Two years ago Friday, Swallow and Shurtleff were arrested ­— many Utahns are dismayed, but not surprised, by pace of prosecutions

Two years ago Friday, law enforcement arrested John Swallow and Mark Shurtleff at their respective Sandy homes and charged them with multiple corruption-related crimes.

Today, neither former Utah attorney general seems close to going on trial.

Both cases — which were once one — are winding through the justice system at a pace far different than viewers of television cop shows might expect.

Even though most people know real life differs from Hollywood dramas, that hardly means they don't desire speedier justice.

The Salt Lake Tribune, through its partnership with the Utah Public Insight Network, asked readers for their thoughts on the length of time the Swallow and Shurtleff prosecutions are taking.

Most of the more than 100 respondents expressed little or no surprise at the delays, but many were "disheartened" and frustrated by the sluggish nature of the system.

"People forget most headline stories after so much time has passed, moving to the next scandal," Salt Lake City resident Joyce Morgan wrote. "I don't think we should forget what Shurtleff and Swallow did and how they let us down."

Morgan believes the public and the two former officeholders deserve a swift resolution. "The right to a speedy trial," she said, "is the law."

Of course, white-collar crime and political-corruption cases are, by definition, complex.

"A delay of two years is not unusual," said Salt Lake City criminal defense attorney Clayton Simms, who has no ties to the Shurtleff and Swallow cases.

Delays can come in a variety of forms — from petitions for dismissal and challenges of evidence to changes to a defendant's legal team and higher court rulings that can alter the legal landscape.

In evidence gathering and analysis, technology can also play a role, Simms said. Email and other forms of electronic communications can generate copious volumes of data to be reviewed. That takes time. The task gets even tougher, he said, if the investigations preceding the charges — as in Swallow's and Shurtleff's cases — were long, because of the reams of evidence amassed.

All of which underscores the unusual nature of such cases, which may suggest the attorneys involved are treading carefully through the process.

"To charge a public official is rare," Simms said. "There is a certain, heightened level of scrutiny when you are prosecuting a public figure, so the stakes are very, very high."

Shurtleff and Swallow, both Republicans, were jointly charged with felony and misdemeanor counts July 15, 2014. Prosecutors allege the pair had employed a pay-to-play scheme inside the Utah attorney general's office, taking gifts and favors from campaign donors who may need help with their own legal woes.

The prosecutions were later separated, with Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill, a Democrat, taking Swallow's case and Davis County Attorney Troy Rawlings, a Republican, taking Shurtleff's.

Shurtleff, has pleaded not guilty to seven felony and misdemeanor counts, including three of accepting a prohibited gift. He's scheduled for a trial in October, but it's unclear if it will proceed. For nearly a year, the case has been slowed by an ongoing fight between Rawlings — with the backing of Shurtleff's legal team — the FBI and federal prosecutors about evidence.

Shurtleff has never waived his constitutional right to a speedy trial. Two weeks ago, his lawyers raised the issue as one of several reasons the case should be dismissed. "Mr. Shurtleff has suffered significant anxiety and concerns arising out of the personal, media and financial pressure that will continue unabated until trial or dismissal," attorney Richard Van Wagoner wrote in court papers. "The more time that passes, the greater prejudice to Mr. Shurtleff."

Van Wagoner declined to comment for this story, as did Rawlings.

Swallow has pleaded not guilty to 14 felony and misdemeanor counts, including two gift charges. He waived his right to swift justice in a December 2015 hearing, but then changed lawyers.

That switch may have played a role in the pace of his case, including the cancellation of an April 2016 trial date, so that his current attorney, Scott C. Williams, could get up to speed.

Williams also has asked for a dismissal, alleging thousands of Swallow's private emails with his former lawyers have been breached and, like Van Wagoner, challenging the reliability of statements of investigators used to secure search warrants.

Williams noted Thursday that his months on the case are short when compared with the rest of the players, but said he didn't think there was any cause for concern about the pace of justice.

"We're not even close to an average timeline for any other white-collar case," he said.

A number of respondents to The Tribune's query doubt either case will ever go to trial, citing the ties both men have to Utah's religious and political majorities. Shurtleff and Swallow are Republicans and longtime members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

"With the political clout of the LDS and their good ol' boy network of politicians, it wouldn't be surprising if it never happens," said Salt Lake County resident Brian Dobson. "My faith has never been strong in the integrity of the [Utah's] judicial system."

Dobson's concern was echoed in the responses of other readers, who said the system works to protect those who are educated, politically connected and have money. Some also said Shurtleff and Swallow understand how the legal system works and would use that to their advantage. Others expect the two politicians to cut deals, pleading to lesser offenses that bring little or no punishment.

Many fear the cases are merely examples of the problems that exist in Utah, where one political party wields most of the power and money can buy loyalties or votes.

"These two are just part of a big group of people in our government who dictate how the laws won't affect them … and push through laws that favor them," West Jordan resident Linda Strasburg wrote. "We need to yank our governing back."

Gill, whose office is prosecuting Swallow, said he understands the public perception about the timelines for criminal cases that are built around what's seen on TV programs such as "CSI" or "Law and Order." But those shows don't consider the complexities or complications of the justice system as a whole or specific individual cases, he said.

Plenty of prosecutions take as long as the Shurtleff and Swallow matters (some even longer), he said, "they are just not as visible."

Gill also said the public should set aside any concern that Shurtleff and Swallow have been treated differently than other defendants.

"Nobody is charged because of their status," he said. "And nobody is treated differently because of their status."

This story was supplemented by sources in the Utah Public Insight Network. To become a news source for The Salt Lake Tribune, go to sltrib.com/upin.

jdobner@sltrib.com