Estimated read time: 1-2 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
PROVO — A new judge has been assigned to the case of a man charged with killing a young couple from Eureka and dumping their bodies down an abandoned mine shaft after his attorneys said the prior judge showed bias and had a conflict of interest.
Presiding Judge James Brady on Tuesday assigned the case to 4th District Judge Derek Pullan, court records show. Documents don't indicate the reason for the transfer.
Jerrod Baum's defense attorneys alleged in court filings last month that 4th District Judge Christine Johnson gave Baum's girlfriend, Morgan Henderson, incentive to testify in his murder trial by agreeing to allow her to go free once Baum's case is resolved. His attorneys argued the judge improperly met with prosecutors, who disputed the allegation.
Johnson sentenced Henderson in October to three years in jail for lying to authorities after she saw Baum drive Riley Powell, 18, and Brelynne "Breezy" Otteson, 17, to an abandoned mine. Police say he slit their throats and discarded their bodies there on Dec. 30.
As part of a plea bargain with prosecutors, Henderson, 35, of Mammoth, pleaded guilty to 10 counts of obstructing justice, a second-degree felony.
Baum, of Eureka, is charged with two counts of aggravated murder and two counts of aggravated kidnapping. The murder charges carry a possible death sentence if he is convicted.
Prosecutors last month said Johnson has acted properly in both cases and has done a good job.
