Arguments on Letter in Allgier Case Heard by Utah Supreme Court
April 13, 2011
Utah: Salt Lake City: Curtis Allgier, 31, has been in jail since 2007. He is facing many charges, these including aggravated murder, aggravated escape, aggravated robbery and three counts of aggravated attempted murder. These charges are all first-degree felonies and derive from the killing of corrections officer Stephen Anderson, whom Allgier allegedly shot in the head and chest during an escape attempt during an out-of-prison medical appointment in 2007.[1]
Recently a letter, known as the "Cobb Letter," sent from a Salt Lake County Jail inmate by the name of Brett Cobb to a judge regarding the capital murder case of Curtis Allgier, has come to the Utah Supreme Court for debate.
The "Cobb Letter" includes Salt Lake County Jail inmate Brett Cobb's affirmation that Curtis Allgier "verbally admitted to me that he 'shot' and 'killed' a transportation officer whom worked at the Utah State Prison!"[2] Cobb also went on to write that Allgier claimed to have shot Stephen Anderson in the chest and stomach, and that Cobb is afraid of Allgier, "as he has made 'death threats' to me that if I said anything to anyone or ever told on him, he would kill me and my mother!"[2]
In 2009, former Utah Third Judicial District Judge Sheila K. McCleve made a decision stating that the letter written by Cobb was considered public record and could be released for public knowledge. Allgier's attorneys appealed this decision on Wednesday, April 13 before the Utah Supreme Court, arguing that the contents of the letter could lead to an unfair trial.[3]
However, multiple justices have voiced that they feel the information contained in the "Cobb Letter" is already public knowledge. This being very apparent, especially after Judge McCleve's order, which is public knowledge and included quotes and excerpts from the "Cobb Letter." Furthermore, there is already a lot of sensational information surrounding the case that the justices feel that a re-release of the letter will not have that much of an impact. The justices also went on to state that the jury, after being questioned thoroughly, would be asked to ignore the letter during the trial.[3]
If Allgier is convicted, the Salt Lake County District Attorney's Office has stated that it will seek the death penalty.[2]
External links
- Deseret News-Judge asks high court to allow him to reconsider Curtis Allgier ruling-March 23, 2011
- Deseret News-Appeal to Utah Supreme Court could delay Allgier trial for another year-March 21, 2011
- Deseret News-Judge denies new attorneys for Curtis Allgier's murder trial-February 24, 2011
Footnotes
- ↑ www.cncpunishment.com-Judge denies new attorneys for Curtis Allgier's murder trial-2/24/2011
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Deseret News-Utah Supreme Court hears arguments on letter in Curtis Allgier case-April 13, 2011
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 fox13now.com-Utah Supreme Court hears arguments on letter in Curtis Allgier case-April 13, 2011
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Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: District of Utah • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: District of Utah
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