Retiring prosecutor leaves his prints on legal system

0 Comments | Deseret News (Salt Lake City), Jun 20, 2009 | by Sara Israelsen-Hartley Deseret News

If he's feeling more mellow, there's always the family's Celtic band, Aberdeen, with his two daughters.

But his sonorous skills are not what others remember most about the curly haired prosecutor.

"When it came to so many different issues that prosecutors face, (Horton) was just such a brain trust," said Emery County Attorney David Blackwell. "I would get on the phone and call him and he would have an answer, or he'd let you know where you could find an answer in a short amount of time. He was very valuable that way."

Blackwell first worked with Horton in 1993 on the murder of Utah Highway Patrol trooper Dennis "Dee" Lund, who was shot by an Indiana teenager. Due to the defendant's age and some complicated mental health defense issues, Horton stepped in to offer his expertise, Blackwell said.

"The thing I liked about him, he came down and he helped, but he didn't take over (the) case," he said, "even though he had more experience."

"From then on, he was a friend and a colleague that I really treasured," Blackwell continued. "I'm happy for him, for his retirement, but, man, we're going to miss him."

E-mail: sisraelsen@desnews.com