3 motions filed to prevent Chad Daybell from facing death penalty during trial

MERIDIAN, Idaho — The legal team for Chad Daybell have filed three motions to remove the death penalty as a possibility in his murder trial next year.

Daybell is accused of killing his former wife Tammy Daybell and the children of his current wife Lori Vallow Daybell, who was already found guilty of the murders but wasn’t eligible to be sentenced to die for her crimes and instead was sentenced to life in prison without parole.

Chad Daybell was born and raised in Springville, Utah, and graduated from Brigham Young University. He became a writer and speaker and met Lori Vallow Daybell at a conference in St. George, Utah.

All three documents, from Chad Daybell’s attorney John Prior, were filed Thursday to Judge Steven Boyce, who also oversaw the Vallow Daybell trial.

The first motion filed to strike the death penalty said its use would be arbitrary, capricious and disproportionate because the death penalty was taken off the table for his current wife. The claim notes that Idaho charged the couple as co-defendants in the deaths of Tammy Daybell, Tylee Ryan and J.J. Vallow and claims it’s unfair to try to execute one but not both.

The motion claims the prosecution continues to seek the death penalty against Chad Daybell because he waived his right to a speedy trial while Lori Vallow Daybell did not. The couple has different counsel. 

Please read Larry D. Curtis‘ full story at KSLTV.com.