A former Bountiful architect who lost a Utah Supreme Court appeal of his 1986 child sexual abuse conviction was allowed to remain free on bail Tuesday for another few weeks.
Second District Judge Rodney S. Page agreed Tuesday to allow A. Brett Bullock, who now lives in Murray, to remain free on bail to pursue his appeal.Bullock's attorney, Craig S. Cook, asked Page for the extension, saying although his appeal was denied, he plans to ask the state Supreme Court for a rehearing, meaning the appeal process is not finished yet.
Bullock asked for another two to three weeks, saying when he was released from prison to pursue his appeal, he began working as an architect again. The state court's decision two weeks ago came unexpectedly, Bullock said, asking for time to complete two projects and turn others over to a fellow architect.
Page agreed that Bullock has not exhausted his appeal process and has a legal right to petition the state Supreme Court for a rehearing, especially in light of the court's 3-2 decision against him.
And, the judge noted, Bullock has complied with the conditions Page set down when he set a $40,000 bail. Those conditions are still in effect, the judge said.
Bullock was convicted in December 1986 on six first-degree felony counts of sodomy upon a child and aggravated sexual abuse of a child involving four children in his eastside Bountiful bench neighborhood between 1984 and 1986.
Page sentenced him to a minimum mandatory prison term of 15 years and Bullock appeared in court this week for a new sentencing hearing.