Utah Sets Execution Date for Taberon Dave Honie, Convicted of Assaulting and Murdering Ex-Girlfriend's Mother

A judge in Utah has scheduled the execution of Taberon Dave Honie.

Honie was convicted of the 1998 murder of 49-year-old Claudia Benn.

His execution is set for August 8, 2024.

This is coming after numerous failed appeals over the years and will mark Utah's first public execution since Ronnie Lee Gardner was executed by firing squad in 2010.

Honie, who is now 48, has been embroiled in continuous legal battles. 

During a recent court hearing his lawyer, Eric Zuckerman, claimed that the defense was notified only last Friday about a new and "experimental" combination of lethal injection drugs.

Zuckerman claimed this limited notice did not provide enough time to properly evaluate the drugs or allow Honie to make an informed decision.

Honie was convicted in 1999 of aggravated murder for the brutal killing of Claudia Benn on July 9, 1998. 

Court documents reveal that Honie, then 22, forcibly entered Benn’s home in Cedar City, Utah, and attacked her while her three granddaughters and daughter were present. 

He slashed Benn's throat multiple times before stabbing her.

The death penalty in the U.S. was briefly suspended by the Supreme Court in 1972 but was reinstated in 1976. 

Since then, Utah has carried out seven executions, including four by lethal injection and three by firing squad.

Honie’s execution will take place at the Utah State Correctional Facility in Salt Lake City. 

His appeals argued that his trial attorney failed to address issues of his mental illness and substance abuse during sentencing. 

Under current Utah law, executions are carried out by lethal injection unless the necessary drugs are unavailable or another issue arises, in which case a firing squad may be used as a backup.

Claudia Benn's family has strongly urged Utah officials to move forward with Honie's execution, citing the profound emotional trauma caused by the crime and its impact on their lives.

Claudia Benn was a respected tribal council member, substance abuse counselor, and caregiver.

Honie, now seeking clemency, asked the Utah Parole Board to commute his death sentence to life imprisonment. 

He argued that he would never have committed the crime had he been in his right mind, blaming his actions on severe intoxication from alcohol and drugs. 

He expressed a desire to continue supporting his daughter and granddaughter.

The board is expected to make a decision in the coming days. 

No inmate has been executed in Utah since Ronnie Lee Gardner's firing squad execution in 2010. 

Honie is one of seven inmates currently on death row in the state.

During the clemency hearing, Honie’s defense presented testimony about his troubled upbringing, including exposure to trauma and substance abuse. 

They argued that these factors, combined with his long history of drug abuse, influenced his behavior at the time of the crime. 

However, the state's attorneys argued that the severity of the attack and Honie's premeditated actions did not warrant clemency.

Honie’s request for clemency was ultimately rejected, as the board found no sufficient reason to change his sentence. 

State attorneys highlighted that the judge who sentenced Honie had already considered his remorse, troubled background, and intoxication at the time of the trial.

As the execution date draws near, discussions about Honie’s fate continue 

Deciding to go ahead with the execution shows how important it is to balance justice with considering a person’s past and their feelings of regret.

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