Utah State Senate

Brandon Beckham, 50, a former Republican candidate for Utah's District 23 Senate seat, has been sentenced to 364 days in jail, with credit for four days served, after being convicted of forcible sexual abuse. A potential one-to-15-year prison term for the second-degree felony was suspended, and Beckham will serve 48 months of probation.

Beckham was initially charged in March 2022 with three counts of forcible sexual abuse stemming from a June 2021 incident involving a social acquaintance. Prosecutors said he pinned the victim to the ground and forcibly undressed her while she repeatedly told him to stop. The case went through two mistrials, in January and later that year, before a third trial in August ended with a jury finding him guilty on one count and not guilty on two others. The sentencing closes out a prolonged legal process that unfolded alongside, and after, his unsuccessful 2022 state senate campaign.

Utah officials and public safety agencies issued tributes marking 25 years since the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people. Governor Spencer Cox noted that more than 100 million Americans are now too young to remember that day, emphasizing that "never forget" means telling the story and honoring the unity that followed the tragedy. The Utah Senate, Senate President J. Stuart Adams, and Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall echoed calls to remember victims and first responders while carrying forward the sense of national unity that emerged afterward. Mendenhall encouraged residents to mark the day through community volunteering.

Law enforcement and fire agencies across the state, including the Cache County, Summit County, and Utah County Sheriff's Offices and the Ogden Police Department, honored the first responders who died and those who continue to carry the day's impact. The Washington City Fire Department held its annual memorial stair climb in St. George, commemorating the 343 firefighters and 60 officers killed, describing it as a tribute to their courage and sacrifice.