USA - Utah. The Senate passed bill HB202 that would speed the process for appealing death sentences

The Senate passed 27-0 bill HB202 that would streamline and speed the process for appealing death sentences. The bill now goes to the governor. The measure would allow a death-row inmate to get one post-conviction appeal during which the offender would need to raise all arguments for overturning the sentence. It would also be the only appeal in which the convict could use state-paid defense attorneys. After that, the only way the condemned inmate could get another appeal would be if new evidence came to light that a judge believed could alter the case’s outcome. Rep. Kay McIff, R-Richfield, a retired judge who sponsored the bill, had argued that appeals in some death sentences — such as for Ronnie Lee Gardner, who was executed last year — take far too long, up to 25 years. (see also Jan. 27 and Feb. 1).