Chiropractor convicted of sexual abuse may be out of prison soon

Published: 2010-11-12 20:28:39
Author: Janice Peterson | Daily Herald | November 11, 2010

A former American Fork chiropractor convicted in 2008 of sexually abusing a former employee may get out of prison this week after an appeals court threw out his conviction.

The Utah Court of Appeals reversed Grant Hildreth's conviction on two counts of forcible sexual abuse in July, saying charges involving four victims should have been tried separately. Hildreth was convicted by a jury on the charges involving one victim, identified as C.W., and was sentenced to one to 15 years in prison.

Since July, the state asked the appeals court for a rehearing and considered appealing the decision to the Utah Supreme Court. Once the state decided not to appeal the ruling, the case was sent back to the 4th District Court for a new trial, said Hildreth's attorney, Carolyn E. Howard.

Hildreth has been in the Utah State Prison for about two and a half years since his conviction, Howard said, but he was given a new bail of $10,000 cash or bond Wednesday. Howard said Wednesday that Hildreth was likely to be released within the day.

Had the state decided to appeal the case to the supreme court, Howard said Hildreth would most likely have stayed in prison the entire time.

"He faced the possibility of another 10 years in prison, so this is a real break," she said.

Howard said the state may take the case to trial again, but the parties are working on a resolution at the moment. She said if a resolution is reached, it would have to include no further prison time.

"He's definitely not going back, in our minds," she said.

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