 |
| Sex and the City |
|
People who have left the polygamous culture report: Allegations of rape, incest and sexual molestation are prevalent and these crimes are going unreported. Many older men desire young girls who become their "spiritual wives" because they can bear them more children over a longer period of time. Women are expected to bear children at least every two years. Young girls are often married to their close relatives. Often, the young men are considered to be the "competition" and become a liability to the older men, who want the young girls to become their "child brides." In June 2005, Warren Steed Jeffs was indicted in Mohave County, Arizona on Felony charges, which included incest, sexual conduct with a minor, and conspiracy to commit sexual conduct with a minor for his taking part in performing arranged marriages with little girls. A 16-year-old girl told Arizona authorities she was raped by a 28-year-old man, a person she was forced to marry in her polygamous group. The ceremonial marriage was arranged by Warren Jeffs, the leader of the polygamous Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Warren Jeffs was charged with conspiracy and sexual conduct with a minor for arranging this "church marriage" in 2002, and encouraging the 16-year-old bride "to go forth and multiply and replenish the earth" with her already once-married husband. In July 2005, eight men residing in the polygamous community of Colorado City, Arizona and Hildale, Utah were charged in Mohave County, Arizona with having sex with underage girls whom they considered to be their polygamous "wives". These men ranged in age from 20 to 44 at the time of committing these sex offenses and the girls ranged in age from 15 to 17 at the time that the sexual conduct occurred. Mohave County Investigator Gary Engels said there are probably hundreds of other cases like these where authorities haven't found enough evidence to charge other men in the twin-border towns. The eight men charged were Dale Evans Barlow, 47; David Romaine Bateman, 48; Donald Robert Barlow, 48; Kelly Fischer, 38; Randolph Joseph Barlow, 32; Rodney Hans Holm, 38; Terry Darger Barlow, 23; and Vergel Bryce Jessop, 45. Mohave County Attorney Matt Smith emphasized that these cases were not about prosecuting polygamy, but instead they are about holding male adults accountable for sexual offenses committed upon female minors who become their wives in church-sanctioned marriages not recognized by law. Articles about these and other sex abuses that are occurring "In the Name of God" are listed below in chronological order. |
| Victims' pleas bring leniency in sex abuse case | Colorado City mayor's son escapes prison time after victims ask for mercy | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
The Spectrum Originally published April 20, 2002 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| COLORADO CITY -- Leniency pleas from his victims and others and the unique lifestyle of the primarily polygamous community of Colorado City figured prominently in the sentencing of a man who admitted improper sexual contact with five young female relatives. Dan Barlow Jr., 51, escaped prison time and further county jail incarceration through a plea agreement that led to sentencing Friday in Mohave County Superior Court in Kingman. Judge Richard Weiss imposed a 120-day jail sentence but suspended all of that, granting credit for the 13 days Barlow had already spent in jail. Barlow, son of 17-year Colorado City Mayor Dan Barlow Sr., must register as a sex offender and perform 500 hours of community service. Weiss also placed Barlow on supervised probation for seven years. Court records show that arresting deputy Sam Roundy said Barlow admitted initial allegations of improper sexual contact with the five girls. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| A Father Marries His Daughters: | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| A Case of Incestuous Polygamy | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
A case study by Wade C. Myers, M.D. and Steve J. Brasington, M.D. Journal of Forensic Science, Vol. 47, No. 5 www.astm.org Originally published September 2002 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ABSTRACT: Polygamy is a risk factor for incest. This case report of incest and polygamy portrays the dynamics that dominated this family’s identity. The father indoctrinated and groomed his biological daughter and stepdaughter for sexual gratification in a cult-like atmosphere, and secretly married both of them. He justified his acts to the family members under the guise of religion, but he later denied allegations of polygamy and sexual contact with his daughters when confronted by the authorities. Ultimately, his parental rights were terminated in family court. The authors interviewed the primary victim and reviewed extensive evidence, including videotapes of the victims talking with detectives and also privately amongst each other. Videotape dialogue excerpts capture how these young girls individually coped with the sexual abuse and responded to becoming child wives in a polygamous family. Criminal charges ultimately were not pursued because the key witness refused to testify against her biological father. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The Bishop of Bountiful: The Blackmore Family | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
The Fifth Estate CBC News Originally published January 15, 2003 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Winston Blackmore, head of the family: The most powerful man in Bountiful, he has 26 wives and some 80 children. "I'm just a guy who wants to mind his own business and raise his family and I have a nice family by the way. And I do love my ladies by the way and I love my children." Jane Blackmore, as the first of his 26 wives Jane says she lived a privileged life and stood by Winston during their 17 years of marriage bearing him 7 of his reported 80 children. In an exclusive interview with the Fifth Estate, Jane Blackmore talks about growing up as a woman in Bountiful and reveals that she has decided to leave it all behind. "It was expected that I would be a very obedient girl and grow up and marry whom I was appointed to marry, and be a mother." Debbie Palmer, Winston Blackmore's stepmother: Raised in polygamy Debbie was only 15 when her father gave her away to a 57 year old man. She would become his 6th wife and stepmother to 32 other children. It was only after her third 'celestial marriage' that she found the courage to run from the community with her 8 children. After years of silent suffering she has emerged as a leading activist speaking out against the abuses she saw and experienced in Bountiful . "British Colombia was a perfect place, right there close to the border & You can get lost, you can do whatever you want to do really, and people aren't going to ask questions." Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Polygamist faces 5 criminal counts of unlawful sex with minors | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Dennis Wagner The Arizona Republic Originally published March 12, 2003 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| A Colorado City polygamist and former member of the Fundamentalist Church of Latter-day Saints faces five criminal counts alleging he had unlawful sex with minors who became his wives. According to a complaint filed late last month in Mohave County Superior Court, Orson William Black Jr. had sexual relations with Roberta LeAnn Stubbs in 1998-99, when she was age 15 to 17. Black faces similar charges involving Beth M. Stubbs between 1998 and 2001. In December, Colorado City's deputy marshal, Rodney Holm, was charged with bigamy and unlawful sex with Ruth Stubbs, a sister from the same family. Arizona and Utah prosecutors have spent two years investigating polygamy and other criminal allegations in Colorado City and Hilldale, along the Arizona-Utah line. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Fornicating for God | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| As the case of a snatched Mormon girl from Salt Lake City unfolds, polygamists along the Arizona-Utah border face legal scrutiny | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By John Dougherty Phoenix New Times Originally published March 20, 2003 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The leader of a renegade branch of the Mormon Church, now 47, had sexual relations with an underage girl who bore him a daughter in July 2000, records obtained by New Times indicate. Warren Jeffs, Prophet of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-day Saints (FLDS), apparently lives with the child's mother, now 21, and at least 13 other wives in a fenced compound in Hildale, Utah. The town is adjacent to Colorado City, Arizona, along the border between the two states. Fundamentalist Mormons have openly practiced polygamy in this remote Arizona Strip region for more than 70 years. Sexual contact with 16- or 17-year-olds is illegal in Utah for people who are 10 years older, unless couples are legally married – which would be impossible in polygamous unions in all but first marriages, since a state law bans polygamy in Utah, and Arizona's constitution prohibits the practice. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Double Exposure | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Arizona's finally followed Utah's lead and launched serious action to stop abuses by polygamists | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By John Dougherty Phoenix New Times Originally published December 25, 2003 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Fundamentalist Mormon prophet Warren Jeffs came close to getting arrested over the last year because the Utah Attorney General's Office believed he wanted disobedient teenager Vanessa Rohbock sacrificed to the Lord in a religious ritual called Blood Atonement. Based upon the teachings of Mormon Church patriarch Brigham Young, Jeffs professed that Vanessa's soul could be saved from eternal hell only if her blood were spilled, sources say. Young had preached that death was the only redemption for certain sins -- including adultery. "Will you love that man or woman well enough to shed their blood? That is what Jesus Christ meant," Young was quoted as saying in an 1857 sermon delivered in Salt Lake City and memorialized in the primary fundamentalist Mormon document Purity in the New and Everlasting Covenant of Marriage, compiled by Jeffs' father and former fundamentalist Prophet Rulon Jeffs. Vanessa had committed the most vile of sins in the fundamentalist Mormon world: She had taken a boyfriend of her own choosing instead of marrying the man Warren Jeffs had chosen for her. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Yes, Polygamy Is Everybody's Business | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Naomi Schaefer The Los Angeles Times Originally published February 9, 2004 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
COMMENTARY It's no 'private matter' when children are raped and intellectually starved in isolated settings. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In January, a lawsuit was filed in federal court to overturn Utah's 113-year-old ban on polygamy. The action, which was prompted by the Supreme Court's decision to strike down Texas' anti-sodomy law last year, comes as no surprise. Conservative Justice Antonin Scalia warned in his dissenting opinion in Lawrence vs. Texas that "if, as the court asserts, the promotion of majoritarian sexual morality is not even a legitimate state interest, none of the above-mentioned laws [against fornication, bigamy, adultery, adult incest, bestiality and obscenity] can survive rational-basis review." Utah polygamist Tom Green — who is appealing his convictions on bigamy on the ground that, like the men in Texas, what he does in his own home is no one else's business — could not have agreed more. But before we slide down the slippery slope of this kind of reasoning, we should consider an important distinction about polygamy — its treatment of children. The American West is dotted with polygamous communities, most of them "fundamentalist" Mormon sects, in rebellion against the church's renunciation of polygamy more than 100 years ago. Polygamy's negative effects on children in these communities are well documented and truly shocking. We know from firsthand accounts and court cases that child rape, incest, physical abuse, sexual abuse and child marriage are often realities. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Panel supports making child bigamy a felony | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Elvia Díaz The Arizona Republic Originally published February 12, 2004 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Arizona lawmakers are considering legislation aimed at putting an end to forced marriages of teenage girls in such polygamous enclaves as Colorado City. On Wednesday, the state Senate's Judiciary Committee unanimously approved a bill that would make child bigamy a felony. The proposed law prohibits an adult from cohabiting or marrying a minor while knowing that one or both are legally married. Parents forcing their children into marriages would also face felony penalties. The legislation, Senate Bill 1335, grew out of reports of teenage girls fleeing their homes and women claiming their children were being forced into marriages in Colorado City, a remote religious community near the Arizona-Utah line. Sen. Linda Binder, R-Lake Havasu, who voted for the legislation, evoked the case of two girls fleeing after being told they were to marry in a few hours to older men they didn't know. "This equates to being told that you're going to be raped in two hours," said Binder, explaining why tougher laws are required to protect girls. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Polygamy called a right | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
The Associated Press Originally published Tuesday, July 6, 2004 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The attorney for a former police officer convicted of bigamy and illegal sex with an underage girl has filed a brief with the Utah Supreme Court arguing polygamy is a constitutional right. Rodney Holm, a former police officer in the polygamous community of Hildale, was found guilty in August and sentenced to serve a year in jail. In a 115-page brief, attorney Rodney Parker wrote that monogamy was the minority way of life worldwide and that critics of polygamy overstate its problems. "Current demographics, domestic relations law and religious diversity all accommodate plural marriage," Parker wrote. "Popular departure from traditional marriage has made our domestic laws on cohabitation and fornication anachronistic." Holm's conviction stemmed from his union with a third wife, Ruth Stubbs, who was 16 at the time of the plural marriage. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sex abuse allegations spur probe by RCMP | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| B.C. commune is home to sect Polygamist group investigated earlier | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Daniel Girard, Western Canada Bureau The Toronto Star Originally published July 24, 2004 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| VANCOUVER—A new RCMP team is being established to investigate allegations of child abuse at the polygamist commune of Bountiful in the British Columbia Interior. "The groundswell of public concern has reached a point where government and the police, in my view, have an obligation to act," Attorney-General Geoff Plant said in an interview yesterday. "It's a priority to investigate the many allegations being made." Bountiful, a community of about 1,000 people near Cranbrook in southeastern B.C., has long been the subject of allegations of sexual abuse and of teenaged girls being made concubines or "celestial wives" of men who are much older and already have several other wives. Although polygamy is illegal in Canada, the B.C. government has been reluctant to act. It has obtained two legal opinions that said the group, a breakaway sect of the Mormon Church known as the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, could likely successfully argue the law violates a person's right to freedom of religion. But Plant said one of the keys in the government moving now is a letter he got in May — the first-hand account of a woman who said she was abused at Bountiful. That let him "engage some of my colleagues in more active discussions of what we ought to do here." The B.C. education ministry, which gives about $500,000 a year in grants to the schools there, is also concerned about allegations the schools teach racism and white supremacy. "What truly offends the majority of people who hear about these allegations goes beyond the question of multiple marriages," he said. "It includes suggestions there are children who are being sexually exploited, girls being transported across the border, and so on. