Utah Judge Sets Execution Date for Taberon Dave Honie
A Utah judge has set an August date for the execution of Taberon Dave Honie, convicted in the 1998 killing of a 49-year-old woman. After decades of failed appeals, Honie is set to be executed on August 8, marking the first public execution in Utah since 2010.
Defense attorneys raised concerns about a new lethal injection drug combination, with Honie’s attorney stating that there was insufficient time to assess the drugs before the scheduled execution. The proposed drug combination includes fentanyl, potassium chloride, and ketamine, with concerns raised about the lack of information provided by the state.
Despite objections from the defense, Judge Jeffrey Wilcox sided with the state, stating that there was no legal reason to delay the execution further. Honie was convicted of aggravated murder for the brutal killing of Claudia Benn in 1998.
Utah has executed seven people since the reinstatement of the death penalty, with Honie’s execution set to take place at the Utah State Correctional Facility in Salt Lake City.
Despite failed appeals, Honie’s execution date has been set, highlighting the ongoing debate around the death penalty in the United States.