Utah judge delays Shurtleff evidence-dispute hearing until 2016

A judge has reset arguments in an evidence dispute between the FBI and the state attorneys prosecuting former Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff for February 2016.

Davis County Attorney Troy Rawlings has asked 3rd District Elizabeth Hruby-Mills to order the federal agency to turn over all of the evidence it gathered in its investigation of Shurtleff, but has been withholding.

The U.S. Department of Justice had refused a demand for more evidence, saying all the relevant materials had already been provided.

A hearing on the issue had been sent for Tuesday.

On Monday, the judge ordered the hearing reset for Feb. 17 after Rawlings said the federal agencies had started to cooperate.

The DOJ agreed with Rawlings' request for the delay.

The evidence issue also has been raised by the defense attorney for Shurtleff's successor, former Attorney General John Swallow.

Scott C. Williams notified the judge by letter last week that he had asked Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill's office — which is prosecuting Swallow — for the same cache of evidence sought by Rawlings and would ask her to similarly order the prosecutor's office to comply if needed.

Swallow and Shurtleff, both Republicans, are charged in state court with multiple felonies and misdemeanors related to allegations of bribery and corruption inside the attorney general's office. Both maintain their innocence and are scheduled for separate trials next year.

The 2014 charges followed the investigation by state police and the FBI, and came after the DOJ declined to bring federal charges. FBI agents continued to work with Rawlings and Gill to build the cases against Shurtleff and Swallow.

jdobner@sltrib.com