Criminal Justice (Policing)

SB 105 amends Utah's self-defense laws to limit when a person can claim justification for using force. It removes the defense if someone causes injury or death to an innocent person while using force against another individual, and denies pretrial hearings for defendants charged with reckless or negligent harm to others during such incidents. The bill specifically targets cases where the defendant’s claimed self-defense against one person results in unintended harm to a third party. These changes affect criminal defendants in Utah who attempt to use self-defense as a legal justification but are charged with causing harm to an unrelated individual. The amendments take effect on May 6, 2026.