Man pleads not guilty in counselor's slaying

CEDAR CITY — A man accused of killing a counselor in a group home for troubled teens has pleaded not guilty to a series of criminal charges, including capital murder.

Sean Graham, 19, was arraigned in Cedar City's 5th District Court on Tuesday. He pleaded not guilty to charges of aggravated murder, a capital offense; aggravated kidnapping, a first-degree felony; vehicle theft, a second-degree felony; and theft, a class B misdemeanor.

Graham and Jesse Simmons are accused of hitting counselor Anson Arnett in the head with a baseball bat and stuffing his body upside-down in a closet in March 2004. Arnett later died from the blows.

Simmons struck a plea deal and was sentenced to five years to life in prison in 2005. Graham has been fighting the charges and recently lost an appeal to the Utah Supreme Court.

The Iron County Attorney's Office said Tuesday it will not seek the death penalty because Graham was 17 at the time of the crime.