WASHINGTON COUNTY, Utah — A recent investigative story accused the Washington County Attorney’s office of being quick to move toward plea bargains and dismissals, rather than getting justice for victims. But with a new attorney in office, the county could see some changes.
"It's time to, I guess, grow up," shared Washington County Attorney Jerry Jaeger. "And we're going to work together and have these written policies and procedures, and that way we can be more accountable too, to the people.
"We can get that out there, and people can know, these are our goals, these are the things we're working on. This is where we draw the line."
Jaeger was appointed new County Attorney on August 20, inheriting several high-profile cases, including murders in a county that has grown exponentially in the last two decades. When Jaeger started in 1999 as an investigator in the office he now heads, the county had 120,000 fewer people.
Where Jaeger's office once had just eight attorneys, it now has 20. He said part of the office growing up is leaving behind a reputation of being quick to wrap up cases.
"We need to have that culture where we're actually trying more cases and letting the jury actually make those decisions, especially on those big cases," Jaeger shared.
A recent case brought up by Jaeger is one of Eric Sampson, a man accused of killing his wife, Nikki, last September. In July, the trial was delayed, and Sampson was released on bail. Nikki’s family and friends have been vocal on social media about the attorney’s office’s handling of the case.
"We missed some discovery, and that's on us, and that's something that I'm going to work hard to make sure that we do better at that, and making sure right from the beginning," promised Jaeger.
The BYU graduate originally came to the office after serving as an FBI agent in Los Angeles, working on special victims and public corruption cases. His first case in Washington County was a big one, the Warren Jeffs case.
"I do this work for victims and for service," he said. "When I go home at night, and if I know I've made a difference for someone in their life, that's why I do this."
