A Utah judge has dismissed charges against a woman who shot her professional bull rider boyfriend, as she believed he was an intruder breaking into her home. The court determined at a hearing that she acted within legal justification when taking the man’s life.
Lashawn Denise Bagley, 23, was originally charged with the murder of Demetrius Allen, who was killed in Salt Lake City, Utah, on Sept. 12, 2022, after winning at the state fair. She was also charged with felony discharge of a firearm.
The incident was initially investigated as “domestic violence homicide.”
Officers from the Salt Lake Police Department arrived at Bagley’s apartment complex and found the 27-year-old, who performed under the name Ouncie Mitchell, wounded from gunfire. He was transported to a local hospital but did not survive.
After seeing “multiple bullet holes” in Bagley’s place of residency, SLPD took her into custody as a suspect and charged her with his death.
Detective Michelle Peterson stated Allen intended to retrieve his belongings from Bagley’s apartment but was shot upon arrival. A witness also said there was “no entry or attempted forced entry into the apartment” at that time.
After examining the evidence, Judge Mark Kouris affirmed on Wednesday, Jan. 3, at a justification hearing that the Bagley was justified in killing Allen. He emphasized that her knowledge of the intruder’s identity or the man’s belongings in her home didn’t affect her legal right to defend her residence.
A Utah law that took effect in 2021 allows defendants claiming self-defense to go before a judge up to 28 days before trial and present a case for dismissal of charges.
“She was justified in shooting the gun,” he said from the bench, dismissing nine counts of felony discharge of a firearm, one first-degree felony, and eight third-degree felonies, against her, according to KSL.com.
During the hearing, Salt Lake Police Detective Nathan Wiley…
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