Utah Officials Say Mandatory Death Penalty for Cop Killers Unconstitutional
Following the recent murder of two law enforcement officers in separate incidents in Utah, some have called for mandatory death penalty for individuals convicted of killing a police officer. But some in the Beehive State say that such a measure would be unconstitutional.
Following the recent murder of two law enforcement officers in separate incidents in Utah, some have called for mandatory death penalty for individuals convicted of killing a police officer.
But some in the Beehive State say that such a measure would be unconstitutional.
According to ABC News, Representative Paul Ray sponsored a 2017 bill that made targeting a law enforcement officer an aggravating factor that can lead to a death sentence, but stopped short of making death mandatory.
"I'm never in support of mandatory. I think that control needs to be with the courts," Ray said.
Jason Stevenson of the American Civil Liberties Union of Utah said that a "mandatory death penalty is unconstitutional because it takes away the discretion from the juries about whether or not to apply that ultimate penalty."
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