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Show , Laf f erty gets new execution date Condemned murder Ronald V Watson Lafferty has a new execution date - June 24 - when he is scheduled to die by firing squad. And so far no one knows if Lafferty will file an appeal of the latest effort to carry out the death sentence imposed on the former Highland resident for the July 1984 deaths of his sister-in-law, Brenda Wright Lafferty, and her 15-month-old daughter, Ericka. jf. Lafferty, who claimed he com-C com-C mitted the murders on the orders of c God, has expressed frustration with ).. judicial system throughout his il trial, and a hearing last Friday to set . a new court date was no exception. Appearing before Judge Boyd Park, Lafferty uttered obscenities and disrupted the court several times throughout the proceedings. When asked if he preferred to die by lethal injection or firing squad, the two modes of death now offered in Utah, Lafferty replied, "That's one hell of a choice, isn't it? I guess old age isn't a choice, huh?" Since Lafferty refused to make a choice at Friday's proceedings, Judge Park settled on the firing squad - the choice Lafferty made when he was first sentenced to die by a 12-member jury in 1985. Lafferty represented himself at the proceedings, after dismissing public defender Mike Esplin. Esplin told Judge Park that Lafferty had said he no longer wanted to be represented by Mr. Esplin, but said he would offer Lafferty help in preparing documents to appeal the death sentence if Lafferty asked for it. But it is unknown if Lafferty, who expressed disatisfaction with the judicial system throughout his trial, will be willing to go through the legal motions to initiate an appeal. For instance, Lafferty told Judge Park Friday, "You sentenced me to death once. I didn't argue with it. You didn't go through with it. Now you can't do it again because that's double jeopardy." Lafferty's first appointment with the firing squad was postponed because of an automatic appeal of all death sentences in Utah. But the Utah Supreme Court upheld Lafferty's death sentence in ( January and denied a petition for a re-hearing. Since no appeal was signed after that decision, Judge Park was required by law to sign a new death warrant for Lafferty Friday. Lafferty's brother, Dan, who was also convicted of the murders in a separate trial, is serving a life term in the Utah State Prison. |