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Man ordered released on bail after decades on Utah's death row after DNA tests show no match

Douglas Stewart Carter was ordered released on bail after DNA testing found no match to him, following decades on Utah's death row.

By The Lumen desk · Sept 29, 2026 · 1 min read
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What we know
1 Douglas Stewart Carter was ordered released on bail after decades on Utah's death row.
2 DNA tests showed no match linking Carter to the crime.
3 According to CBS News, no physical evidence tied Carter to the crime scene, and the jury relied on a confession and two witnesses who later recanted.

Douglas Stewart Carter has been ordered released on bail after spending decades on Utah's death row, following DNA tests that showed no match to him, according to CBS News, CNN, the Associated Press and The Washington Times.

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According to CBS News, no physical evidence linked Carter, who is Black, to the crime scene. CBS News reported that the jury convicted him based on a confession and two witnesses who later recanted their statements.

The other outlets that reported on the case — CNN, the Associated Press and The Washington Times — confirmed the bail order and the DNA test results but did not detail the original conviction evidence.

How each side covered it

Left

3 outlets
  • CBS News reported no physical evidence linked Carter to the crime scene.
  • CBS News noted the jury convicted Carter based on a confession and two witnesses who later recanted.
  • CBS News identified Carter as a Black man.
  • CNN and the Associated Press reported the bail release following DNA tests showing no match.

“Man who spent decades on death row ordered released on bail after no DNA match” — CBS News

Right

1 outlet
  • The Washington Times reported the bail release after DNA tests showed no match to Carter.

“Man ordered released on bail after decades on Utah's death row after DNA tests show no match to him” — The Washington Times

Questions readers ask

What happened to Douglas Stewart Carter?

Douglas Stewart Carter, who spent decades on Utah's death row, was ordered released on bail after DNA tests showed no match to him, according to CBS News, CNN, the Associated Press and The Washington Times.

Why was Carter originally convicted?

According to CBS News, Carter, who is Black, was convicted based on a confession and two witnesses who later recanted their statements, with no physical evidence linking him to the crime scene.

What did the DNA tests show?

DNA tests showed no match to Carter, according to CBS News, CNN, the Associated Press and The Washington Times, contributing to the order for his release on bail.

What is Carter's current legal status?

Carter has been ordered released on bail after decades on death row; the sources provided do not indicate whether his conviction has been overturned or further legal proceedings are planned.

Sources · 4 outlet reports

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