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Suit accuses polygamist of sex abuse, cover-up | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Joseph A. Reaves The Arizona Republic Originally published July 30, 2004 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SALT LAKE CITY - The head of the nation's largest polygamous community, headquartered along the Arizona-Utah line, was accused Thursday in a lawsuit of repeatedly sodomizing his nephew and for decades covering up wide-scale sexual abuse of children by fellow members of his sect. The allegations were the most serious and graphic to be brought against Warren Jeffs, 48, the embattled self-proclaimed prophet of a breakaway religious sect known as the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Jeffs and his top lieutenants in the FLDS have been the focus of a series of criminal investigations under way for years by the attorneys general of Utah and Arizona. So far, no criminal charges have been filed against anyone in the church hierarchy, but Thursday's civil suit opened a new track in the investigations. Rodney Parker, a Salt Lake City attorney who represents the FLDS, did not return phone calls to comment on the suit, which was filed shortly before Utah's 3rd Judicial District Court closed for the day. Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff said he received a copy of the suit Thursday and was considering expanding his current investigation to include the specific allegations of sexual abuse and cover-up. "We are very interested in the information in the complaint and are looking into the allegations to determine whether to open a criminal investigation," Shurtleff said. "We already have a criminal task force in place that is looking into all kinds of allegations of criminal conduct by certain members of the FLDS." Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Polygamists accused of rape | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Leader, elders of sect call lawsuit a vengeful attack on church | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Karen Brooks The Dallas Morning News Originally published Friday, July 30, 2004 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The leader and two elders of a religious polygamist sect building a compound in West Texas face accusations of repeatedly raping a young boy in the 1980s, telling him they were "doing God's work" in teaching him to become a man and it was God's will that he keep quiet about it. Attorneys for church leader Warren Jeffs and his Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, based on the Utah-Arizona border, say the lawsuit is a vengeful attack by enemies of Mr. Jeffs and the church. The church and Mr. Jeffs "deny in the strongest possible terms the allegations" by Mr. Jeffs' nephew, Salt Lake City attorney Rodney Parker said. "The church and President Jeffs believe that the filing of this action is part of a continuing effort by enemies of the church to defame it and its institutions. "President Jeffs is confident that ultimately these allegations will be shown to be total fabrications." Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Human smuggling denied | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Critic charges girls trafficked as breeding stock | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Mike D'Amour Calgary Sun Originally published August 2, 2004 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| CRESTON, B.C. -- The polygamous community of Bountiful has existed in near anonymity for decades. But a looming law enforcement investigation has thrust the community into the public spotlight. Forced marriages between young girls and much older men is one of the complaints investigators will explore. The men of Bountiful make no bones about the fact they're in polygamous relationships and at least one admits having nearly 20 wives. But with nearly everyone in the religious community a descendant of half a dozen men, where do the new brides come from? Reporter Mike D'Amour and photographer Carlos Amat were on scene to find some answers in this final installment of a Sun investigation. There's been a rumour circulating around these parts for some time that the men of Bountiful are smuggling their wives-to-be in from the U.S. branch of their religion. "I've heard the very same thing," said Joe Snopek, the mayor of Creston, a town of about 5,000 that lies just north of Bountiful. "Because Bountiful bought adjoining land in Canada and the U.S., it's rumoured the girls would be brought into Canada late at night, but that's slowed down because of tightened border security since (the 911 terrorist attacks)." Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Canadian police probe FLDS reports | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Abuse allegations: Media articles tell of trafficking women and girls from southern Utah areas | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Mark Thiessen The Associated Press Originally published August 6, 2004 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Authorities are investigating the alleged abuse of women and children in a Canadian outpost of a southern Utah-based polygamous community. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police is investigating the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints of Bountiful, British Columbia, which believes in plural marriage as a tenet of the faith, spokeswoman Cpl. Catherine Galliford said Thursday. The Bountiful congregation is affiliated with the FLDS church that has its base in the twin border towns of Hildale, Utah, and Colorado City, Ariz., where an estimated 10,000 followers live. "Finally," said Rowenna Erickson, a co-founder of the Salt Lake City-based Tapestry Against Polygamy. "They've been trafficking girls for a long time." Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| FLDS PROPHET WARREN JEFFS IMPLICATED IN ANOTHER MISSING PERSON CASE, AND ANOTHER ALLEGED CASE OF SEXUAL CONTACT WITH A MINOR | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Jon Krakauer Press Release November 12, 2004 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
On Thursday evening a missing-person report was filed for 17-year-old Janetta Jessop, a member of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (FLDS) based in the adjoining border communities of Hildale, Utah and Colorado City, Arizona. The report was submitted to the Washington County (Utah) Sheriff’s Office by Janetta’s 26-year old sister, Suzanne Jessop Johnson. Notable for being the largest polygamous sect in North America, the FLDS Church is led by an exceedingly secretive 49-year-old man named Warren Steed Jeffs. A self-proclaimed prophet, Jeffs claims to be God’s mouthpiece on earth and is believed to be married to more than 70 women, several of whom were wed to him when they were teenagers. He demands absolute, unquestioning obedience from his estimated 10,000 followers, whom he forbids to have any unnecessary contact with outsiders. Jeffs has repeatedly prophesied that the Lord will soon unleash a scourge of "pestilence, hail, famine, and earthquake" upon the earth, destroying all of humankind except the most zealous of his true believers. Suzanne Johnson says she discovered that her sister Janetta Jessop had abruptly vanished in August 2003 when Suzanne went over to the family home in Colorado City to deliver a plate of cookies immediately after Janetta’s 16th birthday. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Child-bride story was not true | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Nance Perkins Deseret News Originally published November 17, 2004 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE -- Anti-polygamy activists fed "misinformation" to the public and the media when they said a 17-year-old Colorado City girl was missing from her home and forced to become a child bride, a Mohave County investigator said Tuesday night. "Things got out of hand," said Gary Engels, an attorney with the Mohave County Attorney's Office assigned to the Arizona Strip polygamous town of Colorado City. Engels was referring to several press releases issued by Jon Krakauer, who wrote "Under the Banner of Heaven," a book critical of polygamy and its participants. "He was just writing what other people told him. He trusted his sources, and they were wrong," Engels said. One of Krakauer's sources was Janetta Jessop's older sister, Suzanne Johnson, who filed a missing persons report with the Washington County Sheriff's Department last week. Johnson, who is estranged from her family, said she feared her younger sister had been married off to Warren Jeffs, the 48-year-old leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Most residents of Colorado City and the neighboring Utah town of Hildale, Washington County, are members of the FLDS church and practice polygamy. On Tuesday, Engels and a representative with Arizona Child Protective Services arrived at the Jessop house to try and determine if the girl was a victim or being abused. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| UNDERAGE GIRL ALLEGED TO BE WIFE OF FLDS LEADER WARREN JEFFS IS FOUND AND RETURNED TO PARENTS, BUT REFUSES TO SAY WHERE SHE HAS BEEN FOR PAST 15 MONTHS. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Jon Krakauer Press Release November 17, 2004 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 17-year-old Janetta Jessop, reported missing by her sister Suzanne Jessop Johnson on November 11, has been returned to the home of her parents in the polygamist stronghold of Hildale-Colorado City, according to Mohave County (Arizona) investigator Gary Engels. The parents, Frank and Mary Anne Jessop, are loyal followers of self-proclaimed prophet Warren Jeffs, the leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (FLDS). Jeffs is married to some 70 women and girls, and demands absolute, unquestioning obedience from his estimated 10,000 followers. The FLDS Church is presently based in Hildale-Colorado City, astride the Utah-Arizona border, although Jeffs is in the process of moving his center of operations (along with his most devoted followers) to a 1,671-acre ranch near the small town of Eldorado, Texas. Jeffs has told church members that Hildale-Colorado city has been "desecrated." Recently he started construction of a massive temple on the Eldorado property, to be modeled on the historic LDS temple built by Joseph Smith in Nauvoo, Illinois. On November 5, 2004, Janetta Jessop phone her sister Suzanne from an undisclosed location. "I could tell right away something was wrong." Suzanne explains. "Her voice was trembling. She was talking really quiet. I asked her right off the bat if she was in trouble and needed help…. She started telling me, ‘I don’t want to be here right now. I don’t want to be here right now…’ She kept repeating it over and over." Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Colorado City investigation ongoing | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
e-Press Tri-States News Network A Production of Murphy Broadcasting, Inc. Originally published Friday November 19, 2004 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| COLORADO CITY, Ariz. – Although missing Colorado City resident Janetta Jessop is at home, the Mohave County Attorney’s office intends to continue the investigation. According to Gary Engels, special investigator for the attorney’s office, when interviewed Tuesday Jessop was unwilling to comment on her whereabouts for the past year. He also said the parents answers are one reason he’s staying involved. "I will be stopping by there periodically to check on her to make sure she’s still there and still ok," said Engels. According to Jessop’s sister Suzanne Johnson, Jessop as well as two other sisters are believed to have been married off to Warren Jeffs, leader of the polygamist religious sect. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Utah legislators presented book - "God's Brothel" | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
The Associated Press KOLD News 13 - Tucson Originally broadcast January 18, 2005 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SALT LAKE CITY Utah legislators were provided with some extra reading today -- a book about pologamy called "God's Brothel." Utah state Senator Ed Allen handed out a copy of the book to all 104 Utah lawmakers. Allen says polygamy is no laughing matter and the book contains stories of child rape, incest, orgies and violence. Thousands in Utah quietly practice polygamy, although it has been illegal for more than a century and authorities are renewing a crackdown. "God's Brothel" was written by Andrea Moore-Emmett, president of the Utah chapter of the National Organization for Women. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| All for one | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Dan Rosenburg Le Soleil de Châteauguay - Quebec, Canada Originally published January 29, 2005 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| A few years ago, a friend of mine pointed out a house a stone's throw from Chateauguay City Hall. She confided to me that the inhabitants were practising polygamy. For the uninitiated, polygamy is when the family patriarch has two wives or more. They and their kids (all from the same father) live under one roof, supposedly as one big, happy family. Although polygamy is against the law, the practitioners are apparently immune from prosecution, under the guise that this behaviour is part of their religion. When I took my friend grocery shopping a few days later, she nudged me, indicated two women standing in line at the cash, and whispered into my ear, "Those are two of the sister wives." I gave the two women the once-over, noting that they both wore long dresses that hung down to their toes. They looked very pale. They kept to themselves, communicated in hushed tones and spoke to no one. This image remains in my head to this day. And so it was that I stumbled upon a virtually unannounced TV documentary called "Inside Polygamy" that aired on the A & E network at noon last Saturday. I began watching it with an open mind, but the program was shocking. Last Tuesday on CJAD radio, Kim Fraser interviewed a former "sister wife" who had escaped a polygamous relationship after 15 years and now denounces it. She gave listeners an earful. Previously, it was thought that polygamy was largely confined to Utah and Arizona; some pockets of B.C., and foreign countries. But the practice has apparently spread. On CJAD, the reformed "sister wife" explained that polygamy is far from being the utopia its practitioners pretend it to be. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| American polygamist living across the border | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Angela Kocherga San Antonio Express-News Originally published February 22, 2005 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| They're known for taking multiple brides — sometimes even wives as young as 13 years old. Now, some American polygamists are crossing the border to a tiny Mexican town to escape the law. It could be a classroom anywhere in America until you hear the students recite the school credo in Spanish — after all, this is Mexico. The children share a common heritage and history. Their American ancestors crossed the border to preserve a way of live. "My dad had seven wives at one time," said Clarence Le Baron, former mayor of Le Baron, Mexico. His grandfather was a Mormon bishop and also a polygamist, who left the United States during a crackdown on polygamy in 1890. "They actually came down and settled 13 Mormon colonies, kind of similar to the 13 U.S. colonies," Le Baron said. This colony, in the Mexican border state of Chihuahua, bears Clarence's grandfather's name: Le Baron. "He said the nice thing about Mexico is if you don't have enough freedom, you can always buy a little more," Le Baron said. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Shrouded in secrecy | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Former members of Eldorado sect speak of abusive, closed society, fanaticism | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Paul A. Anthony San Angelo Standard-Times Originally published March 27, 2005 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| When Jack Cooke took his teenage daughter Rebecca to the edge of the Grand Canyon, the reason was much more sinister than sightseeing. He took her there to deliver an ultimatum. "Submit to me," he told her, "or you’ll go over the edge." Then he raped her. Rebecca Cooke was not alone in her family — she was one of at least 13 daughters molested or raped by their father, a man with four wives and 57 children, said Laurene Jessop, his seventh-oldest daughter. Jessop was also raped, although her help sending him to prison spared her from the worst of the abuse. "I think (Rebecca) got the worst of it, being the oldest girl," Jessop said, recounting the incident. "Thank goodness I wasn’t one of the oldest ones." The abuse occurred more than 20 years ago in Colorado City, Ariz., one-half of a twin-city community that also includes Hildale, Utah, and serves as the home base of the Fundamental Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, a Mormon offshoot to which Cooke and his family belonged that still practices polygamy. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Study group to look at human trafficking, polygamy | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
