After a decade of litigation, a federal judge has rejected Utah inmate Ron Lafferty’s challenge of his murder convictions and death sentence for the slayings of his sister-in-law and her baby daughter in 1984.
On Thursday, U.S. District Judge Dee Benson dismissed a petition that sought to vacate the convictions and sentence on the grounds that they violated Lafferty’s federal constitutional rights.
“This is a major milestone in terms of moving the case forward, at very long last,” Utah Assistant Solicitor General Andrew Peterson said.
Dale Baich, a federal defender who represents Lafferty, said he plans to appeal the decision to the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals.