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Utah County Attorney Drops Death Penalty for Douglas Carter

By Drooid · Sep 30, 2026, 4:30 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Douglas Carter Granted Bail

Utah County Attorney Jeff Gray withdrew the death-penalty request after DNA tests excluded Douglas Carter.
4th District Judge Derek Pullan granted Douglas Carter bail following the DNA evidence and penalty withdrawal.
DNA analysis received on Sept. 22 excluded Carter from blood on the doorknob and knife handle.
Release conditions require a GPS monitor, 11 p.m. curfew, employment, and no contact with the Olesen family.

Summary

Prosecutors Offer Bribes

Prosecutors disclosed that two original witnesses received cash and gifts to testify against Carter.
Carter’s 1985 confession was later claimed coerced after repeated police threats.
Defense attorneys allege investigators suppressed evidence implicating victim’s husband Orla Olesen.
Carter will reside in an extended-stay hotel near his son, who adopted him as an infant.
Attorney Neal Hamilton says Carter needs therapy for trauma from 41 years of incarceration.

History

Historical Context

In 1989, the Central Park Five were exonerated after DNA evidence cleared the five teenagers wrongfully convicted of assault in New York City. The Innocence Project secured $2.5 million in grants that funded DNA testing for 31 cases, producing 12 exonerations by 2005 nationwide. Similarly, Utah County Attorney Jeff Gray withdrew the death-penalty request in 2024, granting bail to Douglas Carter after DNA tests excluded his involvement. The case reinforces courts’ growing reliance on forensic science, urging nationwide reforms that could prevent future wrongful incarcerations and ensure evidentiary integrity.

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Douglas Carter Granted Bail

Utah County Attorney Jeff Gray withdrew the death-penalty request after DNA tests excluded Douglas Carter.
4th District Judge Derek Pullan granted Douglas Carter bail following the DNA evidence and penalty withdrawal.
DNA analysis received on Sept. 22 excluded Carter from blood on the doorknob and knife handle.
Release conditions require a GPS monitor, 11 p.m. curfew, employment, and no contact with the Olesen family.

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