The Associated Press KVOA News 4 - Tucson Originally broadcast April 1, 2005 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| BOISE -- Idaho lawmakers will appoint a committee to study human trafficking in their state. Officials in northern Idaho are concerned by reports of a polygamous religious group moving from Canada to Boundary County. They're hearing rumors that the group is trading child brides with another polygamous group in Utah. And some southern Idaho lawmakers have heard rumors about men bringing home wives from other countries and then exploiting them for prostitution or slave labor. The committee will study the issue over the summer and may hold hearings on the matter. Next winter, that information may be used to develop new legislation. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Criminal charges filed against polygamist leader | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Mike Watkiss KTVK NewsChannel 3 - Phoenix Originally broadcast June 10, 2005 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3TV has learned for the first time ever criminal charges have been filed against polygamist prophet and leader Warren Jeffs. The charges were filed in Mohave County and stem from allegations that Jeffs gave a 16-year-old girl as a plural wife to one of his male followers who is at least 10 years older than the girl. Mohave County Attorney Matthew J. Smith confirmed the indictment of Jeffs, saying, "Ultimately, we want to stop them from marrying off underage girls." The charges include one count of sexual conduct with a minor and the other is conspiracy to commit sexual conduct with a minor. Jeffs has become the center of increasing controversy in recent years and is already the target of a couple of high-profile civil lawsuits. One of the lawsuits was filed by a Jeffs’ nephew who claims as a child, he was sodomized by his uncle and other family members. Another civil lawsuit has been filed on behalf of polygamy's so-called Lost Boys, young men allegedly driven out of Colorado City by Jeffs and his followers to reduce competition for young brides. But today's criminal charges are the first such action taken against Jeffs as the states of Arizona and Utah continue a concerted and ongoing crackdown aimed at alleged polygamous crimes. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Warren Jeffs Indicted in Arizona | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Alex Cabrero Reporting KSL TV Channel 5 Originally broadcast June 10, 2005 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The Mohave County Attorney in Arizona has a message for polygamists who live along his state's border with Utah. Matthew Smith, Mohave County, Arizona Attorney: "Twenty-eight year olds cannot have sexual intercourse with 16-year olds in the state of Arizona." He's filed criminal charges against Polygamous leader Warren Jeffs for arranging a plural marriage with a 16-year old girl. A lot of people have been wondering if this day would ever come. Now that it has, it's just a matter of finding Warren Jeffs. Arizona wants him, so does Utah. All this started because a victim in Jeff's polygamous group was willing to come forward to Arizona authorities. That's what Utah needs in order to go forward with charges of its own, but as we know, charging Jeffs is one thing, finding him is something else. Mark Shurtleff, Attorney General of Utah: "It's gonna be difficult because he's elusive. He hides. He has a lot of loyal people around him to keep him safe." Any state attorney general can probably tell you one case that's always bugged them. For Utah's Mark Shurtleff that one case just might be Warren Jeffs. Mark Shurtleff: "I want to charge him, but in law enforcement, we just don't charge people because we want to. We have to have a case we think we can prove, and that requires a witness." And a witness is exactly what came forward to authorities in Arizona. A 16-year old girl in Colorado City told police Jeffs arranged a marriage between her and a 28-year old man. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Investigator says alleged victim is being protected | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
The Associated Press KOLD News 13 - Tucson Originally broadcast June 10, 2005 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| PHOENIX A grand jury in Mohave County has handed up two criminal charges against polygamous sect leader Warren Jeffs. It accused the reclusive religious profit of allegedly arranging a marriage between a 16-year-old girl and a 28-year-old man. Mohave County investigator Gary Engels says the girl is no longer a member of the church, but wouldn't say where she is now. However, Engels says she is being protected. Engels says there are probably hundreds of other cases like this one that authorities haven't found enough evidence of in the twin-border towns of Hildale, Utah, and Colorado City, Arizona. Jeffs hasn't been seen publicly in more than a year, and is thought by some to be in Texas on a new church ranch. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Warrant issued for FLDS leader | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Warren Jeffs indicted on two felony charges | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Patrice St. Germain The Spectrum Originally published Saturday, June 11, 2005 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| An arrest warrant has been issued for Warren Steed Jeffs, prophet of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, who was indicted on two separate felony charges in Mohave County, Ariz. on Thursday. Mohave County Attorney Matthew Smith said Jeffs was indicted on two Class Six felony charges, which include sexual conduct with a minor and conspiracy to commit sexual conduct with a minor. Smith said the charges are based on allegations that Jeffs set up a marriage between a 28-year old man and a 16-year old girl on or between March 28, 2002 and June 30, 2002 in the vicinity of Colorado City. Smith said the 28-year old man, who's name was withheld, has been indicted as well on three felony counts of sexual assault and sexual conduct with a minor. The man had not been served with a warrant as of Friday afternoon. The Mohave County Attorney's Office has also obtained warrants against two other men accused of taking part in arranged marriages with minors. The minor victim was subpoenaed to testify before the grand jury on the allegations, said Gary Engels, Mohave County Attorney's Office investigator. While some believe Jeffs is at the YFZ Ranch near Eldorado, Texas, Schleicher County Sheriff David Doran said there is no evidence or information that Jeffs is at the ranch. Doran also didn't know about the arrest warrant until Friday afternoon. "My first tip was from the local newspaper," Doran said. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Former Polygamist Member Reacts to Charges Against Jeffs | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Nishi Gupta reporting KSL TV Channel 5 Originally broadcast June 11, 2005 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Terry Goddard, Attorney General of Arizona: "This is the first time in my knowledge that we've had a witness willing to step forward and say this is what happened to me, I was sexually abused." Charges have been filed in Arizona against a polygamist leader, and Utah officials seem ready to help. A sixteen-year-old girl told Arizona authorities she was raped by a 28 year- old-man a person she was forced to marry in her polygamous group. The marriage was arranged by Warren Jeffs, the leader of the polygamous Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. State authorities have been keeping an eye on Warren Jeffs and the FLDS church for some time now. So when this girl came forward, Jeffs was charged with conspiracy to commit sexual conduct with a minor. When Rowenna Erickson heard the news, she was thrilled. It was something she'd been waiting to see for 13 years. Rowenna Erickson, Tapestry Against Polygamy: "Polygamy is one hundred percent sexual abuse. Not only are our children molested or raped, daily, but it's sexual abuse to a wife to have her husband having sex with all of these women. And of course they use religion as a guise to justify why they're doing it." Erickson can relate to the girl: She was a member of the Kingston polygamous group for 54 years. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Official: More Colo. City cases to be filed | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Caleb Soptelean Today's News-Herald - Havasu City Originally published June 15, 2005 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mohave County Attorney Matt Smith said he expects another 10 to 15 cases involving underage marriage in Colorado City to be filed in the near future. The news comes on the heels of Superior Court Judge Steven Conn issuing an arrest warrant for Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints' prophet Warren Jeffs last week. The 10 to 15 cases should be brought before a grand jury for possible indictment some time in the next couple months, Smith said. Smith said county investigator Gary Engels and the sheriff's office have been unable to serve four arrest warrants and six court subpoenas in the polygamist enclave that straddles the Utah/Arizona border. Those who are wanted for arrest or subpoena are "running, hiding, lying or moving" in order to avoid Engels, Smith said. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| More Colorado City criminal cases | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
e-Press Tri-State News Network Originally published Wednesday June 15, 2005 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| KINGMAN, Ariz. – Mohave County attorney Matt Smith promises additional criminal cases involving ceremonial marriages that lead underage minors into sexual conduct with male adults in the polygamy-practicing community of Colorado City in northern Arizona. Smith said Tuesday that he's seeking charges against at least another dozen men in Colorado City. Smith's office obtained an indictment last week charging Warren Jeffs, the president of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (FLDS), the predominant church in Colorado City and the neighboring community of Hilldale in Utah. Jeffs, 49, and an unidentified Colorado City man, 28, were charged with sex offenses in a five-count indictment handed up June 9 by a Mohave County Grand Jury. County Attorney Matt Smith said Jeffs was charged with conspiracy and sexual conduct with a minor for arranging a church marriage in 2002, and encouraging the 16 year-old bride "to go forth and multiply and replenish the earth" with her already once-married husband. Smith said the husband is charged for sexual relations with the young woman who is now 19 years old. Pleading for an additional staff attorney during a budget workshop Tuesday, Smith informed county supervisors that he's gearing up for additional prosecution. "We have at least 10 to 15 cases involving underage marriages that are going to the Grand Jury within the next four to six weeks," Smith said. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Practice is common | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
e-Press Tri-State News Network Originally published June 27, 2005 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| LAKE HAVASU CITY, Ariz. – There is abuse in Colorado City. Concerned about recent comments by a local, high profile, community leader downplaying the child marriages in Colorado City as being isolated incidences, a group of abuse experts speaks up. Donna Imhausen is the president of the Lake Havasu City Abuse Prevention program that runs the city’s shelter, and one of five people who as a group wrote a letter to the editor of the local paper. "Their whole life is this, they have no choice, they know nothing, they’re not allowed anything, so to make a comment about this ‘Well this just happens once in a while’, I mean that’s total nonsense about what’s going on out there," said Imhausen. Imhausen and the others want people to understand that these incidents are not rare, and indeed, child marriage is a way of life in highly isolated communities like Colorado City. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Several expected to surrender today in polygamy case | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
The Associated Press The Arizona Republic Originally published July 11, 2005 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| KINGMAN- Seven or eight residents of the polygamous community of Colorado City - all sought on alleged sex offenses involving underage polygamous wives - are expected to surrender today in Kingman. Mohave County Attorney Matt Smith says under an agreement with the men's attorney, all were to be booked and then released on 25-hundred-dollars bond each. Another Colorado City resident who was arrested Friday was in court in Kingman today. Forty-eight-year-old David Bateman pleaded innocent to charges of sexual conduct with a minor and conspiracy to commit sexual conduct with a minor. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 7 Polygamist Men Surrender, Accused of Sex Crimes | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
John Hollenhorst Reporting KSL TV Channel 5 Originally broadcast July 11, 2005 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Seven men surrendered at an Arizona jail today in what appears to be the biggest crackdown on a polygamist community in more than a half-century. All are followers of fugitive polygamist leader Warren Jeffs. One man was arrested Friday when a squad of deputies descended on Colorado City, Arizona. Seven others voluntarily gave themselves up today. A ninth man is unaccounted for. All are charged with felony sex crimes for marrying, or arranging marriages, with underage girls. The polygamist town sits on the border of Utah and Arizona. Utah authorities landed the first big punch last year with the successful prosecution of polygamist policeman Rodney Holm. Now Arizona has fired off a volley of felony charges. Eight men, including Rodney Holm, have been booked into jail in Kingman Arizona. Utah's Attorney General applauded the Arizona arrests. Mark Shurtleff, Utah Attorney General: "They all relate to unlawful sexual activity with children, and conspiracy in arranging those kind of marriage relationships." Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| More Colorado City men indicted, 9 in custody, on polygamy crimes | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By 3TV Fox 11 - Tucson Originally broadcast July 11, 2005 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3TV has learned that as many as seven more Colorado City men have been indicted on crimes associated with the practice of polygamy. One of those men was arrested and eight others turned themselves in to Mohave County authorities. Two of the men were wanted on previous indictments. David R. Bateman was arrested. 3TV reporter Mike Watkiss learned that Kelly Fischer, Dale Barlow, Rodney Holm, Randolph Barlow, Vergel Jessop, Terry Barlow, Donald Robert Barlow and Harvey J. Dockstader all turned themselves in. In 2003, Holm, a former Colorado City police officer, was convicted by a Utah jury of sex crimes and bigamy for taking a 16-year-old girl as his third wife. Now it appears Arizona officials are going to charge Holm with similar crimes for having sex with the same underage girl here in Arizona. Those who surrendered were booked into the Mohave County Jail and posted bond. See the booking photos | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Eight arrested on sex charges | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| All from polygamous Arizona community | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Dave Hawkins Las Vegas Review Journal Originally published July 12, 2005 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| KINGMAN, Ariz. -- Eight men from the polygamous community of Colorado City, Ariz., who are charged with sex offenses involving their underage ceremonial wives left the Mohave County Jail in a convoy of three SUVs and a pickup Monday. One of the defendants, David Romaine Bateman, 48, was arrested at his home Friday, and the others surrendered Monday morning. County Attorney Matt Smith said Flagstaff attorney Bruce Griffin called him Monday morning and said a number of indicted defendants would turn themselves in at the jail. The attorneys stipulated that each of the men would be released on bond after they were fingerprinted and photographed. Judge James Chavez scheduled an Aug. 5 case management hearing for Batemen after taking his not guilty plea. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Eight arrests in US polygamy sect | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
