Among the worthy bills that died during Utah’s legislative session this year was H.B. 379, Death Penalty Amendments, sponsored by Rep. Gage Froerer, R-Huntsville. This bill would have prohibited the state “from seeking the death penalty for aggravated murder committed after May 7, 2018,” and also would have prohibited the state from seeking the death penalty for crimes committed before May 8, 2018 unless intent to seek the death penalty is filed before that date.

During an emotional hearing before the House Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Committee, committee member Rep. Paul Ray, R-Clearfield, said of the nine individuals who are on Utah’s Death Row, “Those people aren’t there because they’re nice, or they made a mistake. They’re there because they’re monsters.”

While the heinousness of the crimes that landed these people in prison is undeniable, and the need to remove them from society is without question, no agent of the state can pretend to have the ability to declare anyone an unredeemable monster. Ignoring the realities that can lead a person to kill and victimize others does no one any good. Acknowledging the humanity of even the worst offenders is critical for preventing more murder and victimization.

Rachel Carter, Salt Lake City