ST. GEORGE, Utah — There was no plea deal in the case of a man who allegedly abused a St. George two-year-old to death.
Randy Lessing, of LaVerkin, is accused of using some kind of force to his stepdaughter Emmaline Mitchell back in July 2023 that family and police say caused her death. Lessing has said the child fell.
In 5th district court Tuesday afternoon, Lessing’s attorney Douglas Terry told Judge Jay Windward that while they had been working on a plea deal, they weren’t able to reach an agreement with prosecutors.
Terry told FOX 13 News after the proceedings that they came close to a deal.
“Just not close enough,” Terry said. “And my client is entitled to a deal.”
Windward set the starting date of the trial to September 16 in St. George.
Mitchell’s grandmother Tammy Teeples told FOX 13 earlier in the week that she and members of the family wanted to see a trial or admission of guilt, rather than a no-contest plea.
Teeples, her daughter Zzkora Ringger and prosecutors had no comment after the hearing, saying they will wait to say more at the trial.
