Chief Utah Surpreme Court Justice Gordon Hall on Monday ordered state and defense attorneys to determine what material is missing from convicted killer Ronald Lafferty's trial transcripts and provide it to the high court.
The justices are considering whether to reopen portions of Lafferty's initial appeal - rejected a year ago - because the court did not have the complete trial transcripts.Lafferty's attorneys say up to 550 pages of transcripts the court did not see concerned their client's competency to stand trial, his waiver of an insanity defense and his ability to assist his lawyer during the 1985 trial.
Lafferty, 46, was sentenced to die for the July 24, 1984, throat-slashing deaths of his sister-in-law, Brenda Wright Lafferty, and her 15-month-old daughter, Erica.