- Santaquin Police Sgt. Bill Hooser's family asserted their speedy trial rights after delays in Michael Jayne's death penalty case.
- Jayne's defense team was solidified in a hearing on Wednesday after multiple delays.
PROVO — A two-day preliminary hearing for the man charged with killing Santaquin Police Sgt. Bill Hooser was initially scheduled for this week.
Instead, after multiple delays, a hearing on Wednesday solidified who his attorneys will be — 14 months after he was arrested.
Following the last hearing, when there was yet another delay in government contracts for Michael Jayne's attorneys, Hooser's wife and children asserted their rights to a speedy trial. In a document filed by deputy Utah County attorney Chad Grunander, the family asked for the preliminary hearing to be set at the earliest date the court has available.
Instead, 4th District Judge Thomas Low set another hearing on July 16 to schedule that preliminary hearing — a hearing where witnesses testify and Low will decide whether there is enough evidence for the case to go to trial. Jayne's attorneys said they are still working on getting county funding for hiring experts to testify at that hearing.
Jayne, 23, of Garrett, Indiana, is charged with nine felonies, including aggravated murder, a capital offense; two counts of attempted aggravated murder and aggravated kidnapping, first-degree felonies; burglary and three counts of theft, second-degree felonies; and failing to stop for an officer, a third-degree felony. Utah County prosecutors are seeking the death penalty.
Hooser and Utah Highway Patrol trooper Dustin Griffiths conducted a traffic stop on Jayne, who was driving an 18-wheeler semitruck on I-15 in Santaquin, when a woman jumped out of the truck and ran toward the officers. As the officers were preparing to take Jayne into custody, he pulled away in the truck, made a sharp U-turn and drove toward the officers, pinning Hooser against the UHP car, according to charging documents. He died on impact.
Jayne then ran away, stealing multiple vehicles before being arrested later that day, May 5, 2024, in Vernal.
He expressed that he had concerns about his defense team in a hearing last month.
"My life is at stake. I'm fighting for my life," he said.
But on Wednesday, he thanked his attorneys and said he gladly welcomed their help on his case.
Two of his attorneys, Rudy Bautista and JG Askar, were officially appointed on June 23 after multiple changes in who was lined up to be the second chair attorney and delays in setting up a contract with the county.
On Friday, Jayne asked for a private hearing where he could request new attorneys, and shortly after, his attorneys asked to withdraw. Those requests were canceled in Wednesday's hearing after Jonathan Nish, a third attorney, agreed to join the defense team.
Nish was previously considered as an attorney for Jayne but had backed out due to responsibilities at his firm. He assured Low on Wednesday that he had the backing of his firm, had resolved conflicts with Jayne and was ready to represent him in the death penalty case.
Jayne expressed that he had concerns with Askar's lack of experience on death penalty cases but did not have concerns about him being on the team as third chair when the judge asked about that possibility.
The private attorneys are being hired by Utah County to represent Jayne after the Utah County Public Defender's Office said it does not have enough attorneys to handle the death penalty case.
