Man released from death row after 41 years as new evidence finally reveals the truth
A man who spent decades on death row after being convicted of killing the aunt of a police chief was released after new evidence emerged.
Douglas Stewart Carter was previously sentenced to death over the killing of Eva Olesen in 1985, but after 41 years on death row DNA evidence which has been newly analysed does not link him to the crime, it has been found.
Now Carter, 71, has been allowed out on bail, and must wear a GPS monitor ahead of a new trial, despite objections from the family of the victim.
Last year saw the state Supreme Court in Utah ordering a new trial after saying there had been misconduct among investigators on the case.
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Carter has continued to maintain his innocence, and claims that he was coerced into signing a confession, the New York Post reports.
At the time of his conviction there was no physical evidence linking Carter to the crime scene, however he was convicted by a jury.
This conviction was based on two witnesses who claimed that Carter had boasted about killing Olesen, but these witnesses would go on to recant.
On September 22 DNA analysis was received which analysed blood found on a doorknob, as well as other DNA recovered from the handle of a knife which had been used to stab Olesan.
The DNA evidence excluded Carter as a possible match for these DNA samples, which judge Derek Pullan said weakened the case against Carter further, though he added that a jury could potentially still reach a guilty verdict.
Carter left jail on 28 September, accompanied by his son who was pushing a cart with his personal belongings as well as blankets and pillows.
As they were waiting for him to arrive, his son Tyler Anger said: “This is going to be a lot for him."
Carter has also been ordered to not have any contact with Olesan's family while out on bail, where he will stay in a hotel near to his son, who had been adopted as an infant and would not learn about his father's conviction for years.
Carter's attorney Neal Hamilton said: “If the state of Utah had their way, he would have been executed 15, 20 years ago before we discovered the misconduct."
Despite receiving the death sentence and having multiple appeals rejected, a huge moment would come for Carter's case in 2011.
That year, two witnesses who had appeared at the first trial were found in Mexico.
When approached, the witnesses said that they had been instructed to lie in court, and had been given gifts and money from police and told not to share they had received the payments.
The witnesses also said that prosecutors and police had threatened to deport them and their son if they did not testify against Carter.
Carter's release has been criticised by the victim's family, with Theresa Olesen, who is a daughter-in-law of Eva Olesen, addressing the DNA evidence.
“By golly we were hoping for a concrete match,” she said. “It doesn’t mean he wasn’t there.”
She added: “We just want justice for Eva. And if he had any part of it we want that to be known."
Kit Roberts