SALT LAKE CITY (ABC 4 News) - Once, she was the Utah Highway Patrol’s Trooper of the Year, but ABC 4 News has learned the Salt Lake County District Attorney is now examining dozens of cases involving controversial UHP Trooper Lisa Steed.
Steed was named Trooper of the Year in 2007, setting what may have been a record for Utah DUI arrests.
That year she told ABC 4,
"Unfortunately, there are so many impaired drivers out there on the road, if you stop enough cars; you're going to find one," said Steed to ABC 4 in 2007.
But now, fast forward 4 years.
Here’s a key exchange in our in interview with Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill.
ABC 4 News: "Is it fair to say your office is looking at 31 cases involving that officer (Steed)?"
Gill: “Yes."
Gill tells ABC 4 concerns about Trooper Steed have been raised by local defense attorneys.
While Gill won't say what those concerns are, legal analyst Greg Skordas tells ABC 4, “In this case, the state is saying there may be something about this officer personally that's relevant."
In fact, in a defense motion in one of the 31 Steed cases now being looked at, it states,
"...serious concerns have been raised as to the credibility of this Trooper."
But this isn't the first time Trooper Steed finds her actions being questioned.
Just 3 months ago, ABC 4 reported on a civil suit filed against her.
The suit was filed on behalf of a suspect who Steed tasered after she stopped his car.
The suspect was sitting in his car at the time.
Episodes like this have Skordas - and perhaps even Gill himself – curious about what might be in Steed's personnel file.
Also, about whether such information should be revealed in court.
Gill says, "We have, under our legal requirements, an obligation to turn certain evidence over."
Skordas echoes that comment, saying, "The prosecution has an absolute duty to disclose information that can help the defense."
ABC 4 News has also learned that a number of charges stemming from Steed arrests have already been dismissed this year.
This made us wonder if the district attorney's review could potentially affect other cases?
Gill told ABC 4, "It may impact all of those prosecutions."
ABC 4 did ask for an interview with Trooper Steed or someone from the UHP.
Our request was declined.
However, a spokesman did say the UHP is aware the district attorney has been looking at Trooper Steed's cases.
Follow Chris Vanocur on Twitter: @cvan4
