This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2014, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
We need change in the Utah County Attorney's office. Please do not let what happened to us happen to others in this county.
When my father Kay Mortensen was brutally murdered two men took us hostage at gunpoint and threatened to kill us. Miraculously, they let us live.
The trauma we suffered from the treatment of those killers, however, paled in comparison to our treatment by the Utah County Attorney's Office, although we were interviewed multiple times and did our best to provide accurate information.
Under Utah County Attorney Jeff Buhman, a grand jury was convened. We were never made aware of this and were not allowed to present witnesses or to be represented by a lawyer. We also had no opportunity to cross-examine witnesses and demonstrate the inaccuracy of their claims.
To our shock and disbelief, as a result of the perjured testimony, we were charged with the murder of a man we deeply loved. We spent many months in jail and were very near trial before what we believe was an act of God – an informant revealed the identities of the real murderers.
There is nothing that Jeff Buhman can do to correct the wrongs his department inflicted on us. But Mr. Buhman continues lying about us.
Vote for Ben Stanley for Utah County Attorney.
Roger and Pamela Mortensen
Payson