Latest news with #MaurineHunsaker
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
Victim's family reacts to convicted killer being ruled competent to be executed
SALT LAKE CITY () — Ralph Leroy Menzies, a Utah man convicted of kidnapping, robbing, and killing a woman in the 1980s, is competent to be executed, a court ruled. It's been nearly four decades since a Utah woman and mother of three Maurine Hunsaker was kidnapped and killed. Her family says after the judge's decision on Friday, justice is being served. 'She was my world, she was everything to me and that's why for all these years I've never given up the fight because of what she meant to me and what I lost,' her son Matt Hunsaker told It is a fight Hunsaker has been chasing for nearly four decades. 'The system has failed, 40 years, that's a long time,' Hunsaker said, referring to the nearly 40 years Menzies has been on death row. PREVIOUSLY: Court rules that convicted killer with dementia is competent to be executed On Friday, Judge Matthew Bates ruled Ralph Menzies is competent enough to be executed despite having dementia. This is news Hunsaker had been hopeful for. 'We were waiting for what was coming out and we knew it was a pivotal decision that was going to change lives honestly,' Hunsaker said. He also says it is bringing him relief. 'Wanting my mom to be proud of me for fighting as hard as I did. It helped my drive and kept me focused to make sure my mom is remembered,' Hunsaker said. Menzies has been on death row since 1988 for the murder of Hunsaker's mother, Maurine. She was kidnapped from her job at a convenience store in Kearns in 1986 and later found in Cottonwood Canyon, tied to a tree and with her throat slit. Matt was 10 years old at the time. Salt Lake City faces soaring water demand and officials urge conservation as summer nears 'He took from me I will never get back, and I will never stop fighting unless there is no fight to fight for,' Hunsaker said. On the other hand, Menzie's attorney, Lindsey Layer, says they plan to fight too, by appealing to the Utah Supreme Court. She said her 67-year-old client suffers from dementia and severe memory loss, which was the reason behind the competency hearing. Layer called it 'deeply troubling' that Utah plans to 'remove Menzie from his wheelchair and oxygen tank, strap him to an execution chair, and shoot him to death,' she said in a statement to However, Hunsaker said it is not just about punishment, it is about finally turning the page on a lifetime of loss. 'We were at peace either way, but now let's see this execution happen, let's get this over with, and let's let the family close this chapter and move on,' Hunsaker said. Hunsaker said he hopes this next phase of appeals goes quickly and he plans on showing up to any possible scheduled execution. Victim's family reacts to convicted killer being ruled competent to be executed Owner reunited with lost dog after 6 years: 'My heart was racing' New mammoth exhibit to open at Utah Natural History Museum on Saturday Residents react to 4.8 earthquake in Caliente, Nevada Escaped inmate known as 'Devil in the Ozarks' found a 'short distance' from prison: sheriff Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
Court rules that convicted killer with dementia is competent to be executed
SALT LAKE CITY () — The man who has been on death row for nearly 40 years after being convicted of killing a mother of three was found competent to be executed in court Friday, despite having dementia. The judge ordered that Ralph Leroy Menzies (67) failed to prove that his vascular dementia prevents him from understanding his punishment or the state's reasons for it, and because of that, he is competent to be executed, according to court documents obtained by PREVIOUSLY: Will convicted killer on death row for nearly 40 years be executed? Menzies' attorney provided a statement to about the ruling, which you can read below. We respectfully disagree with the Court's order and plan to appeal to the Utah Supreme Court. Ralph Menzies is a severely brain-damaged, wheelchair-bound, 67-year-old man with dementia and significant memory problems. He cannot understand the State's reasons for his execution. His dementia is progressive and he is not going to get better. It is deeply troubling that Utah plans to remove Mr. Menzies from his wheelchair and oxygen tank to strap him into an execution chair and shoot him to death.' Lindsey Layer, Attorney for Ralph Menzies Menzies was sentenced to death in 1988 for killing Maurine Hunsaker, a mother of three. Over the nearly 40 years he has been on death row, his attorneys have been appealing his sentencing. In late 2023, Menzies exhausted his direct and post-conviction appeals, and in , a hearing to issue a death warrant for Menzies was scheduled. However, Menzies . If someone is incompetent to be executed, that means that they are unable to rationally understand the reason why the state is executing them. In Menzies case, he claimed he was incompetent due to his dementia. The purpose of the hearing that took place on May 7 was not to determine whether he had dementia; all parties agreed that there was evidence that showed that he does have vascular dementia that impairs his daily life and thought, court documents said. Menzies' attorneys that his functioning had significantly declined since his last evaluation in 2010, but the state argued that Menzies had been able to recite the facts of the case, identify the victim as Maurine Hunsaker, and knew he had received a capital sentence and would be executed. Menzies is not the first person on death row to develop dementia. According to the AP, the U.S. Supreme Court in 2019 in Alabama. Menzies' attorney told that she intends to appeal this decision to the Utah Supreme Court, so there will be additional hearings in the future. If a death warrant is issued for Menzies, he will be executed by firing squad. , he selected the method of execution in 2004, before it was removed as an available method by the Utah State Legislature. Musk floats 'The American Party' after Trump tiff Myths VS Facts: What health officials want you to know about the MMR vaccine Good4Utah Road Tour: Willard Bay State Park Lori Vallow Daybell back in court, charged with conspiracy to murder ex nephew-in-law Man charged with assault for allegedly attacking and strangling neighbor Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Associated Press
