State v. Taylor
State v. Taylor, 2023 UT App 133 (Luthy, J.)
Criminal
Defendant was convicted of witness tampering. The district court arrested judgment concluding that there was insufficient evidence that the defendant had the requisite mental state. The State appealed. The Utah Court of Appeals reversed, holding:
- The district court erred when it failed to view the evidence in the light most favorable to the verdict. The evidence was sufficient to support that the defendant had the requisite mental state.
- Practice tip: Utah Code Section 76-8-508(1)(b) can be satisfied even if a defendant holds a genuine belief that a witness is lying, as long as the defendant “attempts to induce or otherwise cause” the witness to “withhold any testimony.”
