Trolley Square victim's parents file new appeal

The parents of one of the victims of the Trolley Square massacre have filed another appeal.

In a filing last week before the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, Ken and Sue Antrobus renewed their request to have Vanessa Quinn declared a "victim" of the illegal gun sale between Mackenzie Hunter and Sulejman Talovic. The Antrobuses challenged a federal judge's ruling in Salt Lake City that said newly provided evidence by the U.S. government was not new.

"Indeed, the issue of Vanessa "victim" status is so clear in light of the newly-revealed evidence, that this Court should simply declare her to be a victim," the Antrobuses attorney (and former federal judge) Paul Cassell wrote.

Vanessa Quinn, 29, was shot and killed in the Feb. 12, 2007 killing spree with a .38 Special that Talovic had purchased from Hunter eight months earlier. Hunter ultimately pleaded guilty and served prison time. The Antrobuses sought to be declared victims of his crime, which would allow them to speak at his sentencing and seek restitution.

Their requests have been repeatedly denied by courts who say Hunter could not have foreseen what Talovic was planning.

In their appeal, Cassell wrote the evidence provided by the U.S. government "revealed for the first time that Talovic had told Hunter directly that he wanted the gun to rob a bank, prompting the Antrobuses to seek a new hearing on the 'crime victim' issue."

Hunter's attorney and the U.S. Attorney's Office object to the appeal.

"Contrary to the Antrobuses' assertion, the proffered evidence does not compel the conclusion that Ms. Quinn is a victim of Hunter's illegal sale of a firearm," assistant U.S. attorney Diana Hagan wrote.

Talovic, 18, killed five people and wounded four others before being killed in a shootout with police.

E-MAIL: bwinslow@desnews.com