Court tosses chiropractor's sex abuse conviction

SALT LAKE CITY — An American Fork chiropractor convicted of sexually abusing a former patient and secretary should get a new trial, the Utah Court of Appeals ruled Thursday.

Grant Hildreth, 48, was charged with abusing four women, but a jury convicted him in 2008 on charges related to just one woman.

In its ruling, the appellate court said the trial court erred in denying Hildreth's motion to separate the women's accusations during his trial because the charges were "neither connected in their commission nor part of a common scheme or plan."

"It was an absolute mistake on their part to believe they could bring in four women all at once and it wouldn't be prejudicial," said Carolyn E. Howard, the attorney who filed the appeal. "We didn't have a fair trial."

While all of the women claimed the abuse happened during the course of treatment and while they were alone with Hildreth, the court said that was not enough to conclude the alleged abuse was part of a pattern.

Howard said she would immediately file for Hildreth's release from prison.

— Aaron Falk