Weber County Attorney

OGDEN — Lawyers for Trece gang members had a tumultuous first day in the trial of the city’s anti-gang injunction, succeeding only in angering the judge with last-minute motions.

The trial is scheduled to run all week and will determine if the Ogden Trece injunction, meant to curtail activities of the city’s oldest street gang, is made permanent.

“That’s a joke. I’m almost offended by that,” 2nd District Judge Ernie Jones said in response to attorney Mike Boyle’s arguments for naming Weber County Attorney Dee Smith as a witness in the case. Doing so would have effectively removed Smith from prosecuting the trial.

OGDEN — Unlikely as it seems, a sentence of three years to life in prison was a small victory for a 19-year-old sex offender recently in 2nd District Court.

Swaycee Heart Hoke, of Riverdale, pleaded guilty in July to charges of object rape of a child, a case which violated the terms of her probation on a prior conviction for theft and drug possession.

Hoke’s defense attorney then spent considerable time over an eight-month period locating and arguing in court for the release of confidential files for both his client and the child victim of the sex offenses.

OGDEN — More than 300 Democrats turned out Saturday to choose their state delegates, listen to candidates’ speeches and get revved up for November.

“We’re going to go out and change this state,” said Jim Dabakis, Utah State Democratic Party chairman.

OGDEN — With a large contingent of Matthew David Stewart’s supporters looking on, a judge scheduled the first public airing of the evidence against Stewart in a fatal shootout with police.

Second District Judge Noel Hyde set Stewart’s preliminary hearing for July 18-20 on charges from the Jan. 4 gunfight that left one officer dead and five wounded.

OGDEN — A Weber State University employee has been arrested by campus police on suspicion of stealing $600 to $700 from the Shepherd Union.

OGDEN -- Weber County Attorney Dee Smith complained today about what he termed the shenanigans of one of Matthew Stewart's defense attorneys.

"There's been some shenanigans going on in this case by one of the attorneys. The word shenanigans is the best way to describe it."

Specifically, Smith complains about motions filed by defense attorney Randy Richards that ask for evidence in the case and implying that prosecutors have something to hide.

 OGDEN — Sixteen marijuana plants were found inside the home of Matthew David Stewart, who is accused of killing an Ogden police officer and wounding five others in a Jan. 4 shootout, according to Weber County prosecutors.