Gov. Cox denies delay of Honie execution

SALT LAKE CITY — Gov. Spencer Cox has denied a request for reprieve from Taberon Honie’s attorneys. Honie is set to be executed by lethal injection on Thursday. 

In a letter the governor wrote, “After thorough review, I am denying your request for a temporary reprieve … This is not an authority I take lightly. I have evaluated your concerns and other facts surrounding Mr. Honie’s case prior to issuing my decision.

“In making this decision, I am mindful of the fact that Mr. Honie has had every opportunity to challenge his sentence since it was imposed 25 years ago, in litigation and before the Board of Pardons and Parole. It is my understanding that Mr. Honie has exhausted his appeals before our state courts.”

Honie’s attorneys argued that lethal injection is “an experimental cocktail of drugs.” 

The Utah Department of Corrections released a statement on Monday that said in part, “…we consulted with medical professionals on several different combinations before determining the best method would be the originally proposed three-drug combination.”

Honie was convicted and sentenced to death for the murder of his ex-girlfriend’s mother in 1999. 

This is a breaking news story will be updated as information becomes available.

Related: 

• Death row inmate Taberon Honie receives final ruling: appeal denied
• Utah requests execution of death row inmate