Sim Gill

Early life and education

Gill was born in India into a Punjabi Sikh family. He lived in India until he was at least the age of eight, and graduated from Kearns High School. Gill graduated from the University of Utah with a B.A. degree in History and Philosophy. He received his J.D. degree and certificate of specialization in Environmental and Natural Resources Law from Northwestern School of Law (now Lewis & Clark Law School) at Lewis and Clark College in Portland, Oregon. Gill was admitted to the Utah Bar in 1993.

Career

Before his District Attorney election, Sim Gill worked as Salt Lake City's Chief Prosecutor. Gill ran for district attorney in 2006, losing to Lohra Miller. He defeated her in the 2010 election.

On March 18, 2014, Gill announced his bid for a second term, and in November of the same year, defeated Republican challenger Steve Nelson, retaining his position as the District Attorney. In 2018, Gill announced that he would run for a third term, and in November of the same year, defeated challenger Nathan Evershed.

Gill has collaborated on the creation and implementation of various therapeutic justice programs and alternatives to prosecution, including Mental Health Court, Veterans Court, Salt Lake City Domestic Violence Court, Misdemeanor Drug Court and the Salt Lake Area Family Justice Center.

Prominent cases

Gill participated in the prosecution of Brian David Mitchell, the man found guilty of the 2002 kidnapping of Elizabeth Smart. He filed felony corruption and bribery charges against Utah Attorneys General Mark Shurtleff and John Swallow in 2014. Charges against Shurtleff were dropped in 2016, and Swallow was found not guilty of all charges in 2017.

In July 2020 Gill ruled that the killing of Bernardo Palacios-Carbajal by police officers was justified, after video footage showed Palacios-Carbajal brandished a gun at officers. A crowd gathered at the District Attorney’s office to protest Gill’s decision, which eventually led to vandalism of the DA’s office as well as the surrounding road and allegations that protestors used pepper spray on responding officers. Gill charged seven protestors with "gang enhancement" crimes which carry sentences up to life in prison.

In August 2023, Gill announced that he would not charge officer Matthew Farillas, who had shot Linden Cameron, a 13-year-old unarmed autistic boy, six times. Cameron's mother stated, "He [Gill] seemed like he was doing more of the defense attorney's work than the prosecutor's, so... it just doesn't make sense."

References

References

1. [https://web.archive.org/web/20110110224144/http://www.abc4.com/content/news/top_stories/story/Sim-Gill-and-the-American-Dream/q9qcj4hLQU-rosPaxGNeNQ.cspx Sim Gill and the American Dream] at ABC4 News; originally published January 7, 2011; via [[archive.org]]
2. (2018-02-01). "Local religious leaders celebrate a year of interfaith achievements".
3. (3 January 2014). "Sim Gill - Utah".
4. Dennis Romboy. (2010-11-03). "Sim Gill ousts Miller in Salt Lake County district attorney race". Deseret News.
5. Shara Park and Pat Reavy. (2014-03-18). "Sim Gill announces re-election bid, 3rd person seeks 4th Congressional seat". KSL.
6. (2014-03-04). "Prosecutor seeking Republican bid for Salt Lake County district attorney". Deseret News.
7. (2018-11-07). "Current Salt Lake County Sheriff, district attorney win re-election". [[KTVX]].
8. "State charges dismissed against Brian David Mitchell".
9. (July 15, 2014). "Swallow, Shurtleff taken into custody". KSL.
10. Neugebauer, Cimaron. (July 28, 2016). "Judge dismisses criminal case against former Utah AG Mark Shurtleff". [[KUTV]].
11. Winslow, Ben. (March 2, 2017). "Jury finds former Utah AG John Swallow not guilty on all counts". [[KSTU]].
12. "Shooting of Bernardo Palacios ruled 'justified' by Salt Lake County DA". KJZZ.
13. Reavy, Pat. (July 9, 2020). "Salt Lake police legally justified in high-profile killing of fleeing man, D.A. says".
14. Stauffer, McKenzie. (2020-07-09). "Shooting of Bernardo Palacios ruled 'justified' by Salt Lake County DA".
15. "Utah governor declares state of emergency during protests over ruling that fatal police shooting was justified".
16. "Protesters clash with police after DA says officers who killed Bernardo Palacios-Carbajal were legally justified".
17. "Sim Gill accused of filing excessive charges against protesters for broken windows, paint on the street". sltrib.
18. (August 11, 2023). "Mom of boy shot by police says DA's decision not to charge officer 'doesn't make sense'".