Ogden, Utah • A state lawmaker wants Utah to study the costs of capital punishment and determine whether it’s cheaper to keep an inmate in prison for life.
The proposal came as advocates prepare to make another push next year to eliminate the death penalty in the state.
State Rep. Stephen Handy, a Republican from Layton, plans a bill seeking a detailed price tag on capital punishment.
Handy told the Standard-Examiner that he’s not sure what purpose executions serve, “except for payback or from a vengeance standpoint,” and questions whether they’re worth the money.