Disclaimer: UPAN does not provide medical or legal advice. Information on this site is for general educational and advocacy purposes only. Please read our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use for more details.

Utah Prisoner Advocate Network

UPAN | A nonprofit community advocacy group supporting the families of Utah inmates.


All of our important links are now in one place! https://linktr.ee/utahprisoner  Follow UPAN on Linktree


Recent News

Comments Box SVG iconsUsed for the like, share, comment, and reaction icons

A committee of Utah lawmakers unanimously approved a bill and a joint resolution that aims to speed up the death penalty appeals process.

"The average time between sentencing and execution in The United States for capital felony cases is 22 years, but in Utah it is 34 years," said bill sponsor Rep. Candice Pierucci, R-Herriman. "These prolonged timelines really increase the financial burden on taxpayers and the emotional toll on victims' families."

Pierucci's bill met a flurry of opposition from several lawyers in this week's committee hearing, including multiple attorneys who've represented death row inmates in Utah.



🖊: Adam Small, KSL
📸: Sydney Schaefer, AP Photo ... See MoreSee Less

18 hours ago
View Comments likes Like 0 Comments: 0 Shares: 0
Share
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

0 CommentsComment on Facebook

Clean slate Utah has an upcoming clinic. You can find out if you might qualify for their help for an expungement. The first Thursday of the month see information below. ... See MoreSee Less

2 days ago
View Comments likes Like love 2 Comments: 1 Shares: 0
Share
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

1 CommentsComment on Facebook

On January 21, 2026 in Dallas, Texas, something powerful happened. The Dallas County Commissioners Court declared Tommy Lee Walker innocent 70 years after the state executed him for the 1953 death of Venice Parker, according to the Innocence Project. Walker was just 19 years old when he was arrested, and officials now say his case was shaped by racial bias, unreliable evidence, and a coerced confession.

Back then, Dallas was gripped by fear during a racially charged “manhunt,” and police arrested hundreds of Black men while searching for answers. Walker said he did not do it, and he had a strong alibi with ten different witnesses because he was at the hospital for the birth of his son, Edward Lee Smith. But investigators focused on him anyway, and the review found the interrogation tactics and trial failures were deeply unfair.

For Walker's family, this was a wrong finally being brought into the open. Smith spent decades carrying the pain of losing his father he barely got to know while the world believed a lie. Tommy Lee Walker was always innocent. And while this verdict can't bring him back, his name is finally cleared, and his innocence is restored.

(Photo: Courtesy of Shelby Tauber for the Innocence Project | Hayes Collection / Dallas Public Library) ... See MoreSee Less

3 days ago
View Comments likes Like wow sad angry 4 Comments: 0 Shares: 0
Share
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

0 CommentsComment on Facebook

... See MoreSee Less

3 days ago
View Comments likes Like 0 Comments: 0 Shares: 0
Share
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

0 CommentsComment on Facebook

Load More Posts


About UPAN

The Utah Prisoner Advocate Network (UPAN) is dedicated to supporting families and loved ones as they navigate the challenging journey of incarceration. When a friend or family member is incarcerated, it can be an overwhelming experience, as supporters face the complex rules, regulations, and restrictions of life separated by bars. UPAN works to make this transition less complicated and isolating by providing resources and support for families while also advocating for better conditions and fairness within Utah’s correctional facilities. Please visit our About Page to learn more.

Follow UPAN on Linktree
All of our important links are now in one place! https://linktr.ee/utahprisoner

Associations

UPAN is a proud coalition member of People Not Prisons, a group of advocacy groups working on behalf of people with mental health conditions, people recovering from substance use disorders, and men and women caught up in Utah’s criminal justice system.

Donate | Federal EIN Number: 90-1021189

The Utah Prisoner Advocate Network (UPAN) is a registered 501(c)(3) charitable organization. Your contributions are tax-deductible and directly support our mission to create positive change. Information about an UPAN’s tax-exempt status and filings can be found on the IRS website. To make a donation and join our efforts, please visit our Donations page.

Contact us

Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 464
Draper, UT 84020

Leave Us a Message

Make a Donation