The Ask. Ponder. Educate. [X]. event on Oct. 29, 2026 featured a live court case. The Great Hall at the Hunter Alumni center hosted the Utah Court of Appeals. They heard the State v. Lessing case.
The Utah Court of Appeals judges over the case were Judge Gregory K. Orme, Judge Michele M. Christiansen Forster, and Associate Presiding Judge David N. Mortensen.
The defendant was convicted on child abuse homicide and obstructing justice after four other prior cases, including drug possession, possessing a stolen gun and a DUI. The court ordered that his sentences must be served consecutively to his new prison sentence. This means that the sentences would be served one after the other rather than all at the same time.
The defendant appealed the charges on three issues, including that the court could not order him to serve consecutively, his probation expired so the court did not have the authority to terminate his probation and that the state could not prove that he acted recklessly, which challenged his child abuse homicide conviction.
“The recklessness is a fiction right out of the gate,” said Lessing’s attorney.
The state argued against these claims. Regarding the reckless argument, doctors claimed that the child’s injuries were more severe than those argued by the defendant.
Ultimately, the judges will take the matter under advisement and make a decision.
For more information on the case, visit the A.P.E.X website or the Utah State Courts website.
Author: Emily Johnson
Photo courtesy of Southern Utah University
Editor: Conner Dean
life@suunews.net