Doug Lovell

OGDEN — The defense has filed the long-awaited bid to suppress Doug Lovell’s sworn 1993 testimony from the stand describing how he killed a South Ogden woman.

Lovell was sentenced to death after that hearing, in which he detailed strangling Joyce Yost.

OGDEN — A judge has denied death row candidate Doug Lovell’s request for a new lead defense attorney and set Lovell’s trial for early in 2014.

Lovell is charged with capital homicide in the 1985 murder of Joyce Yost, of South Ogden. He took the stand at his 1993 sentencing hearing to describe the murder in detail. The case was sent back to Ogden 2nd District Court by the Utah Supreme Court two years ago and Lovell was allowed to withdraw his guilty plea after years of appeals.

Currently Lovell is complaining about his lead public defender, Michael Bouwhuis. In a letter to 2nd District Judge Michael Lyon dated Aug. 1, Lovell wrote, “During the last few months, the relationship between Mr. Bouwhuis and I has reached a point of complete and utter breakdown in communication and trust.”

OGDEN — Doug Lovell would like one hand free for the coming hearings on his bid to avoid the death penalty.

In a motion asking that “defendant be unshackled during extended hearings,” his public defenders argue Lovell’s right to “effective assistance of counsel” includes the client’s ability to take notes during hearings to communicate with counsel.

OGDEN -- Doug Lovell's lawyers remain close-mouthed about how they plan to defend a man who testified on the stand under oath how and why he killed a South Ogden woman in 1985.

A scheduling conference Thursday in 2nd District Court for Lovell resulted in setting another scheduling conference for Jan. 12.

OGDEN -- Doug Lovell's first hearing on the latest turn in his 26-year prosecution that once had him on death row is set for next month.

Lovell is currently serving a 15-years-to-life sentence for the 1985 rape of Joyce Yost, of South Ogden. She disappeared that year, and he was charged with her murder in 1992.

A year later, he pleaded guilty to the slaying and was sentenced to death. Lovell detailed in sworn testimony at his sentencing hearing his killing of the 39-year-old Yost, meant to prevent her from testifying to the rape.

OGDEN -- With affirmation of Jewell Hendricks' murder trial, next month will see the beginning of an onslaught of murder cases in 2nd District Court.