Summit County Attorney joins call to abolish the death penalty

Summit County Attorney Margaret Olson. Photo: Margaret Olson

SALT LAKE CITY — Summit County Attorney Margaret Olson joined three other Utah county attorneys this week in sending a letter to state lawmakers encouraging them to endorse legislation that would repeal the death penalty in Utah.

Along with Olson, Salt Lake County District Attorney Sam Gill, Grand County Attorney Christina Sloan, and Utah County Attorney David Leavitt all signed the letter — which calls to abolish death sentences in Utah.

The alternatives proposed include life in prison, 45 years to life, or 25 years to life.

Currently, the only people that can face the death sentence in Utah are those convicted of aggravated murder.

Since 1854, Utah has executed 50 people, primarily by firing squad.

“The death penalty in Utah today is a permanent and irreversible sentence within an imperfect system,” the letter says. “It fails to deter crime. It retraumatizes victims. It disproportionately applies to minorities. It is expensive. And it makes plea deal negotiations coercive.”

The attorneys also cited the high cost to taxpayers for death sentence appeals, which are more expensive compared to life sentences.

They added that research shows that 1 in every 10 people executed is later found to be innocent.

“Instead of the death penalty providing closure to victims, the constitutional appeals that follow mean a death sentence will take decades to impose if it ever happens,” Olson said. “Since the year 2000, more men have died of old age on death row than by execution.”

Two state lawmakers, Rep. Lowry Snow (R-St. George) and Sen. Dan McCay (R-Riverton), have proposed a bill that would repeal the death penalty and replace it with the proposed 45 years to life alternative. Gill said they worked in tandem with the lawmakers to draft the bill.

Olson does not have any current death penalty cases.