The abduction and murder of Elizabeth “Lizzy” Shelley, a case that had Cache Valley frantic for nearly a week in 2019, was placed front and center before Utah legislators on Monday as several locals involved in the case debated the merits of repealing the death penalty.
Though it failed in a slim 5-6 vote before the House Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Committee, House Bill 147 intended to maintain life without parole, add a new sentencing option of 45-to-life for aggravated murder, and repeal the death penalty in Utah.
Of all the speakers at the meeting with Cache Valley ties, Kevin Allen, a retired 1st District Court Judge who presided over the Shelley case, was the only one in favor of the bill and its goal in eradicating the death penalty. Allen painted a busted picture of capitol punishment as it stands currently in state law. Read the rest of the story on HJnews.com.
This story is made possible thanks to a community reporting partnership between The Herald Journal and Utah Public Radio.
