Gunman who shot driver during Provo protest gets full prison sentence

PROVO — A judge on Monday ordered Jesse Taggart to serve consecutive prison sentences for shooting one man and threatening others with a gun during a 2020 Black Lives Matter protest in Provo.

Fourth District Judge Kraig Powell said “the events of this case are a tragedy,” with a jury finding that Taggart “intentionally and knowingly” fired his gun.

He ordered Taggart, 39, to serve a term of 15 years to life in prison for attempted aggravated murder, a first-degree felony, and two terms of zero to five years in prison for aggravated assault and riot, third-degree felonies. The judge ordered the sentences to run consecutively.

“The evidence of Mr. Taggart’s comments and attitude at that time all indicate … that this was a serious attempt to commit aggravated murder,” Powell said.

Powell declined a request from defense attorney Spencer Thomas to sentence him instead to probation or a shorter minimum prison term — which the law said would require a judge to find a lesser sentence was in the interest of justice. The judge said he tried to consider both the law and principles of equality and justice in his decision.

“This is a difficult decision for the court because of its gravity and the lives that this decision will affect,” he said.

Lost sense of safety

Taggart was found guilty in relation to crimes during three different interactions at the June 29, 2020, Black Lives Matter protest in Provo with individuals who were in cars and found themselves in the middle of the protest while driving elsewhere. Taggart fired his gun multiple times, hitting and injuring Ken Dudley.

Dudley said he remembers wondering if he would survive as he drove to the hospital after being shot. He was going about his day, heading to Home Depot, when “in an instant,” Dudley said he lost his sense of safety and security.

“I still carry the physical and emotional weight of that moment,” he said.

Dudley also described the toll from the shooting on his family, and asked for justice for their sake. Although he said he believes in forgiveness, that does not remove the need for accountability and justice.

“Mr. Taggart’s actions were calculated. … For the safety of our family, our community and to uphold the value of human life, there must be a significant consequence,” he said.

Dudley’s wife and daughter also spoke Monday about the ongoing trauma the event has caused to their family over the last five years. His daughter said their world “looks totally different” now.

“Civil discourse ends when violence begins,” deputy Utah County attorney Spencer Wyatt said. He pointed to the jury’s unanimous verdict that Taggart’s actions were not justified and that he was violent on multiple occasions. He recommended a prison sentence.

“Mr. Taggart remains a danger to the community because he’s using the same thinking patterns today,” the prosecutor said.

‘Sorry for the consequences’

Taggart spoke in court on Monday about his time learning to fire a gun and hunt while in the Scouting program. He wiped tears from his eyes as he talked about his childhood and his family. He said he wanted to become someone who was trusted and counted on.

He apologized for a miscommunication at the protest and said he “should have communicated with the demonstrators” about what he would do. He said that by not helping them get on the same page, he “failed everyone at the demonstration,” adding, “I was a sheep,” going with the flow rather than vetting the situation.

“I am sorry for the consequences left in my wake. … I should have listened to my gut telling me not to go,” he said.

Taggart was “continually seeing people of color dying at the hands of police officers” and said he wanted change “as soon as possible, especially before it reached someone I knew personally.”

He told those affected by the actions that he hopes they will forgive him and see how he has helped others.

“I’m very sorry I felt that hurt and pain would bring safety and protection,” Taggart said.

His attorney argued that Taggart should be granted probation, but if the judge decided prison was appropriate, he asked the judge to consider a term of six years to life.

The judge granted a motion Thomas filed ahead of the sentencing to combine the charge for attempted aggravated murder with a charge for felony discharge of a firearm, a second-degree felony, for sentencing as the two charges were from the same shot.

Taggart’s siblings said they believe he was trying to protect and save people when he fired his gun during the protest.

“I do believe that he was working to save other people’s lives that day. I respect that the jury decided on that, but in my heart, and what I know of Jesse, that is what I believe,” Tenille Taggart said.

Jared Taggart said, “He saw himself as a man of strength to be there for the helpless and the defenseless. Jesse did not show up to commit murder, to commit a crime of any kind.”

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