Booking photo for Cody C. Smith (Courtesy: Cache County Jail)
LOGAN — The jury trial for a 45-year-old Logan accused of sexually abusing a young girl has been postponed again as the defendant continued to tell the court he was sui juris. Cody C. Smith is already serving a 10-years-to-life prison sentence on similar charges.
Court records show, Smith had a status hearing in 1st District Court Tuesday morning, appearing by web conference from prison. He was previously charged with five counts of aggravated sexual abuse of a child, a first-degree felony.
Smith continued to tell the court he was independent of the law and would not answer questions. He also requested his public defender be removed from the case so that he could continue to represent himself.
Judge Angela Fonnesbeck told Smith his upcoming jury trial, scheduled to begin June 10, was being cancelled because of the COVID-19 restrictions in place by the Utah Supreme Court. She ordered him to appear for a status hearing June 16.
Smith is alleged to have molested and groped the young girl multiple times, between 2010 and 2012. The alleged victim told investigators how the defendant touched her several times while she was bathing. He also allegedly molested her while she was sleeping and watching a movie.
Smith has pleaded not guilty to the charges. He claims the allegations are false and the girl was “coached” what to tell law enforcement.
Smith was originally arrested in March 2013, accused of encouraging a teenage girl and her boyfriend to engage in sex while in his home. The girl also said Smith molested her on multiple occasions.
During his trial in January 2015, Smith accepted a plea deal, pleading “no contest” to two counts of aggravated sexual abuse of a child, where he neither admitted guilt nor disputed the charges. The plea deal kept the victim from testifying against him in exchange for prosecutors recommending a lesser sentence.
Smith was a reserve officer, volunteering with the Logan City Police Department, after graduating from the police academy in the mid-90’s. He volunteered for the Cache County Sheriff’s Office from May 1999 to October 1999. He was hired full-time but terminated shortly after for not meeting department standards.
will@cvradio.com