UtahUtah murder law treats grave-risk deaths as murder
Utah law treats knowingly creating a grave risk of death as murder if someone dies, without requiring a specific intent to kill that person.
What it does
Knowingly creating a grave risk of death that kills someone may count as murder when the conduct shows depraved indifference to human life, even if a different person dies.
Argument forJuries may consider a murder charge when someone knowingly creates a grave risk of death and a person dies, even without proof of a specific intended victim.
Argument againstBecause the person who dies need not be the person put at risk, the rule could expose someone to a murder conviction when a different person dies.
More detail
Utah law treats knowingly engaging in grave-risk conduct that causes a death as murder when the circumstances show depraved indifference to human life. The rule applies even when the person who dies is not the person specifically put at risk. The conduct must knowingly create a grave risk of death and cause a death. The circumstances must show depraved indifference to human life. The law takes effect May 6, 2026.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Mar 24Governor Spencer Cox SignedBecame Law
- Mar 11House/ to GovernorTo Governor
- Mar 11House/ received enrolled bill from PrintingMinor
- Mar 5House/ enrolled bill to Printing
- Mar 5Enrolled Bill Returned to House or SenateMinor
- Mar 5Draft of Enrolled Bill Prepared
- Mar 5Bill Received from House for EnrollingMinor
- Mar 3House/ signed by Speaker/ sent for enrollingMajor
- Vote recorded Senate/ passed 3rd reading. Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 3House/ received from SenateMinor
- Mar 3Senate/ to House
- Mar 3Senate/ signed by President/ returned to HouseMajor
- Mar 3Senate/ passed 3rd readingPassed Senate
- Mar 3Senate/ 3rd readingMinor
- Feb 26Senate/ 2nd readingMinor
- Feb 26Senate/ comm rpt/ placed on Consent Calendar [Senate Judiciary, Law Enforcement, and Criminal Justice Committee]
- Feb 26Senate Comm - Consent Calendar Recommendation [Senate Judiciary, Law Enforcement, and Criminal Justice Committee]
- Feb 26Senate Comm - Favorable Recommendation [Senate Judiciary, Law Enforcement, and Criminal Justice Committee]Minor
- Feb 23Senate/ to standing committee [Senate Judiciary, Law Enforcement, and Criminal Justice Committee]Minor
- Feb 20Senate/ 1st reading (Introduced)Minor
- Feb 19Senate/ received from HouseMinor
- Vote recorded House/ passed 3rd reading. Result: pass.Lower
- Feb 19House/ to Senate
- Feb 19House/ passed 3rd readingPassed House
- Feb 19House/ 3rd readingMinor
- Feb 12House/ 2nd readingMinor
- Feb 12House/ committee report favorable [House Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Committee]Minor
- Feb 11House Comm - Favorable Recommendation [House Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Committee]Minor
- Feb 9House/ to standing committee [House Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Committee]Minor
- Jan 23House/ received fiscal note from Fiscal AnalystMinor
- Jan 23LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HB0284
- Jan 23LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0284
- Jan 20House/ 1st reading (Introduced)Minor
- Jan 20House/ received bill from Legislative ResearchMinor
- Jan 19LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HB0284
- Jan 19LFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HB0284
- Jan 19Numbered Bill Publicly Distributed
- Jan 19Bill Numbered but not DistributedIntroduced
Criminal Justice