3 days ago
- Associated Press
Utah judge rules a convicted killer with dementia is competent to be executed
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — A convicted killer in Utah who developed dementia while on death row for 37 years is competent enough to be executed, a state judge ruled late Friday. Ralph Leroy Menzies, 67, was sentenced to die in 1988 for killing Utah mother of three Maurine Hunsaker. Despite his recent cognitive decline, Menzies 'consistently and rationally understands' what is happening and why he is facing execution, Judge Matthew Bates wrote in a court order. 'Menzies has not shown by a preponderance of the evidence that his understanding of his specific crime and punishment has fluctuated or declined in a way that offends the Eighth Amendment,' which prohibits cruel and unusual punishments, Bates said. Menzies had previously selected a firing squad as his method of execution. He would become only the sixth U.S. prisoner executed by firing squad since 1977. The Utah Attorney General's Office is expected to file a death warrant soon. Menzies' lawyers, who had argued his dementia was so severe that he could not understand why he was being put to death, said they plan to appeal the ruling to the state Supreme Court. 'Ralph Menzies is a severely brain-damaged, wheelchair-bound, 67-year-old man with dementia and significant memory problems,' his attorney, Lindsey Layer, said in a statement. 'It is deeply troubling that Utah plans to remove Mr. Menzies from his wheelchair and oxygen tank to strap him into an execution chair and shoot him to death.' The U.S. Supreme Court has spared others prisoners with dementia from execution, including an Alabama man in 2019 who had killed a police officer. Over nearly four decades, attorneys for Menzies filed multiple appeals that delayed his death sentence, which had been scheduled at least twice before it was pushed back. Hunsaker, a 26-year-old married mother of three, was abducted by Menzies from the convenience store where she worked. She was later found strangled and her throat cut at a picnic area in the Wasatch Mountains of northern Utah. Menzies had Hunsaker's wallet and several other belongings when he was jailed on unrelated matters. He was convicted of first-degree murder and other crimes. Matt Hunsaker, who was 10 years old when his mother was killed, said Friday that the family was overwhelmed with emotion to know that justice would finally be served.
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Yahoo
Deciding whether death row inmate Ralph Menzies is competent to be executed now left to judge
The son of a woman killed by Ralph Menzies told the judge he would accept his decision on whether Menzies remains competent to be executed. He just asked for the decision to be sent to the family before it is made public. Matt Hunsaker said throughout the hearing on Wednesday, as attorneys debated whether the Utah death row inmate is competent, his mother — Maurine Hunsaker — was mentioned once by her last name. He said he wanted her to be remembered as a mom and a grandma — he said he will be getting a granddaughter this year, and it is hard that his mom will not experience that. 'This man took my mom from a gas station where she was trying to work to support her family. … He tied her to a tree; he slit her throat. This was a brutal murder of a person whose life was shortened. We miss her. We love her,' he said. Hunsaker said the case has had a legacy of hearings, and hundreds of hours and piles of paperwork are dedicated to the question of whether Menzies is competent. He said the decision now left to the judge is of huge weight. Third District Judge Matthew Bates asked questions to the attorneys and was engaged during the hearing. He did not give an estimate for when he may make a decision, but he asked attorneys to send him the remaining things he needs to review soon. Assistant attorney general Daniel Boyer said that of the seven experts hired to evaluate Menzies, only the three he hired found him not competent enough to be executed. He argued they used an 'inflated and incorrect' legal standard to reach that conclusion. 'He clearly understands that he will be executed as punishment for the murder he was found to have committed, and that is all the Eighth Amendment requires,' the attorney said. Menzies' attorney, Lindsey Layer, said a knowledge of what he is convicted of, that he will be executed, and the method of execution is not enough understanding based on decisions made by the U.S. Supreme Court. She cited problems Menzies has renewing medications and running laundry machines a the prison — things he used to be able to do. She said the list of questions used by two evaluators gave cues that would help Menzies know how to answer, and that the statements don't show he has a rational understanding. Wednesday's oral argument hearing followed a multi-day testimony hearing in December, during which doctors discussed their evaluations and findings. Menzies, 67, was found guilty of murdering Maurine Hunsaker, a 26-year-old mother of three who worked at a gas station in Kearns, in 1986. She called to tell her husband she had been abducted, and her body was found in Big Cottonwood Canyon two days later. Prosecutors filed a motion to start the execution process in early 2024, but Menzies' attorneys asked for the process to be put on hold for an evaluation into whether he is still competent to be executed. His attorneys claim Menzies has dementia and no longer understands why the state wants to execute him.
