Man ordered released on bail after decades on Utah’s death row after DNA tests show no match to him
- On Monday, a Utah judge ordered the release of Douglas Stewart Carter on bail after he spent 41 years on death row for the 1985 murder of Eva Olesen, following new DNA evidence excluding him as a match.
- Carter was convicted in 1985 based on a confession he claimed was coerced and testimony from two witnesses who later recanted; the Utah Supreme Court ordered a new trial last year, citing multiple instances of intentional misconduct by police and prosecutors.
- Prosecutors withdrew their notice to seek the death penalty last week after DNA analysis received Sept 22 excluded Carter as a match; Utah County prosecutor Erwin Petilos called the bail reassessment 'necessary and fair.'
- During the bond hearing in 4th District Court on Monday, the judge imposed conditions including a GPS monitor; Theresa Olesen, Eva Olesen's daughter-in-law, stated her family has 'serious concerns' about his release pending retrial.
- Attorney Neal Hamilton said Carter is released 'with 41 years of state-induced trauma,' as a two-month retrial is scheduled for 2027 while prosecutors continue evaluating remaining evidence in the case.
132 Articles
132 Articles
El Mundo
No physical evidence linked him to the crime scene, but the jury found Carter, a black man, guilty based on the confession and testimony of two witnesses who later retracted. A new DNA test excludes him as a murderer.
A man on death row in Utah, USA, has been released from prison after waiting to be executed for over 40 years.
Douglas Stewart Carter was convicted in 1985 of the murder of a police officer's aunt. More than 40 years later he is released after a new DNA analysis. However, his innocence is not yet established.
Doug Carter, twice sentenced to die, steps out from behind bars in Utah thanks to DNA analysis
For most of his life, Douglas Stewart Carter has been confined to a Utah prison cell. On a misty evening and at 71 years old, he emerged free of shackles or guards Monday, with his time on death row now behind him. As he strode out of the Utah County Jail, Carter smiled and pushed […]
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