New DNA Clears Man After Decade on Death Row

Douglas Stewart Carter, 71, walked out of prison alongside his son this past Monday after spending several decades on death row for a murder he has consistently denied committing, CNN reported. Carter was convicted in 1985 for the killing of 57-year-old Eva Olesen in Provo, Utah.

The release follows new DNA analysis received on September 22, which showed that Carter’s DNA does not match biological material found on the handle of the knife used to stab Olesen, nor does it match blood found on a door handle. Olesen was both shot and stabbed in the attack.

Judge orders release of Carter under curfew

The prosecution has withdrawn its demand for the death penalty. Judge Derek Pullan ordered Carter’s release on the condition that he adheres to an 11 p.m. curfew and wears GPS tracking. This follows a decision by the state’s Supreme Court last year to have the case handled anew, citing a “criticizable” investigation and “gross negligence” among investigators.

Defense attorney Neal Hamilton expressed gratitude for Carter’s return home, noting that the 71-year-old was a “gifted young man with his whole future ahead of him” when he was first arrested.

Witnesses testified after investigators paid rent

At the 1985 trial, no physical evidence linked Carter to the crime scene. He was convicted based on a signed confession and the testimony of two witnesses who claimed Carter had bragged about the killing. Carter has maintained that the confession was coerced by police.

The two key witnesses, a couple who were in the U.S. illegally, later admitted that investigators and prosecutors paid their rent. They further alleged that an investigator deliberately withheld information regarding other suspects, including the victim’s husband, Orla Olesen. Defense documents indicate prosecutors nearly charged the husband before a Provo police lieutenant asked them to wait so he could continue the investigation; shortly after, Carter was identified as the perpetrator.

Current legal status

Despite the DNA findings, Carter remains charged with the murder. Utah County District Attorney Jeffrey Gray stated that the new evidence does not necessarily exonerate Carter, noting that the murder weapon was never found and citing the original confession. Theresa Olesen, the victim’s daughter-in-law, also opposed the release, stating that the DNA results do not mean Carter was not present.

The prosecution must decide by November 10 whether the case will proceed. Orla Olesen, who found his wife bound and partially undressed in their home, died in 2009.

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