House rejects bill to require teens accused of murdering police to be tried as adults

The Utah House rejected Thursday a bill that would have required teens accused of murdering an on-duty officer to be tried as adults.

Rep. Mike Winder said he pushed HB190 — which failed on a 13-53 vote — at the request of the family of slain West Valley City Police Officer Cody Brotherson. Three teens — ages 15 and 14 at the time — in a stolen car hit him as he was laying down spike strips to stop them.

“They are staying in juvenile detention and will be out at the age of 21,” said Winder, a Republican from West Valley City.

Rep. Kelly Miles, R-South Ogden, said the bill is unneeded. “Our judges already have the ability of certifying a youth as an adult. They don’t need this additional tool to where they have to be treated as an adult.”

He added, “The system didn’t fail in this instance. Prosecutors chose not to certify the defendants as an adult…. It just means someone exercised their judgment.”

Rep. Lowry Snow, R-Santa Clara, said it often is not wise to change policy because of one instance, but to look at the larger picture.

But Winder argued it was a narrowly crafted bill to be used only in cases of the murder of a police officer. He argued it may help prevent older criminals from using teens for dirty work believing that they will simply go to juvenile detention.