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Utah prosecutors say DNA evidence doesn’t match man who spent decades on death row
New DNA testing found male profiles that did not match Carter, prompting prosecutors to reassess the case and their next steps in court.
On Wednesday, the Utah County Attorney's Office announced it will no longer seek the death penalty for Douglas Stewart Carter in his upcoming retrial for the 1985 murder of Eva Olesen.
DNA analysis received Tuesday excluded Carter as a match to blood found on a doorknob and knife handle at the crime scene, prompting prosecutors to reassess their case strategy.
Defense attorneys allege police suppressed evidence and coerced Carter's confession, while two witnesses claimed officers threatened them with deportation if they did not implicate the defendant.
Attorney Neal Hamilton urged prosecutors Thursday to dismiss charges, requesting a bond hearing and stating, "It's not time to try to save face and continue with a tainted prosecution."
The Utah Supreme Court ordered a new trial last year citing investigator misconduct, though Carter remains in custody while maintaining his innocence in the 1985 Eva Olesen case.