CBS News
08-05-2025
- CBS News
Longtime death row inmate shouldn't be executed because he has dementia, lawyers argue
Salt Lake City — Attorneys for a Utah man who's been on death row for 37 years sought to convince a state judge Wednesday that the convicted murderer should be spared execution because he has dementia. Ralph Leroy Menzies appeared at the hearing, reports CBS Salt Lake City affiliate KUTV. Jasmine North, Federal Public Defender Mitigation Investigator, speaks with Ralph Leroy Menzies during his competency hearing in Third District Court in West Jordan, Utah, on Nov 18, 2024. Rick Egan / The Salt Lake Tribune via AP, Pool Menzies was sentenced to die in 1988 for the killing of Maurine Hunsaker, a mother of three. His attorneys said the 67-year-old inmate's dementia is so severe that he can't understand why he's facing execution. If he's deemed competent, Menzies could be the next U.S. prisoner executed by firing squad after the method was used on two South Carolina men in recent weeks: a man convicted of killing his ex-girlfriend's parents in 2001 and a man who killed an off duty police officer in 2004. Medical experts brought in by prosecutors have said Menzies still has the mental capacity to understand his situation, while those brought in by the defense said he doesn't. Prosecutor Daniel Boyer urged the judge Wednesday to move forward with the execution. The hearing was the last in Menzies' competency case. Judge Matthew Bates said he would have a decision within the next 60 days. Lindsey Layer, a lawyer for Menzies, described how the inmate often forgets to renew his medications and can no longer do laundry because, she said, he has forgotten how washing machines work. She compared his aptitude at using a tablet to that of her 3-year-old child. "I imagine your 3-year-old also understands that if he sneaks a cookie out of the cookie jar, he's going to go on time out," Bates responded. "So it seems like what you're arguing is that Mr. Menzies' understanding of his impending execution needs to be more than that of a 3-year-old." Layer agreed. Menzies isn't the first person to receive a dementia diagnosis while awaiting execution. The U.S. Supreme Court in 2019 blocked the execution of a man with dementia in Alabama, ruling Vernon Madison was protected against execution under a constitutional prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment. Madison, who killed a police officer in 1985, died in prison in 2020. That case followed earlier Supreme Court rulings barring executions of people with severe mental illness. If a defendant cannot understand why they are dying, the Supreme Court said, then an execution is not carrying out the retribution that society is seeking. "It's not just about mental illness. It can be also the consequence of brain damage or stroke or dementia - the fundamental question being whether he has a rational understanding of the reasons he is being executed," said Robin Maher, executive director of the Death Penalty Information Center. More than half of all prisoners sentenced to death in the U.S. spend more than 18 years on death row, according to the organization. Menzies earlier chose a firing squad as his method of execution. Utah death row inmates sentenced before May 2004 were given a choice between that and lethal injection. For inmates sentenced in the state after that date, lethal injection is the default method of execution unless the drugs are unavailable. Since 1977, only five prisoners in the U.S. have been executed by firing squad. Three were in Utah, most recently in 2010, and the others in South Carolina. Only three other states - Idaho, Mississippi and Oklahoma - allow the execution method. Hunsaker, a 26-year-old married mother of three, was abducted by Menzies from the gas station where she worked. She was later found strangled and her throat cut at a picnic area in the Wasatch Mountains of northern Utah. Menzies had Hunsaker's wallet and several other belongings when he was jailed on unrelated matters. He was convicted of first-degree murder and other crimes. Over nearly four decades, attorneys for Menzies filed multiple appeals that delayed his death sentence, which had been scheduled at least twice before it was pushed back. Matt Hunsaker, who was 10 years old when his mother was killed, testified Wednesday that the ongoing case has caused his family emotional turmoil. He expressed gratitude that it might finally be over soon. "This has gone on for decades," he said. "Thirty-nine years, two months and nine days ago, my mom was murdered. We miss her. We love her." Hunsaker told KUTV there's "kind of a void in the whole family. It's hard to see that it's the short 10 years that I had with her and how amazing and how much she made me the person that I am." Hunsaker's grandmother attended every hearing until her death, advocating for justice for her daughter. "She was a firm believer that she wanted him executed for what he did," Matt Hunsaker remarked to the station. "In her mind, and in her soul that was what needed to be done."
