| 'We're not going to leave,' former FLDS man says Chatwin fires back in letter to church attorney | |
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By Nancy Perkins Deseret Morning News | |
COLORADO CITY, Ariz. — Another day, another interview. Ross Chatwin has granted so many interviews to reporters from around the country that he's having trouble keeping track of it all. "I have no idea how many interviews I've given, but it's a lot," Chatwin said of his newfound fame. The media's fascination with Chatwin began just over a week ago when the 35-year-old father of six publicly denounced the leader of the area's most dominant church as a "Hitler-like dictator." Chatwin, like most residents of the twin cities of Hildale, Utah, and Colorado City, grew up in the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. He said he was taught from an early age that his salvation depended on living the celestial law of polygamy. "That's all we were trying to do. We were just trying to do what we've always been taught to do," said Chatwin, who fell out of favor with FLDS leader Warren Jeffs several times over the past two years for various alleged sins. "I was taught you needed at least three wives to get into the celestial kingdom of heaven. The more wives you have here, the better you are. I guess I wasn't good enough." Chatwin, who has one wife, was excommunicated in November for pursuing two underage girls for marriage. He has since received three notices demanding he leave the church-owned house where he and his family live. Chatwin's wife, Lori, said she was told to leave her husband and seek a more worthy man, which she refused to do. Chatwin said he fired off a 10-page letter to Rod Parker, the church's attorney, on Friday. "I sent it overnight, certified delivery," said Chatwin. "I told him we're not going to leave." Parker said Saturday he couldn't comment on the letter since he hadn't yet seen it. Jeffs surprised his congregation on Jan. 10 by excommunicating or otherwise disciplining at least 20 men, including longtime Colorado City Mayor Dan Barlow, who immediately resigned from public office. The sudden purge by Jeffs caught many people off guard and prompted another round of rumors to circulate, including one that women and children would flee the polygamous towns en masse. "That hasn't happened, and I don't think it will happen," said Mohave County Supervisor Pete Byers, whose district includes Colorado City. "The constant harassment of these people needs to stop." Byers emphasized that he does not condone the marriage of underage girls. "I don't agree with child brides at all," he said. "But if there's no abuse, leave them alone. It's their lifestyle." Mohave County supervisors recently approved spending $200,000 to place a joint sheriff substation/child protective services building in Colorado City. The county plans to lease land from Mohave Community College, he said. "We've been working on this building for six months now. It's going to be a multipurpose building," said Byers. "This is not a knee-jerk reaction to recent events. We started pursuing this a long time ago." Washington County Sheriff Kirk Smith said his department would rent space in the building to have a more permanent presence in the area. Law enforcement officials in St. George also were addressing polygamy last week at the annual convention of the Utah Peace Officers Association. In fact, it was the only topic when it came to the workshop portion of the two-day meeting. About 90 people attended the event. Invited guests included Smith, several pro-polygamy women, a retired Utah officer and former polygamist, Utah's polygamy czar Ron Barton, and other attorneys with the Utah Attorney General's Office. | |
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deseretnews.com Originally published Monday, February 2, 2004 | |
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