Jesse Taggart is headed to prison for a long time after a Utah judge decided his role in a 2020 Black Lives Matter protest shooting in downtown Provo deserved more than a slap on the wrist.
Fourth District Judge Kraig Powell on Monday ordered Taggart to serve his prison terms back to back, not at the same time, after a jury found he shot and injured a man during the demonstration. Taggart, 39, was sentenced to 15 years to life for attempted aggravated murder, plus two additional zero-to-five-year terms for aggravated assault and riot. Powell said the shooting and the surrounding conduct justified consecutive sentences, which pushes back the earliest point when Taggart can even be considered for release.
Judge Turns Down Plea for a Break
According to KSL NewsRadio, Powell rejected a bid from defense attorney Spencer Thomas to give Taggart probation or a shorter minimum prison term. Instead, the judge granted a motion to merge the attempted aggravated murder count with a felony discharge-of-a-firearm charge for sentencing, concluding the evidence showed a serious attempt at aggravated murder, not something less. Powell said he worked to balance both the law and what he called “principles of equality and justice” in reaching his decision.
How the Protest Turned Violent
On June 29, 2020, protesters filled the intersection of Center Street and University Avenue in downtown Provo. Witnesses told investigators that a white SUV moved through the crowd and was approached by protesters. One protester ran to the passenger side and fired into the vehicle, hitting the driver.
As reported by Deseret News, video of the confrontation and public debate over how police handled the scene quickly followed. Prosecutors later said Taggart was involved in three separate interactions that night. The driver, Ken Dudley, was wounded and has since described ongoing physical and emotional fallout from the shooting.
Victim, Shooter and Families Confront the Aftermath
During sentencing, Dudley reminded the court that the incident did not end when the gunfire stopped. Citing its trial coverage, KSL NewsRadio reports Dudley said, “I still carry the physical and emotional weight of that moment.”
Taggart apologized in court, telling Powell, “I am sorry for the consequences left in my wake.” His relatives argued he went to the protest intending to help people, not to kill anyone. A jury, however, concluded that Taggart “intentionally and knowingly” fired his weapon, and those convictions set the stage for Monday’s stiff sentence.
Self-Defense Claim Fizzles as Case Stays in Spotlight
Defense attorneys maintained that Taggart’s actions fit within a self-defense framework and pressed for leniency. Prosecutors countered that his conduct crossed a clear line from protest activity into criminal violence.
Coverage over the past several years has repeatedly highlighted ongoing questions about evidence handling and police decisions in the chaotic aftermath, keeping the case in public view since 2020, according to Deseret News. With Powell ordering the sentences to run consecutively, Taggart now faces a minimum of decades in prison before he will be eligible to ask for parole.
