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PROVO — For the third day in a row, the prosecution's star witness continued to testify Wednesday about the brutal stabbing deaths of a young couple she said she witnessed at the hands of her former boyfriend.
Defense attorneys began their cross-examination of Morgan Lewis, questioning her on the events leading up to the killings. Jerrod Baum, 45, is accused of killing Riley Powell, 18, and Brelynne "Breezy" Otteson, 17, near Eureka in Juab County in 2017 before dropping their bodies down a mineshaft.
Lewis said Monday that Baum had cut her forearm during what she described as a "ritual," and said she became less combative toward him after that. She also said she became scared of her then-boyfriend, and was in over her head in the relationship.
Defense attorney Dallas Young directed the jury to a conversation between Lewis and a friend that they had over Facebook. In the conversation, Lewis said she had cut herself and spoke about the experience in a positive way.
Young mentioned in his opening statements Monday that the prosecution's case largely relies on Lewis' testimony and firsthand account of the killings, which he said were flawed and didn't match up with forensic evidence. He has also made note that Lewis pleaded guilty to 10 counts of felony obstruction of justice in 2018, after she had lied to police during the murder investigation.
Part of Lewis' plea agreement includes her being required to testify against Baum and comply with investigators. During cross-examination Wednesday, Lewis said that if she violates her plea agreement, she could be sent to prison.
On Tuesday, Lewis testified that Baum blamed her for the killings, as he had warned her previously that she was not supposed to have people around the house. On the day of the killings, she invited Powell over to their house because she said Baum was not supposed to be home that night and was staying with family.
She said she invited Powell over because she wanted to talk about Clint Miller, an ex-boyfriend of Lewis' and friend of Powell's who had died after a car crash. Lewis also testified this week that she and Powell had previously been romantic while Baum was in jail on an unrelated charge. She also told jurors that just before stabbing Powell, Baum asked him if he had slept with Lewis.
The jury was dismissed early Wednesday and the trial is scheduled to resume Thursday. If convicted, Baum could face a sentence of up to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Prosecutors had originally announced they would seek the death penalty in the case, but Utah County Attorney David Leavitt announced a few months ago that he had changed his mind, against the wishes of Otteson's family, and will no longer seek capital punishment in any future case.
In addition to two counts of aggravated murder, a first-degree felony, Baum is also on trial for two counts of aggravated kidnapping, a first-degree felony; two counts of desecration of a dead body, a third-degree felony; obstruction of justice, a second-degree felony; and possession of a dangerous weapon as a restricted person, a third-degree felony.
