AG says steps being made to stop polygamy
 
By Le Templar
East Valley Tribune
 
Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard pledged Wednesday that state and local authorities are taking every possible step to end child rape and forced polygamous marriages in Colorado City. But Goddard wouldn't discuss details of ongoing criminal and civil inquiries of residents and religious leaders in the community on the Utah border, saying he must protect the privacy of victims and the safety of investigators.

Goddard held a news conference Wednesday at his Phoenix office in response to a letter signed by 26 state lawmakers demanding more aggressive action to deal with reports of underage girls being forced to live as wives with members of the Fundamental Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

He said Colorado City has been a priority since he took office in January 2003. But joint investigations with Utah authorities are moving with caution as officials work to build trust with Colorado City residents and encourage them to testify against men who participate in multiple "spiritual" marriages.

Goddard said he and Gov. Janet Napolitano are also building new support among state authorities to openly address the situation in Colorado City after decades of ignoring the isolated community. "It's quiet, it's incremental and it doesn't necessarily involve a splashy headline," Goddard said. "But the kind of discussions now at a high level throughout state government, coordinating between every aspect of this state that has any connection to Colorado City situation, is at an unprecedented level.

"It's probably not going to result in a big explosion today or tomorrow. But I believe the truth is out, is coming out. In fact . . . the inquiry is at a much higher and more diligent level than it has ever been."

"It's not been easy," Goddard said. "It's required the change, literally, of 50 years of tradition. But I believe it's happening in a significant way."

The author of the letter from lawmakers, Rep. John Allen, R-Scottsdale, said he understands why Goddard wants to protect the integrity of investigations. But the public expects Goddard and other law enforcement officials to tackle the problem directly, Allen said.

"It's a tough nut, but it must be cracked," Allen said. "If he's putting that much effort into it, he should be coming up to the point where he's bearing some fruit with convictions. I'm glad we've stepped up attention on this so he knows we expect some results."

Goddard said past attempts to prosecute people have been thwarted because witnesses and victims refuse to cooperate out of loyalty to their families and church leaders. Without such testimony, prosecutors are unable to prove crimes in court even when underage girls give birth, he said.

Arizona has indicted one Colorado City resident, William Black. But Black is believed to have fled to Mexico, where authorities haven't tracked him down, Goddard said.

The attorney general is asking the Legislature to adopt a new "child bigamy" law, which would make it a felony to purport to be married to someone under 18. He's also asking for $5 million from the Legislature to rehire lawyers and investigators who were laid off last year because of budget cuts.

But one antipolygamy activist said Goddard and other state officials are taking the wrong approach.

"The only thing they've done by prosecuting these guys is make martyrs of them," said Flora Jessop, a former resident of Colorado City and executive director of the Child Protection Project.

Rather, state and local officials should educate young sect members about life outside their closed society so they can leave it, Jessop said. She also wants the state to provide better assurance to teenage girls that they won't be returned to their parents if they leave home to avoid a forced marriage.

Goddard said a joint state-Mohave County public safety center that is planned for Colorado City will provide a place outside the control of sect leaders for women and teens to seek help.

"They need to have some safe harbor, some safe refuge, and the state can provide that," Goddard said.

But Liz Barker, a spokeswoman for Child Protective Services, said girls aren't automatically going to be placed in state custody if they claim their parents want to place them in a plural marriage.

"Every case is different," Barker said. "Whether or not a child remains in their home, the decision is whether the child can stay safely there. If someone makes allegations that a child is being abused or neglected, that's going to be investigated. But there's no textbook 'A' plus 'B' equals 'C.' "

Goddard implied that ongoing investigations are ranging beyond claims of forced marriage and polygamy to include welfare fraud, improper influence of religious leaders over local governments and possible misuse of funds in the Colorado City school district.

"We are pursuing every avenue that is brought to our attention and looking into every possibility," Goddard said. "It's a broad spectrum out there and I don't want to leave any stone unturned."
 
EastValleyTribune.com
Originally published February 5, 2004
 
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