Attorney removes self in 'sign' case

Citing a conflict of interest, Grantsville city attorney Ronald Elton has removed himself as prosecutor in the appeal of a Granstville man who was convicted of stealing a campaign sign.

In March, Grantsville city attorney Ronald Elton prosecuted Dennis McBride, 63, who was accused of stealing one of Grantsville Mayor Byron Anderson's campaign signs in November 2005. McBride was convicted and sentenced to a suspended six-month jail sentence and nine months probation.

Elton chose not to prosecute the case during the appeal at the suggestion of an ethics review panel of the Utah State Bar Association, he said. Elton said he was criticized in the media for participating in the original trial because, as a city employee, prosecuting one of the mayor's political foes could present a conflict of interest.

On Tuesday, 3rd District Judge Mark Kouris rescheduled the pretrial hearing for Aug. 7 to give Tooele County Attorney Douglas Hogan, who will take over as prosecutor, time to prepare.

McBride said the theft was so small it shouldn't have gone to trial, and city officials only pursued the case because of personal disputes and grudges.

Elton disagreed. Because city attorneys handle only misdemeanor cases, a theft is a serious case by comparison, he said. The case was already on the docket when Elton became the city attorney, and it was his duty to follow through with it, he said.

McBride also said Grantsville police have been harassing him and following him around because of personal disputes. Grantsville Police Chief Danny Johnson denied those claims.

"We don't have no grudge against him," Johnson said. "We just try to do our job and be professional."

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