an emotional hearing this week laid bare divisions among

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — A push to repeal the death penalty in Utah has been narrowly...

The mounting effort to repeal and replace Utahs death penalty could be headed for some trouble in the Utah House of Representatives.

Though backers of the bill to repeal and replace Utah’s death penalty include some influential conservative Republican lawmakers and the compelling voice of Sharon Wright Weeks, the sister and aunt of Ron Lafferty’s victims, two of the Utah House’s most powerful legislative leaders say they’re not supportive of doing away with it.

A Republican lawmaker from southern Utah says one womans experience is part of his motivation to propose HB147, a ban on the death penalty in front of legislators now.

Bryan Stevenson called capital punishment an "obstacle" to public safety in Utah and spoke in support of HB147, a bill that would abolish the death penalty.

Utah is ready to abolish the death penalty, author and activist Bryan Stevenson told lawmakers on Wednesday.

A new bill in the Utah Legislature seeks to renew past efforts to eliminate the death penalty in Utah. Will lawmakers support the effort this time?