Summary
A Utah judge has set an August date for the execution of Taberon Dave Honie, convicted in the 1998 killing of a woman. The defense raised concerns about a new lethal injection drug combination, but the judge sided with the state. Honie’s attorney requested more information and time to consult with medical experts about the drug combination, but the judge ruled in favor of moving forward with the execution.
Honie was convicted of killing Claudia Benn in 1998. The execution is set for August 8 at the Utah State Correctional Facility in Salt Lake City. Honie’s failed appeals included arguments about his mental illness and substance abuse not being raised during sentencing.
Under current state law in Utah, executions are typically done by lethal injection, but can revert to a firing squad as a backup method if necessary. This decision comes after the temporary suspension of the death penalty by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1972.