BBC News news.bbc.co.uk Originally published Tuesday, 12 July, 2005 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Eight members of a polygamous community have been indicted in connection with cases of alleged sexual misconduct with minors, US prosecutors say. The charges follow an investigation into communities of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (FLDS) in Arizona and Utah. One of the men was arrested on Friday, while the others turned themselves in on Monday, AP news agency reported. Police are still seeking the church's leader, who was charged last month. Warren Jeffs, who is reputed to have 70 wives, was charged by authorities in Arizona with conspiring to commit sexual misconduct with a minor. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bounty placed on fundamentalist | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| $10,000 reward in hunt for child-abuse suspect | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Geoffrey Fattah Deseret Morning News Originally published Thursday, July 14, 2005 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The elusive leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints now has a bounty on his head. Utah and Arizona officials announced Wednesday a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of Warren Jeffs on two counts of felony child sex abuse for allegedly arranging, and performing, the marriage of a 16-year-old girl to a man who was already married. Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff publicly challenged Jeffs to turn himself in peacefully and face justice. "I just think he thinks he's above the law — he's a coward," Shurtleff said. He then addressed Jeffs directly, "If you think it's constitutional what you're doing, hey, come in and face justice." Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Smith pursues abuse charges | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
e-Press Tri-State News Network Originally published July 13, 2005 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| KINGMAN, Ariz. – Eight men from the polygamous northern Arizona community of Colorado City, who are charged with sex offenses involving their underage ceremonial child brides, left the Mohave County Jail in Kingman Monday afternoon in a convoy of three SUV's and a pickup truck. One of the defendants David Romaine Bateman, 48, was arrested at his home Friday and the others evaded Mohave County Sheriff's deputies who were looking for them over the weekend. Their Monday morning surrender came as a surprise to both Sheriff Tom Sheahan and County Attorney Matt Smith. Smith said Flagstaff attorney Bruce Griffin called him Monday morning, indicating a number of indicted defendants would turn themselves in at the jail. The attorneys stipulated that each of the men would be released on bond after they were fingerprinted and photographed. Griffin said he accepted when unidentified attorneys asked him if he would handle Monday's affairs at the jail as well as Bateman's arraignment. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Equivalent of statutory rape | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
e-Press Tri-State News Network Originally published July 14, 2005 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| COLORADO CITY, Ariz. – Clarification and correction today from the Mohave County Attorney, Matt Smith, on the indictments handed down by a grand jury against eight Colorado City men. The charges, with exception of the one felony Sexual Assault, are not abuse related, and there are no complaining witnesses in the case, except for one who was subpoenaed, and forced to testify. The indictments were obtained on evidence found in public birth records; proving underage girls were involved in sexual activity with the men. "If you’re already married, then you cannot marry a second person who is under the age of eighteen and have sex with them, because its just having sex with somebody under eighteen, which is illegal," said Smith. Marriage in Arizona is permissible at the age of sixteen, with parental consent, however polygamist marriages, such as the ones in Colorado City cases, are not recognized as legal in any U.S. state. This cleared the way for the charges of Sexual Conduct with a Minor, commonly known elsewhere in the U.S. as statutory rape. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 'Principle' is bedrock law | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Men take multiple wives; women are taught to comply | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Deborah Frazier And Gwen Florio Rocky Mountain News Originally published July 16, 2005 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Debbie Palmer was raised to follow "The Principle," the polygamist sect's law that requires men to have at least three wives to reach heaven's highest level. At 15, Palmer was assigned to marry Ray Blackmore, 55, in the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints' Canadian community. While some women have escaped "plural marriages" and describe cold, abusive relationships, others see a benefit of having support from "sister wives" and seek additional mates. Palmer's story speaks to the darker side of polygamy. She said women are forced to have sex during the fertility period of their menstrual cycle. She said Blackmore had five other wives and his attentions focused on the woman most likely to conceive. "Life is about sex," Palmer said. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Smith says sex offenses, not civil rights | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
e-Press Tri-State News Network Originally published Wednesday, July 20, 2005 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| COLORADO CITY, Ariz. – There are many unanswered questions regarding defense matters for ten Colorado City men indicted for alleged sex offenses by a Mohave County grand jury. Mohave County Sheriff’s deputies arrested one of the men and seven others turned themselves in for processing at the county jail on July 11. Flagstaff attorney Bruce Griffin arranged their appearances. Griffin said other unidentified attorneys who asked him to handle the July 11 surrender scenario in Kingman had contacted him. Since then, a dozen phone calls to Griffin's Flagstaff office have produced no response. Mohave County Attorney Matt Smith said he doesn't know if Griffin will handle each of the cases, or if other attorneys will become involved. Smith said he would not be surprised if a team of lawyers was established. Smith has emphasized his prosecution is not an attack on the Colorado City based Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (FLDS), nor its endorsement of the practice of polygamy. He said the prosecution is focused on violation of the laws prohibiting adults from having sexual intercourse with minors who are not legally married to them. Nonetheless, Smith anticipates defense claims of civil rights violations by the prosecution. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Colorado City seven fail to appear for court | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Donna Newman Kingman Daily Miner Originally published July 27, 2005 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| KINGMAN The seven Colorado City men who turned themselves in to the Mohave County Sheriff's office on arrest warrants on July 11 were supposed to be arraigned in Mohave County Superior Court Monday. None of them showed up, and their attorney was a no-show, too. Judges Steven F. Conn, Richard Weiss and Robert R. Moon had the men scheduled for arraignments, but each judge said he had received letters from the defendants and their lawyer, Bruce Griffen of Flagstaff, waiving personal appearances at the court proceedings. All three judges continued the arraignments. Each stated that defendants are required to appear in person for initial appearances before a judge before the law allows them to waive personal appearances in court. None of the judges could find any records in the defendants' files to indicate they had made the required personal appearances. Conn said he didn't even have addresses for the defendants assigned to his courtroom. Arraignments were continued in Conn's courtroom to 8:30 a.m. Aug. 1 for Kelly Fischer, Donald Barlow and Vergel Jessop; in Weiss's courtroom at 9:30 a.m. Aug. 15 for Dale Evans Barlow; and in Moon's courtroom at 10 a.m. Aug. 26 for Randolph J. Barlow, Rodney H. Holm and Terry D. Barlow. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Indicted sex offenders must appear | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
e-Press Tri-State News Network Originally published Wednesday July 27, 2005 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| KINGMAN, Ariz. – A Flagstaff defense attorney representing eight Colorado City men, charged with sex offenses involving their ceremonial alleged child brides, was thwarted in his attempt to handle their arraignments by mail. The three Mohave County Superior Court Judges handling the various cases continued the arraignments that were scheduled Monday. Lawyer Bruce Griffen mailed notices to Kingman attempting to enter not guilty pleas while waiving the defendant's rights to be present for the legal proceeding. Arraignments by mail are conducted occasionally on the local level, but Superior Court Judge Steve Conn said Rule 14 prohibits the procedure in this instance. Conn's ruling hinged on the fact that the three defendants assigned to his court had not yet made initial appearances before a judge. He said arraignments by mail are not allowed without the defendants having had an initial appearance. "They cannot do an arraignment by mail," Judge Conn said. "The defendants have to appear in person to be arraigned." Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Polygamists arraigned on sex charges | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
The Associated Press KOLD News 13 - Tucson Originally broadcast August 1, 2005 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
KINGMAN, Ariz. Three Arizona polygamists accused of sexual misconduct with underage girls they had taken as wives pleaded innocent during their arraignments today in Kingman. Donald Barlow, Vergel Jessop and Kelly Fischer each face charges of sexual conduct with a minor and conspiracy to commit sexual conduct with a minor. Judge Steve Conn informed the defendants - all residents of the polygamist community of Colorado City - that both charges can bring punishment ranging up to two years in prison. The trio's next court appearances have been set for August 22.
(Thanks to Dave Hawkins at KGMN) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1,200 gather for reunion of polygamist's family | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Patriarch Benjamin Franklin Johnson had 7 wives, has 44,000 descendants | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Jaimee Rose The Arizona Republic Originally published August 3, 2005 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Editor's note: The reporter is married to one of Benjamin Franklin Johnson's 44,000 descendants. Her husband, three generations removed, comes through the second wife’s second child. He skipped the reunion. SALT LAKE CITY - All of the cousins are color-coded. The big Benjamin Franklin Johnson family reunion starts with a registration desk, name tags and a pile of bright Avery dot stickers from OfficeMax - seven colors for seven wives. You get a green dot on your name tag if you are descended from his first wife, Melissa ("the legitimate one," her family jokes). If you're from Sarah Melissa, the fifth wife, there's a golden-yellow dot, which is causing a slight fuss as it's barely different from the buttercup-yellow dot for the third wife, Flora Clarinda. Mustn't be mistaken for her kin since she divorced him back in 1848, and they don't talk about that. They ran out of red dots for the fourth wife's family. The woman had eight children, after all. All day, second- and third- and four-times-removed cousins meet for the first time, coo over the babies, apologize, maybe, for cutting each other off on the freeway earlier (back before they knew they were cousins) and ask, "Now, which wife are you from?" Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Colorado City men plead not guilty | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
e-Press Tri-State News Network Originally published Sunday, August 7, 2005 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| KINGMAN, Ariz. - Three polygamists charged with alleged sex offenses involving their ceremonial underage wives in the northern Arizona town of Colorado City pleaded not guilty during their arraignments last week. Mohave County Superior Court Judge Steve Conn scheduled August 22 case management hearings for Donald Barlow, 58, Vergel Jessop, 45 and Kelly Fischer, 38. Each defendant is charged with sexual conduct with a minor and conspiracy to commit sexual conduct with a minor. Judge Conn explained that each offense is punishable by up to two years in prison. Six other Colorado City men face similar charges, including Warren Jeffs, the head of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Warrants for Jeffs arrest have issued and he is the subject of an FBI manhunt. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Two Colorado City men arraigned on felony charges | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Jim Seckler Mohave Daily News Originally published Monday, August 22, 2005 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| KINGMAN - The remaining two of eight Colorado City men pleaded innocent Monday in Superior Court to sexual charges involving minors. Rodney Hans Holm, 38, a former Colorado City police officer, pleaded innocent to three counts of sexual conduct with a minor that took place between Dec. 1, 1998 and March 31, 1999. Holm could get up to two years in prison or probation if tried and convicted of each charge. Terry Darger Barlow, 23, also pleaded innocent Monday to one count of sexual conduct with a minor and conspiracy to commit sexual conduct with a minor. The alleged crimes occurred in 2000. Six other Colorado City men already plead innocent in Superior Court. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| County attorney mum on report of new Jeffs charges | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Patrice St. Germain The Spectrum Originally published Wednesday, August 24, 2005 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| COLORADO CITY - Mohave County Attorney Matt Smith would not confirm or deny Tuesday that more charges are pending against Warren Jeffs, the leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, which teaches polygamy as part of its doctrine. A Salt Lake City television station reported Monday night that Jeffs is facing more charges stemming from arranging marriages of underage girls. Smith's office successfully obtained a grand jury indictment against Warren Steed Jeffs, 49, on June 9. The two class-six felony charges include sexual conduct with a minor and conspiracy to commit sexual conduct with a minor. Those charges are based on Jeffs allegedly setting up a marriage between a 28-year-old man and a 16-year old girl. The alleged crime occurred on or between March 28, 2002, and June 30, 2002, in the vicinity of Colorado City. A warrant for Jeffs' arrest was issued. Mohave County grand jury indictments also were issued on eight other men residing in the Colorado City area, including former police officer Rodney Holm, who was previously convicted in Washington County, Utah, of bigamy and illegal sex with a teenage girl who he had taken as a third wife. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Defense fights sexual misconduct allegations | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
