Following a national trend in district attorney offices, Salt Lake County’s top prosecutor announced the creation a panel that will review the cases of people who say they are innocent despite being found guilty in court.
It’s the first such oversight board in Utah that will provide an independent review of the conduct of prosecutors and potential cases of wrongful conviction.
Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill announced Monday that his office has launched a conviction integrity unit, a five-member panel that includes former judges, a defense attorney, a prosecutor and a community representative. The unit will select cases to review and then decide whether further investigation is needed.