e-Press Tri-State News Network Originally published Thursday, September 8, 2005 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| KINGMAN, Ariz. - An attorney representing eight Colorado City men who are indicted for allegedly sexually offending underage ceremonial wives has unveiled his first defense strategy in one of the cases. Bruce Griffen has asked Mohave County Superior Court Judge James Chavez to remand to the Grand Jury the case against David Bateman, 48. Griffen said the panel should not have authorized charges against Bateman because the state can't prove where the alleged offenses occurred. "Even if you assume that the offense was committed, there is no evidence, whatsoever, that establishes the commission of the offense is in this jurisdiction, let alone the state of Arizona, frankly, let alone anywhere," Griffen said. "If the state can't establish where a crime was committed it cannot establish jurisdiction for this court to proceed with this case." Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Case involving Colorado City man sent back to grand jury | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Jennifer Bartlett Kingman Daily Miner Originally published September 14, 2005 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| KINGMAN The cases for three Colorado City defendants moved forward Monday, while another was sent back to the grand jury. All the defendants face charges related to sexual conduct with a minor. The prosecution suffered a setback in the David Bateman case when Superior Court Judge James Chavez granted defense's motion to remand the case to the grand jury for a new determination of probable cause. Chavez denied, however, the defense's motion to dismiss the case altogether. He also ordered that if the grand jury makes a new finding of probable cause, the bond previously made by the defendant will remain in effect. Bateman is charged with sexual conduct with minors and conspiracy to commit sexual conduct with minors. Rodney H. Holm came before Superior Court Judge Steven F. Conn Monday for a case management hearing. Both Holm and his attorney, Bruce Griffin from Flagstaff, participated by telephone. Holm is charged with three counts of sexual conduct with a minor. According to Griffin, he does plan to file motions in this case, the one of note being a motion to remand the case to the grand jury for a new indictment. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Smith won't quit | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
e-Press Tri-State News Network Originally published September 16, 2005 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| KINGMAN, Ariz. - The defense attorney representing eight Colorado City polygamists charged with alleged sex an offense involving underage ceremonial wives has been successful in what is the first of several grand jury challenges. The basic argument is not that the crimes never occurred, but that the state cannot prove the alleged crimes occurred within its jurisdiction at the time they were supposedly committed. Prosecution apparently did not demonstrate the men were actually in Mohave County when the alleged sex acts with underage girls occurred. Bruce Griffen is contesting grand jury proceedings that produced indictments against several of the defendants. Mohave County Superior Court Judge James Chavez has sided with Griffen in the state's case against Donald Bateman, 48. Judge Chavez has remanded the case back to the Grand Jury for a new determination of probable cause. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Former polygamous police chief says he never notified authorities of child-welfare cases | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
The Associated Press KPHO News 5 - Phoenix Originally broadcast Sunday, September 18, 2005 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| PHOENIX A former Colorado City Police chief told investigators that he never notified child-welfare authorities in Utah of sexual abuse cases he investigated in two polygamist towns along the Arizona strip. According to records released last week, Sam Roundy told an investigator for the Arizona Peace Officer Standards and Training Board that he failed to notify state authorities about the 20 to 25 child sexual abuse cases he's investigated over the years in Colorado City and Hildale, Utah. Roundy is an admitted polygamist. He has a wife and two companions with whom he has 21 children. The 50-year-old Roundy resigned this year. His police certification in Utah has been revoked and similar actions are pending in Arizona. Most of the residents of Colorado City and Hildale are members of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, which preaches polygamy as a central tenet. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Polygamists' attorney tips hand on strategy | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Mark Lewis Kingman Daily Miner Originally published October 22, 2005 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| KINGMAN The attorney for eight Colorado City men indicted for allegedly sexually offending underage ceremonial wives made it clear Thursday that freedom of religion will likely be a strategy in exonerating his clients of any legal wrongdoing. Flagstaff defense attorney Bruce Griffen has until 5 p.m. on Nov. 18 to file such a motion. Mohave County attorney Matt Smith has until 5 p.m. Dec. 9 to file a return motion. In court Thursday, Smith said the state is contemplating a course of action that would make religious beliefs not applicable in this case. Regarding possible developments in the case, Smith said, "It's all uncharted territory." Accused polygamists Randolph J. Barlow and David Romaine Bateman both appeared in Mohave County Superior Court Thursday, the former for an omnibus hearing and the latter for a case management conference. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Always a bride | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Rebecca Traister salon.com Originally published October 25, 2005 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The New York Times today published a story by Timothy Egan about the country's largest polygamous community, the neighboring towns of Colorado City, Ariz., and Hilldale, Utah. The community is run by a radical sect of the Mormon Church called the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. The sect's leader, 45-year-old Warren Jeffs, is currently a fugitive, wanted on charges of sexual assault because he allegedly forced a 16-year-old-woman to marry a 28-year-old married man. Despite his physical absence, he still manages to exert control over the community, teaching his followers that a man cannot go to heaven unless he has three wives. Jeffs himself has as many as 70, sources told the Times. It's common practice in these two towns for women to be taken from their parents, husbands and children and reassigned to other husbands, often against their will. Women under the age of 18 are forced to marry older men. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Deadline set for alleged polygamists | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Jim Seckler Mohave Daily News Originally published Monday, October 31, 2005 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| KINGMAN - A Mohave County Superior Court judge set a deadline Monday for defense motions for six of eight Colorado City men charged with having sexual relations with underage girls. The six men belong to a polygamist sect of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Colorado City near the Utah border. Judge Steven Conn set Dec. 16 as the last day for Bruce Griffen, the attorney for all six men, to file pre-trial motions. Conn also set Dec. 30 as the last day for County Attorney Matt Smith to reply to any defense motions. Conn is expected to set a trial date for the six men after that date. Griffen, speaking by phone, said one of the motions may be to preclude the charges because of religious freedom. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Religion to be used as defense for polygamists | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
e-Press Tri-State News Network Originally published November 1, 2005 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| KINGMAN, Ariz. - Freedom of religion will be offered as a defense for eight Colorado City polygamists who are indicted for alleged sex offenses involving their underage ceremonial wives. Bruce Griffen, the Flagstaff attorney representing the various defendants, made that clear during a pretrial hearing conducted from Kingman by telephone Monday. "We will be filing some motions that go to the issue of religious freedom and that will go to the core of our defense," Griffen said. Mohave County attorney Matt Smith said a court ruling on the motion could resolve each of the pending cases. The defendants are charged with illegal sexual conduct with underage minors assigned to them in ceremonial marriages recognized not by law but by the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Woman Sues Fugitive Polygamist Leader | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Jennifer Dobner The Associated Press Washington Post Originally published December 14, 2005 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SALT LAKE CITY -- A woman on Tuesday sued a fundamentalist Mormon church and its fugitive polygamist leader, claiming he forced her as a young teenager to marry a much older man. The civil lawsuit names church leader Warren Jeffs and the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, a sect that broke away from the Mormon church and still practices polygamy. The woman, who in court papers is identified only as "M.J.," asks for a jury trial and unspecified monetary damages. The lawsuit contends that Jeffs performed the marriage ceremony without her consent and then commanded her and her new husband to "multiply and replenish the Earth." "The nonconsensual spiritual marriage, the required sexual relations and M.J.'s resulting pregnancies have been physically and emotionally devastating to M.J.," court documents state. Jeffs, 49, has been a fugitive since June when he was indicted in Arizona on charges of sexual assault and conspiracy to commit sexual conduct on a minor. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Family Members Accuse Warren Jeffs of Abusing Children | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
John Hollenhorst Reporting KSL TV Channel 5 Originally broadcast December 14, 2005 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ward Jeffs, Warren Jeffs' Brother: "And he must be brought to justice. He's not beyond the law even if he holds some title of a prophet of a church. He has to be stopped." A brother and a nephew of fugitive polygamist leader Warren Jeffs today accused him of sexually abusing young boys and girls for many years. And they laid the blame on Jeffs for a tragic family suicide. Jeffs' relatives say he took advantage of his position in the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, using threats of hellfire to force sex acts on boys and girls as young as five-years old. It's clear that religious and sexual turmoil have torn the Jeffs family apart. If the allegations we heard today are true, it's also clear there are crimes in the polygamist community that are not victimless crimes. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lawyer challenging constitutional ban on polygamy | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
The Associated Press KVOA News 4 - Tucson Originally broadcast December 19, 2005 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
KINGMAN, Ariz. A Flagstaff lawyer is asking a couple of Mohave County Superior Court judges to strike down the anti-polygamy provision of the Arizona Constitution. Bruce Griffen represents eight men who practice polygamy in Colorado City. They're charged with sex offenses involving their church-assigned underage wives. Griffen offers religious freedom as a partial defense. Mohave County Attorney Matt Smith says religion does not convey freedom to sexually offend children. Smith and Griffen will argue these matters in a pretrial hearing Wednesday.
___ Information from: Dave Hawkins/KGMN-FM, http://www.kgmn.net/ | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Polygamy Motion: Freedom of Religion? | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
e-Press Tri-State News Network Originally published December 20, 2005 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| KINGMAN, AZ - The Flagstaff lawyer representing eight polygamists from the northern Arizona town of Colorado City charged with alleged sex offenses involving their underage ceremonial wives is offering freedom of religion as part of his defense strategy. Bruce Griffen raised the issue in pretrial motions filed in the case against Randolph Barlow. "Barlow's complete defense is pinned to his practice of religion," Griffen wrote in a motion asking that the judge and jury hear experts and evidence involving the evolution and culture of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (FLDS). The defendants and most residents of Colorado City and the neighboring community of Hilldale, Utah are FLDS members. Griffen argues an understanding of the church and its beliefs is crucial to a fair consideration of Barlow's defense. He said FLDS members believe polygamy is essentially a mechanism for procreation and salvation. "The highest of the three orders of heaven can be attained only by living the law of celestial, or plural marriage," Griffen's motion stated. "The purpose of plural marriage is not sexual gratification, but procreation." | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Defense Says Polygamy Is Not The Issue | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
e-Press Tri-State News Network Originally published December 20, 2005 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| KINGMAN, AZ - In another pretrial motion in the Barlow case, Griffen asks Mohave County Superior Court Judge James Chavez to strike down Arizona's Constitutional ban on polygamy. Griffen argues Judge Chavez should consider the history of attempts to regulate or restrict bigamy and polygamy. "Arizona's anti-polygamy clause is the archaic result of the attempts by the federal government in the late 1800's to destroy the Mormon church," Griffen wrote. "It is a tale of legal persecution, majoritarian high-handedness and intolerance cloaked in the disguise of morality." Mohave County Attorney Matt Smith contends court review and consideration of the church and laws addressing bigamy and polygamy is unnecessary. "The fact that the Defendant is apparently someone who practices or believes in polygamy has no relevance in this case," Smith wrote in his response to Griffen's motions. "The problem with the Defendant's conduct in this case is not that he is practicing polygamy, but that he is having sexual relations with a child." Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rumors about FLDS leader swirl | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Did he fly into Colorado City, perform marriages? | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Geoffrey Fattah Deseret Morning News Originally published Thursday, December 22, 2005 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Warren Jeffs, the leader of the FLDS Church wanted by the FBI, flew into Colorado City under the nose of law enforcement and performed several marriages. At least that's the rumor swirling in and around the twin polygamous towns of Hildale and Colorado City, an attorney appointed to oversee the United Effort Plan trustee case told a 3rd District judge Wednesday. In an update to the efforts to set up an advisory board to handle UEP properties, court-appointed fiduciary Bruce Wisan said he was told that wanted FLDS leader Warren Jeffs had flown into Colorado City in a small private plane and was whisked away in a vehicle just a week ago. Shortly after, rumor circulated that three to four girls were taken from the community in cars, relayed to other vehicles, and taken to a remote field where Jeffs performed marriages. Wisan was told that the rumor had been reported to the FBI, however, special agent Brent Robbins with the FBI's Salt Lake City office said none of the agents involved in the search for Jeffs are aware of the rumor and could not confirm if the rumor was legitimate. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Smith's gambit | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| County attorney's decision to drop one charge ruins religious freedom defense for polygamists | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Jeff Pope Kingman Daily Miner Originally published December 23, 2005 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| KINGMAN Mohave County Superior Court Judge James Chavez denied five of seven motions on Wednesday that were filed by an attorney representing a Colorado City man accused of sexual assault because county prosecutor Matt Smith dropped one of the charges against the man, making the motions unnecessary. Randolph J. Barlow, 32, is charged with two counts of sexual assault. The charge of sexual conduct with a minor was dropped. One of the dismissed motions asked Chavez to strike down the anti-polygamy clause of the Arizona Constitution (Article 20, sec. 2). The clause is one sentence: "Polygamous or plural marriages, or polygamous co-habitation, are forever prohibited within this state." Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Colorado City man loses bid to challenge ban on polygamy | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
The Associated Press Provo Daily Herald Originally published December 24, 2005 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| KINGMAN - An accused Colorado City polygamist lost his bid to have the state's constitutional ban on the practice overturned when state prosecutors dropped one of three charges he was facing. Randolph J. Barlow, 32, had been charged with two counts of sexual assault and one charge of sexual conduct with a minor. The underage-sex charge was dropped Thursday, and a Mohave County judge then denied several motions his lawyer had filed, including one challenging the constitutional ban. Dropping the underage-sex charge makes the case solely one of sexual assault and guts the defense strategy to mount a religious defense, defense lawyer Bruce Griffen said. "The state's strategic maneuver . . . has ruined the vast majority of what we were going to do today," Griffen said. Barlow and seven other Colorado City men face sex charges related to their marriages with girls younger than 18. They were already legally married to other women when they married the underage girls. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Griffen Sets Polygamy Ban Pretrial | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Paul LaVoie & Desiree Peeples e-Press Tri-State News Network Originally published December 27, 2005 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| KINGMAN. AZ - Flagstaff lawyer Bruce Griffen has scheduled a pretrial hearing for tomorrow in Mohave County Superior Court to challenge the anti-polygamy provision of the Arizona Constitution. Griffen is the attorney who represents the eight men from Colorado City who are facing charges for practicing polygamy in the predominantly Mormon community in north Mohave County. The men are charged with numerous offenses involving sexual misconduct with their underage wives. Griffen is attempting to remove the polygamy ban from the state's constitution while Mohave County attorney Matt Smith counters that religious freedom does not include the right to abuse children sexually. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No better than pedophiles | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Letters From the Issue of Thursday, January 12, 2006 Phoenix New Times Originally published January 12, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| I first noticed John Dougherty's latest article in his "Polygamy in Arizona" series on the New Times [national] Web site (www.newtimes.com), and as the opening statement introducing the story touts, this may be the "most shocking development yet" in Phoenix New Times' reporting on the abuses of the fundamentalist Mormons ("Forbidden Fruit," December 29). Which is saying a lot -- since previous stories have uncovered widespread rape of young girls by older men who have forced them, with the church prophet's blessing, into sham marriages (some of these guys have 30 "wives"). These old men are no better than the pedophile priests in the Roman Catholic Church that we've been reading about for almost a decade now. In fact, they're worse, because they use religion to sanctify their sordid crimes. But I digress from my central point, which is that the latest story on church-required inbreeding producing babies with monster deformities and severe mental retardation is almost unbelievable. That is, it would be unbelievable if it weren't going on in [Colorado City, Arizona, and Hildale, Utah], where atrocities have been tolerated by state officials for decades. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Judge shoots down challenge to ban | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| State constitution’s polygamy prohibition won’t be an issue in FLDS man’s trials | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Jennifer Bartlett Kingman Daily Miner Originally published January 13, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| KINGMAN – Superior Court Judge James Chavez denied three separate motions challenging the state constitutional ban on polygamy in the case of David Romaine Bateman, one of eight men from Colorado City facing criminal charges. The attorneys in this case presented oral arguments Thursday on seven separate motions filed by defense attorney Bruce Griffen. Griffen asked Chavez to invalidate the Arizona Constitutional ban on polygamy. He said that, given a modern analysis of the religious practices of the Fundamental Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, it was no longer a valid ban. The religious practices of Bateman, he said, would inevitably come into the case and the ban adversely affects the defense. Chavez asked Griffen how a Superior Court ruling would affect the proceedings in this case, given that the defendant is not charged with polygamy. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hildale man gets retrial in Iron County | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
The Spectrum Originally published January 18, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| BEAVER — A Hildale man who is charged with rape and forcible sex abuse in Beaver will have a second trial on the charges and it will take place in Iron County. Parley Parker Pratt Stubbs, 31, was found guilty of the felony crimes in 2001, but the appeals court overturned the ruling and the Utah Supreme Court upheld the appellate court ruling. The appeal was based on the fact that the jury was "inappropriately selected," Judge G. Michael Westfall recalled in court Wednesday. "We asked for a change of venue initially because too many people knew each other," defense attorney Ed Brass said. "That’s just how it is in small towns." The alleged crime took place in 2000 and although Stubbs in not from the Beaver area, the victim and her family is. For more information, please see tommorrow's edition of The Spectrum & Daily News. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sex abuse case to move to Iron County | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hildale suspect's venue appeal OK'd; verdict overturned | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Elizabeth Carlile The Spectrum Originally published January 19, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| BEAVER - The second trial for a Hildale man charged with rape and forcible sex abuse in Beaver will take place in Iron County. Parley Parker Pratt Stubbs, 31, was found guilty of the felony crimes in 2001, but the appeals court overturned the ruling and the Utah Supreme Court upheld the appeals court ruling. The appeal was based on the fact that the jury was "inappropriately selected," Judge G. Michael Westfall recalled in court Wednesday. "We asked for a change of venue initially because too many people knew each other," Defense Attorney Ed Brass said. "That's just how it is in small towns." The date of Stubbs' second trial has yet to be scheduled. The alleged crime against a Beaver woman took place in 2000. Since his conviction in September 2001, Stubbs has been in prison. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Birth defect is plaguing children in FLDS towns | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Fumarase Deficiency afflicts 20, is linked to marriages of close kin | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By John Hollenhorst KSL TV Channel 5 deseretnews.com Originally published Thursday, February 9, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| It's one of the darkest secrets of the Warren Jeffs polygamist community. An especially severe form of birth defect is on the rise and may mushroom in coming generations. "I don't want to describe it in too much detail," said Isaac Wyler, who was related by marriage to some of the victims. "It's not a real pretty sight." According to experts and former Jeffs followers, the cause of the birth defect is clear: Intermarriage among close relatives is producing children who have two copies of a recessive gene for a debilitating condition called Fumarase Deficiency. They predict the scale of the problem will increase dramatically in the future. Wyler, who has lived in the polygamist community most of his life, said he expects residents to continue marrying close relatives. "Around here," Wyler said, "you're pretty much related to everybody." Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Woman Who Escaped Polygamy Breaks Silence | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
KUTV Channel 2 CBS Broadcasting Inc Originally broadcast February 9, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (KUTV) She sparked an investigation that forced polygamist leader Warren Jeffs into hiding. Now for the first time since she escaped her old life Ruth Stubbs is breaking her silence. "Girls need a choice. They need a choice of whether they can get married or not," said Stubbs. Twenty-three-year-old Ruth Stubbs is probably not what most people think of when they think of a revolutionary. "Do you feel like a trail blazer? No I feel like just a normal person," said Stubbs. Make no mistake about it. This young mother of four has rocked the world the closed and secretive polygamist world along the Utah-Arizona border. "I was scared when I came out to the outside world ... was scared and I was watching my back and I was wondering who was going to hurt me and who was going to hurt my kids," said Stubbs. Ruth fled the polygamist town of Colorado city, Arizona in February 2002 with her two oldest children and a third on the way. "I felt like a slave ... I felt like I didn't have any control over my life," said Stubbs. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Pillar of the Community? | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Michael Weiss slate.com Originally posted Friday, February 10, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Latter-day Love: Next month HBO will premiere its latest drama Big Love, about a Utah-based polygamist family (Bill Paxton, his three hot wives, and all their children). The Mormon Church, however, is already fretting about pop-culture-exacerbated stereotypes and is quick to point out that it officially banned simultaneous marriages more than a century ago. Yet, some bloggers insist that such might be the de jure policy on Latter-Day Saints' "I do's," but it is not the de facto practice out West. Latter-day Londoner Sarai at Anglofille grew up in the exact Utah town where Big Love is set. While she's none too pleased to see polygamy being made sexy (insert joke about fistfuls of Viagra), she's nevertheless "glad that the Mormon Church and the people of Utah will once again be shamed on the international stage for the disgusting and degrading practice [which] is still practiced by tens of thousands of people in Utah and the Colorado/Arizona border towns. Church leaders and government officials have done virtually nothing to put a stop to a practice that often sees very young girls (we're talking 12-year-olds) 'married' to 60-year-old men." Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hildale Man Sentenced In Kingman | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
e-Press Tri-State News Network Originally published February 13, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| KINGMAN, AZ - A man who violated his young sister in border communities where polygamy is widely practiced has been sentenced in Arizona following completion of his sentence in Utah. David Leroy Steed, 22, was given five years probation during sentencing in Kingman. Mohave County Superior Court Judge Steve Conn said he would impose no further jail time, sentencing Steed to the 200 days he has served in custody in Arizona. Judge Conn noted Steed served 276 days in custody in Utah for violating his sister in the border town of Hildale. Steed pled guilty to attempted sexual conduct with a minor for improper contact with a sister who was 8-years-old at the time the offense was committed in July, 2003. "I'm sorry. I know I did wrong. We all make mistakes," Steed said during sentencing. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Barlow's Trial Date Set | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
e-Press Tri-State News Network Originally published February 21, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| KINGMAN, AZ - It looks like Randolph Barlow will be the first in a group of men from Colorado City to be tried for alleged sex offenses involving underage women assigned as wives through the polygamy practicing Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (FLDS). Mohave County Superior Court Judge James Chavez has scheduled Barlow's trial in Kingman to begin March 10. Barlow, 31, is charged with two counts of sexual assault and one count of sexual misconduct with a minor. Prosecutor Matt Smith said the victim, a ceremonial wife allegedly assigned to Barlow by FLDS leader Warren Jeffs, was 16 years old at the time of the alleged offenses in 2002. Jeffs, 49, remains a federal fugitive under local indictment for conspiracy in that his assignment of underage women to legally married adult men allegedly enabled them to be victimized. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Woman Who Escaped Polygamous Sect Revisits Past | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Laurene Jessop Confronts Husband Who Also Married Her Sister -- Will She Forgive Him? | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Primetime ABC News Originally broadcast March 2, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| March 1, 2006 — Last summer was Laurene Jessop's first trip back to polygamist-run Colorado City, Ariz., since her escape from, what was, to her, an isolated and forbidding world 18 months earlier. She had no idea what to expect. "I'm nervous," she said. "I want to be able to walk through town and not be handcuffed, and if the police officers decide to handcuff me, what to say?" Laurene said she was taken by force to a mental institution three times for disobeying her husband. She finally got away with the help of an anti-polygamy activist, and won custody of her five children. Laurene returned to Colorado City several months ago to prove to herself that the polygamist sect that runs this town no longer has power over her, and to confront the demons from her past, including sexual abuse by her father. Even after all that, Laurene found it difficult to completely break free from her past life. Recently, her journey took a strange U-turn back to Colorado City. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Barlow Fails To Reach Plea | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
e-Press Tri-State News Network Originally published Sunday, March 5, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| KINGMAN, AZ - The March 1st deadline has come and gone and still no plea agreement in the case against one of the Colorado City polygamists accused of sex offenses involving underage church-assigned wives. That means that Randolph Barlow, 31, will be the first in the group of similary-charged defendants to stand trial in Mohave County Superior Court. Judge James Chavez will preside over the trial scheduled to begin March 13th. Barlow is charged with two counts of sexual assault and one count of sexual misconduct with a minor. Prosecutor Matt Smith said the victim, a "celestial" wife assigned to Barlow by church leader Warren Jeffs, was 16-years-old at the time of the alleged offenses in 2002. Jeffs, 50, is a federal fugitive under indictment for conspiracy, in that his assignment of underage women to legally married adult men enabled them to be victimized. Click here for more details on the FBI's website. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Trial rescheduled in Kingman for polygamist | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
The Associated Press KPHO News 5 - Phoenix Originally published March 9, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
KINGMAN, Ariz. A problem with a key witness has forced a postponement in next week's scheduled trial of a Colorado City polygamist charged with sex offenses. The charges against 31-year-old Randolph Barlow involve his underage bride, who authorities say was 16 at the time of the alleged offenses in 2002. Mohave County Attorney Matt Smith says the young woman failed to comply with a subpoena handed her yesterday. Smith says the woman was to see a Utah judge, who would have instructed her of a legal obligation to appear for Barlow's trial next week in Kingman. Since Smith says the woman didn't show up in court yesterday, the judge overseeing Barlow's case in Kingman rescheduled Barlow's trial.
Barlow faces two counts of sexual abuse and one count of sexual conduct with a minor.
___ Information from: Dave Hawkins/KGMN-FM, http://www.kgmn.net | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Barlow: Key Witness Fails To Appear | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
e-Press Tri-State News Network Originally published March 11, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| KINGMAN, AZ - The first trial involving a group of polygamists indicted for alleged sex offenses involving their church-assigned underage wives in Colorado City has been continued, given the alleged victim's failure to obey a subpoena delivered to her at her St. George, Utah area home Wednesday morning. During a Wednesday afternoon hearing in Kingman, Mohave County attorney Matt Smith informed Superior Court Judge James Chavez that the 19-year-old woman failed to appear in court in Utah to receive instructions to appear for trial in Kingman next week. "She knew she had to come to court today and she did not show up (in Utah)," Smith said. "She disobeyed the court order and a warrant was in fact issued by that judge for her arrest." Smith said the woman's testimony is crucial to his case against 31-year-old Randolph Barlow. "She's our whole case...and we would not be able to go forward without her," Smith said. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Manhunt starts in sex offense | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sheriff's office seeks information on suspect named Wayland Wyler | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Elizabeth Carlile The Spectrum Originally published March 21, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| CEDAR CITY - The Iron County Sheriff's Office is seeking the public's help in finding a man accused of committing sodomy on a child with whom he had a special relationship of trust. He is believed to be in the Southern Utah region. Investigators are looking for Wayland Wyler, who is described as a white male; 39 years old; 5 feet, 11 inches tall; 200 pounds; with brown hair and green eyes. He has ties to Colorado City, Ariz., St. George and Iron County; and he is self-employed as a carpet and tile installer, Iron County Sheriff's Office Detective Mike Crouch said. "He's on the run and hiding," Crouch said. "The only person he's been in contact with is his mother and the information he's been giving her is not accurate." Authorities could not specify if Wyler should be considered dangerous because the crime he allegedly committed did not involve a weapon. "He knows he's wanted and that changes the dynamics of one's personality," Crouch said. "At this moment, I couldn't say for sure if he's armed and dangerous." Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Barlow Witness Located In Utah | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
e-Press Tri-State News Network Originally published March 24, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| KINGMAN, AZ - A young woman whom prosecutors view as both the key witness and the victim of sex offenses allegedly committed by a northern Arizona polygamist four years ago was finally located last Friday, ten days after the man's trial was postponed given inability to find her. Washington County Chief Deputy Sheriff Rob Tersigni said the woman, 19, was arrested in St. George, Utah and brought before a Judge March 17. She was directed to attend legal proceedings against her former "celestial" husband, Randolph Barlow, 31, Colorado City, and she was released on $5,000 bond. Barlow is charged with two counts of sexual assault and one count of sexual conduct with a minor. Mohave County Attorney Matt Smith said the woman was 16-years-old when the offenses occurred after she had been paired with Barlow in a church-arranged marriage not legally recognized. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Suspect in sex offense surrenders | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Elizabeth Carlile The Spectrum Originally published March 25, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| CEDAR CITY - After saying he would do so a week ago, accused sex offender Wayland Wyler turned himself into authorities on Friday. Wyler showed up at the Cedar City Hall of Justice with his attorney, Kenneth Combs, that afternoon and was taken into custody by the bailiffs. "He did the right thing," said Iron County Sheriff Mark Gower. A warrant was issued for Wyler's arrest on March 17 after he failed to turn himself in. The warrant charges him with first-degree felony sodomy on a child with whom he had a special relationship of trust. Because of the seriousness of the charge, Gower said this case was made a priority. "Anytime someone is victimized, it's taken seriously," the sheriff said. "It's put above other cases and really worked." Gower said sodomy carries the same penalty as murder, which in Utah means the possibility of life in prison. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Missing key witness in polygamy case is located | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Ben Winslow Deseret Morning News Originally published Friday, March 31, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| A woman considered a key witness in the case against a Colorado City, Ariz., polygamist has been arrested in southern Utah after the man's trial was postponed. The 23-year-old woman failed to respond to a subpoena ordering her to testify in the case against Randolph Barlow, 31. Barlow is charged with sexual abuse and sexual conduct with a minor. The charges stem from his polygamous marriage to the woman when she was 16. Barlow was originally scheduled to go on trial in Kingman, Ariz., March 13. When the woman did not respond to a summons to testify in the case against her purported husband, a $10,000 warrant was issued for her arrest. "We located her on the warrant," Washington County Sheriff's Chief Deputy Rob Tersigni said Monday. "She was taken to jail and taken right before Judge (James) Shumate. He reduced the bail to $5,000 cash or bond." Records show the woman bailed out of the Purgatory Jail on March 17. "She has a subpoena that tells her when she has to appear," Mohave County Attorney's investigator Gary Engels told the Deseret Morning News. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| C4I gets Talented new documentary | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Jo Anne Kenny C21 Media c21media.net Originally published April 3, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| MIP NEWS: UK producer Talent Television has appointed Channel 4 International as its distributor for a documentary it is launching here at MipTV. C4i will rep The Man with 80 Wives (1x60'), which is due to air on Channel 4 in the UK this spring. The special follows the search for 49-year-old Warren Jeffs, a man wanted by the law because he has 80 wives and over 250 children. He is a self-proclaimed prophet and president of the 12,000-member Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Ordered by Channel 4's commissioning editor, factual entertainment, Andrew MacKenzie, the programme offers insight into the secretive and intriguing world of Jeffs, who went on the run last year and is now wanted by the FBI. The Man with 80 Wives is fronted by investigative reporter Sanjiv Bhattacharya (an as-yet undiscovered talent), and executive produced by Talent TV's director of entertainment Mark Linsey. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Polygamy Trial Draws Near | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
e-Press Tri-State News Network Originally published April 4, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| KINGMAN, AZ - Six Colorado City polygamists charged with sexually offending their church-assigned underage brides sat shoulder-to-shoulder along a pew in Mohave County Superior Court as Judge Steven Conn rejected all but one of a number of pretrial defense motions last week. Judge Conn granted Flagstaff lawyer Bruce Griffen's request to present limited evidence involving the culture and practice of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Griffen insists that's necessary for jurors to understand the lifestyles and some of the beliefs of the members of the church that is led by Warren Jeffs. Jeffs has also been indicted on a theory of conspiracy for arranging church-sanctioned "celestial" marriages that enabled the already legally married men to offend underage girls. The 50-year-old Jeffs has been on the run and remains a fugitive from justice. Judge Conn scheduled April 17 omnibus hearings for the cases against Rodney Holm, Kelly Fischer, Vergel Jessop and three Barlow's - Dale, Donald and Terry. Mohave County attorney Matt Smith said that he's not certain the alleged victims will appear for trial. Smith said he may have to use their dates of birth and hospital records (to show when some of them gave birth), to prove that they had sexual relations when underage. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| New Charges Filed Against Warren Jeffs | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
John Hollenhorst Reporting KSL-TV Channel 5 Originally broadcast April 6, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| New felony charges against fugitive polygamist leader Warren Jeffs have been leveled, and they're the most serious yet. Jeffs is charged with assisting in the rape of a teenage girl. They're the first criminal charges against him in Utah. From court documents, it's obvious she described her ordeal to investigators in great detail. From what we know, speaking against her religious leader must have been an extraordinarily painful and difficult step. Warren Jeffs' power over his victims is extreme, his critics say, because his crimes have a uniquely powerful undercurrent. Sam Brower, Private Investigator: "Crimes of guilt and embarrassment and humiliation." Private investigator Sam Brower has helped law enforcement agencies pursue cases against Jeffs. The new case involves a young teenager from Hildale, Utah. Jeffs is accused of ordering her to marry an older man. She protested, saying she was too young. But she was taken to Nevada and Jeffs performed the marriage, saying it was God's will. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Court decides case among plural wives | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Debbie Hummel The Associated Press Provo Daily Herald Originally published Friday, May 5, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SALT LAKE CITY -- The Utah Court of Appeals ruled Thursday in a dispute between a woman and two others with whom she shared a husband as part of a polygamous marriage. The appeals court found that Janice Ririe Kunz could not file a declaration of "unsolemnized marriage" after Richard Kunz's death because he was legally married to another woman, and Janice Kunz did not file her petition within the one-year limit per Utah law. "This case presents the difficult and complicated issues that arise when followers of the doctrine of plural marriage attempt to circumvent Utah law," said the decision written by Judge Carolyn B. McHugh. Judges Judith Billings and James Davis concurred in the decision. Janice and Richard Kunz were married in June 1953 and later decided to embrace the practice of plural marriage, according to the decision. The Kunzes divorced in 1961 so Richard could legally marry another woman, Rachel, who died in 1994. In 1999, Richard began a "marriage-like" relationship with Lillie Spencer but they were not legally wed, court documents said. That same year, Richard legally married Lynne Kunz, court documents said. Despite having divorced, Janice and Richard remained in a marriage-like relationship. The couple had two children. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| FBI Adds Jeffs to 10 Most Wanted List | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
NANCY GRACE CNN Originally broadcast May 8, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
NANCY GRACE, HOST: Tonight, breaking news. A massive manhunt for one of the FBI`s 10 Most Wanted. Tonight, joining the ranks of Osama bin Laden and James J. Bulger, fundamentalist religious leader Warren Jeffs, accused rapist and polygamist. They call it plural marriage, multiple wives, while the rest of the world calls it a felony. Warren Jeffs, wanted for sex crimes involving minors, reported to have forced marriage to girls as young as 14. Reward money soars tonight to $110,000. And tonight: What`s with Rhode Island representative Patrick Kennedy? After crashing his car into a cement barrier on Capitol Hill, 2:45 AM, he`s checked into the Mayo Clinic, claiming he doesn`t remember a thing.
Good evening, everybody. I`m Nancy Grace. I want to thank you for being with us tonight. Representative Patrick Kennedy embroiled in yet another scandal, this time, 2:45 AM, Kennedy plows his Mustang convertible into a Capitol police barrier. And then guess what? No breathalyzer, no sobriety test, no reciting the alphabet, no hop on one foot, nothing! Kennedy blames it all on prescription drugs. But first tonight, all-points bulletin, APB, FBI and law enforcement across the country on an intense hunt for Warren Jeffs, the newest member of the FBI`s 10 Most Wanted, Jeffs, head of an offshoot of the Mormon church, the long-established FLDS, wanted for sex crimes on minors, the reward now $110,000. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The FBI has placed Warren Steed Jeffs on its top 10 Most Wanted fugitives list. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Warren Jeffs is being sought for the charge of sexual conduct with a minor. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Jeffs has been charged in the states of Arizona and Utah. Though he is not considered armed himself, he is believed in the company of armed bodyguards. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We hope that this action today will result in the arrest of Warren Jeffs. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There`s no doubt in our mind this individual needs to be brought to justice. (END VIDEO CLIP) GRACE: Let`s go straight out to Michelle Sigona, "America`s Most Wanted" correspondent. Explain to me how a member of the offshoot, the FLDS, of the Mormon church, has somehow landed right beside Osama bin Laden on the top 10 Most Wanted list. MICHELLE SIGONA, "AMERICA`S MOST WANTED": Well, the thing about this guy, Nancy, is that he promotes sexual intercourse with minors. He is just downright and dirty, let me tell you! Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Polygamy prophet joins most-wanted list | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Robert Lusetich, Los Angeles correspondent The Australian - Sydney, Australia Originally published May 9, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| WHAT could the US's foremost polygamist have in common with the world's most feared terrorist? On the surface, not much -- except that Warren Jeffs, whose beliefs about the place of women in society wouldn't have been out of order in Taliban-ruled Afghanistan, has proved just as elusive to the US as al-Qa'ida leader Osama bin Laden. The "prophet" of the bizarre Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints -- a breakaway group of hardline Mormons -- yesterday became the latest addition to the infamous FBI Most Wanted list, which also includes bin Laden as well as a Boston mobster wanted in connection with 18 murders, a Californian pedophile and Diego Leon Montoya Sanchez, the kingpin of Colombia's most powerful drug cartel. The FBI is hoping elevating Jeffs to its high-profile list -- and increasing the bounty on the 50-year-old from $US50,000 ($64,780) to $US100,000 -- will provide a breakthrough in a case that, the agency admits, has gone so cold it has no idea where the one-time accountant is hiding. A federal warrant was issued for Jeffs' arrest last year after he was indicted on two counts of sexual conduct with a minor and one count of conspiracy to commit sexual conduct with a minor in Arizona. "He is part of a group, leader of a group, that promulgates this theory, this activity, that sexual relations with children is OK," FBI spokesman John Miller said. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 'I think he views himself as untouchable' | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| His followers are loyal, but outcasts and the FBI say the leader of a polygamous Mormon sect is an outlaw. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Jennifer Dobner The Associated Press St. Paul Pioneer Press Originally published May 17, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| HILDALE, Utah — Prophet. Religious zealot. Dangerous extremist. These are some of the words used to describe Warren Jeffs since the 50-year-old leader of a polygamous sect was put on the FBI's Ten Most Wanted list recently with such figures as Osama bin Laden. Jeffs, head of a renegade Mormon splinter group called the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, is accused of arranging marriages between underage girls and older men. He is charged with child sexual abuse in Arizona and being an accomplice to statutory rape in Utah. Jeffs exercises extraordinary control over 10,000 or so followers who live mostly in the side-by-side towns of Hildale, Utah, and Colorado City, Ariz. Church dissidents say that during Jeffs' four-year rule, the number of underage marriages — some to girls as young as 13 — escalated into the hundreds. According to those expelled from the community, young men are sent away so as not to compete for brides; older men are cast out for alleged disobedience; and their wives and children are reassigned by Jeffs to new husbands and fathers. "He's committed some horrific crimes against people, and I think he views himself as untouchable," said Carolyn Jessop, who in 2003 fled an 18-year marriage to a man 32 years her senior. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Witness in Fugitive Polygamist Case Speaks Out | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Candi Shapley was Forced into a Polygamist Marriage at 16 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Good Morning America ABC News Originally broadcast May 19, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The crux of the FBI's case against one of its Top 10 Most Wanted fugitives rests on the shoulders of a 20-year-old Colorado woman who is reluctant to testify but spoke exclusively to ABC News about her case. When Candi Shapley was just 16, she was forced into an abusive polygamist marriage arranged by Warren Jeffs, a self-proclaimed prophet and leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Jeffs has been on the run since 2004, accused of sexual conduct with a minor and conspiracy to conduct sexual conduct with a minor. Yet, despite numerous allegations of forcing minors into sex, Shapley is the only victim who has gone on the record even though she said she is not angry at Jeffs. "They're not going after Randy for raping me, they're going after Warren for marrying us," Shapley told ABC News in her first public interview. "He's on the 10 Most Wanted List with Osama bin Laden. I think that's unfair. I'm not for Warren Jeffs, but I'm not against him." In March 2002, Shapley was summoned to a Nevada hotel where she was surprised that her father and Jeffs had arranged her marriage to Randolph Barlow, a 28-year-old man she had never met. "We just walked in right in front of Warren Jeffs and we were getting married," Shapley said. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Polygamy seems like recipe for disaster from 'outsider' point of view | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Shanna Sissom City Editor Midland Reporter-Telegram - Midland, Texas Originally published May 23, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| With polygamist fugitive Warren Jeffs recently making it to the FBI's most wanted list, plural marriage lifestyles have been the focus of numerous TV documentaries on a subject that fascinates most of us. Jeffs, renegade leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, a splinter group not recognized by the mainstream Mormon denomination, is wanted for child sexual abuse charges and allegedly arranging marriages between underage girls and older men. His case has brought the institution of polygamy into the national spotlight, leaving many of us with unanswered questions. How could a woman like the idea of sharing her husband? But many of them apparently do. Three or more women in a home, known as "sister wives," share household duties with cooking, cleaning and parenting. This arrangement of three or more wives provides the potential for multiple full-time incomes, which no doubt comes in handy considering the likelihood of these unions producing a high yield of dependents. But if you research polygamy, you'll find a host of other concocted "benefits." Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Search warrants served in Colorado City | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Ben Winslow Deseret Morning News Originally published Thursday, May 25, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| A convoy of law enforcement vehicles rode into the polygamous border town of Colorado City, Ariz., this morning startling many residents. Mohave County Sheriff's deputies said they were serving four search warrants simultaneously as part of an ongoing investigation into sex abuse cases within the community. The search warrants were served at the same time by a contingent of 16 Mohave County Sheriff's deputies, detectives and the Mohave County Attorney's special investigator in Colorado City. Back-up officers from Coconino County, Ariz., were called in to assist. A Colorado City Town Marshal was on hand to explain to residents what was happening. "We've had no problems at all," Mohave County Sheriff Tom Sheahan said. Sheahan said the warrants were for evidence and to secure witnesses in the upcoming trials of eight polygamist men facing sexual misconduct charges. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Police Search Polygamist Homes In Colorado City | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Jennifer Dobner The Associated Press Las Vegas Sun Originally published May 25, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SALT LAKE CITY Law enforcement officers in Arizona served search warrants on four homes in the polygamist enclave of Colorado City, Ariz., on Thursday, looking for evidence related to eight sexual abuse indictments handed up last summer. Mohave County, Ariz., Sheriff Tom Sheahan said warrants were served simultaneously on four residences, but would not say who lives in the homes, nor if anything officers were looking for was removed. "We can’t divulge evidence," Sheahan said. A telephone call from The Associated Press seeking information from Mohave County Attorney Matt Smith was not immediately returned. Sheahan said the warrants were served without resistance and officers were allowed to conduct their searches, which were completed just after noon. Colorado City resident Isaac Wyler said he saw officers remove a single box from the home of David Bateman, one of eight men indicted last summer on charges of sexual misconduct with a minor and conspiracy. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Officers Launch Surprise Raid in Colorado City | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
John Hollenhorst Reporting KSL TV Channel 5 Originally broadcast May 25, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| A convoy of law enforcers launched a surprise raid in Colorado City today on the Utah-Arizona border. They entered several homes, looking for evidence in criminal cases against followers of fugitive polygamist Warren Jeffs. Investigators are playing this very close to the vest. They released no details about the purposes of the raid. But a source tells us they're trying to find paternity evidence. In other words, which of Jeffs' followers fathered certain children? The presence of so many law enforcement vehicles in the polygamist town raised alarm bells for many residents. But the 18 cops were not there to make arrests. They're trying to get more evidence in ongoing criminal investigations. Eight followers of Warren Jeffs are scheduled for trial in Kingman, Arizona this summer. They're accused of having sex with teenage brides. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Search warrants sought samples for DNA testing | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Jennifer Dobner The Associated Press Las Vegas Sun Originally published June 5, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SALT LAKE CITY Prosecutors believe saliva samples, birth records and marriage certificates could prove allegations that some Colorado City, Ariz., men entered polygamous unions with young girls and then fathered their children, court documents show. Eight Colorado City men were indicted last summer on charges of conspiracy and sexual conduct with a minor, both felonies that can carry penalties of up to two years in prison. Search warrants served May 24 on the homes of four of the men sought to obtain saliva samples for DNA testing from the men and their families that would "establish the paternity and maternity of the child and would tend to prove the existence of a sexual relationship between the (women) and the defendant," probable cause statements say. It is unknown if police, who served the warrants simultaneously on the homes of Dale Barlow, Donald Barlow, David Batemen and Vergel Jessop, obtained the DNA samples needed. Telephone calls from The Associated Press seeking comment from Mohave County Attorney Matthew Smith and Sheriff Tom Sheahan, whose officers served the warrants, were not immediately returned. Attorney Bruce Griffen, the defense lawyer listed in court documents for all eight men, also did not return messages from the AP. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Polygamist Trial Starts Soon | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
e-Press Tri-State News Network Originally published Wednesday, June 21, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| KINGMAN, AZ - Various continuances and other developments keep changing the expected sequence of trials for eight Colorado City man charged with alleged sex offenses involving underage church-assigned brides. It now appears that Kelly Fischer, 38, will be the first of the similarly-situated defendants to stand trial in Mohave County Superior Court. Judge Steve Conn on Monday set Fischer's trial for a July 5 start. Prosecutor Matt Smith and defense attorney Bruce Griffen expect the trial can be completed within three days. Fischer is charged with sexual conduct with a minor and conspiracy to commit sexual conduct with a minor. Smith's theory is that Fischer and the other men violated the young girls who were assigned to them through the church that promotes polygamy. It's head, Warren Jeffs, 50, has been indicted for helping arrange the unions of underage girls and male adults, as well as performing the ceremonial weddings. On the run since his indictment a year ago, Jeffs appears on the FBI's Top Ten Most Wanted list. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Arizona polygamy trials to commence despite lack of witnesses | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Jennifer Dobner The Associated Press Las Vegas Sun Originally published June 30, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SALT LAKE CITY (AP) - The first of eight trials alleging sexual misconduct with minors by men from a polygamist community on the Utah-Arizona border will begin next week, despite the inability of prosecutors to locate some witnesses and alleged victims. In a news release issued Friday, Mohave County, Ariz., Attorney Matthew Smith said a jury trial for Kelly Fischer will begin Wednesday in a Kingman district court and is expected to last two days. Fischer, 38, is charged with one count each of sexual conduct with a minor and conspiracy to commit sexual conduct with a minor for his alleged "spiritual marriage" with a 16-year-old girl that occurred between October 2000 and March 2001. Prosecutors have constructed the time frame for the marriage from birth certificates of the girl and her first child. The charges are class 6 felonies, punishable by up to two years per count in an Arizona state prison. Fischer is one of eight men from Colorado City, Ariz., and Hildale, Utah, facing the same set of allegations. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jury selection to begin this week in polygamy-related trial | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Mark Shaffer The Arizona Republic - Flagstaff Bureau Originally published July 3, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| When Flagstaff attorney Bruce Griffin reads the Arizona Constitution, he says two things jump off the pages of the document. "There they are right next to one another: an anti-polygamy statute and a freedom of religion statute," Griffin said. He says both will factor into the cases of the eight men he is defending on sexual misconduct charges stemming from their "spiritual" marriages to underage brides. The men from Colorado City, Ariz., and Hildale, Utah, are being tried separately in Mohave County Superior Court in Kingman. Jury selection in the first trial, of 39-year-old Kelly Fischer, is set for Wednesday. That case and the others are in jeopardy because female witnesses have been reluctant to testify. "These are important cases to be brought before the bar of justice now," Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard said. "Even if the prosecutions are not successful, these people have to be held accountable, and it sends a message that anyone abused doesn't have to take it." Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Arizona Prosecutors Take On First Polygamy Trial | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
CBS Broadcasting KUTV Channel 2 Originally broadcast July 5, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (KUTV) KINGMAN, Arizona Eight men are set to stand trial for plural marriages to underage girls. The trials mark the first major effort to prosecute the results of polygamy in decades. Wednesday was jury selection. This is an interesting case because prosecutors can't find the alleged victim, so they're using a paper trail as evidence. Kelly Fisher shielded his face as he made his way into court. He's the first of the so-called Colorado City Eight to go on trial. They're accused of having sexual relations with minors. "We're not going after anybody based on polygamy this has to do with underage marriages. These are victims that are under the age of 18 that aren't legally married, and there is no doubt there are children born out of wedlock. Two girls that were underage," said Arizona’s Mojave County prosecutor Matthew Smith. The alleged victim in the case is nowhere to be found and prosecutors say they're fighting an uphill battle with this case. "You know it's going to be a hard road because we don't have our victims we couldn't find them," said Mojave County Investigator Gary Engles. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jury selection begins in polygamy trial | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By 3TV and azfamily.com staff KTVK Channel 3 - Phoenix Originally broadcast July 6, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jury selection began in Kingman for the first of eight men accused of having sex with minors in Colorado City. On Wednesday, the trial started for the first defendant, 39-year-old Kelly Fischer. Each of the eight men will be tried separately. Prosecutors say the case hinges on two factors, female witnesses testifying and whether or not birth or marriage certificates will be submitted as evidence. So far, the women are reluctant to testify. In fact, they're reportedly hiding. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jury selected for first Colorado City case | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Aibing Guo Kingman Daily Miner Originally published July 6, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| KINGMAN – As Mohave County Superior Court Judge Steven Conn warned, juror selection for the trial of Colorado City man Kelly Fisher was a long and exhausting process for everyone involved. Not only did jury candidates have to go through long hours of questioning from Conn, some of them had to stand in the courtroom during the session. A hundred people were picked countywide to take part in the jury selection, but only about half of them could secure a seat in the courtroom. "I apologize for all the inconvenience of the day, especially for those of you who are unable to sit down," Conn said near the end of the process. He initially planned to invite 80 county residents, but a miscalculation added 20 more to the list. A warning note from the Kingman Fire Department on the courtroom door stated "Maximum for 60." Through rounds of questioning and two hours of closed-door meetings with selected candidates, Conn picked 21 people as jury candidates for the trial of Fisher, an alleged polygamous practitioner facing charges of sexual conduct with a minor and conspiracy of sexual conduct with a miner. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Attorneys in Colorado City polygamist trial make opening statements | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Jim Seckler Mohave Daily News Originally published Thursday, July 6, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| KINGMAN - Opening arguments began Thursday in the trial of the first of eight Colorado City polygamists charged with sexual misconduct with underage girls. Kelly Fischer, 38, is charged with one count of sexual conduct with a minor and one count of conspiracy to commit sexual conduct with a minor. Fischer and seven codefendants belong to a polygamist sect of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Colorado City near the Utah border. The eight married Colorado City men are charged with having sexual relations with underage girls despite having other wives. Dale Evans Barlow, 47; Randy Joseph Barlow, 32; Terry Darger Barlow, 23; Donald Robert Barlow, 48; Vergel Bryce Jessop, 45; Rodney Holm, 38; and David Romaine Bateman, 48, are also being charged with having sexual conduct with underage girls. The girls were between 15 and 17 years old when the alleged crimes took place. All the girls became pregnant at those ages. Arizona law states it is illegal to marry more than one person and illegal to have sex with a juvenile under 18 years old. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Polygamist's trial begins in Arizona | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
The Associated Press KVOA Channel 4 - Tucson Originally broadcast July 6, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| KINGMAN, Ariz. Testimony has wrapped up in the first of eight trials involving men from a polygamist sect charged with sexual misconduct. Prosecutors in Kingman called just three witnesses today in the case of 39-year-old Kelly Fischer. Authorities say Fischer had a "spiritual marriage" with a teenage girl and that the girl later had a child. The defense rested without calling any witnesses. Closing arguments are scheduled to begin tomorrow morning. Fischer is a member of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, based in Colorado City and neighboring Hildale, Utah. Fischer and seven other men, who are all church members, are each charged with one count of sexual conduct with a minor and one count of conspiracy. Both charges are felonies punishable by up to two years in prison. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Polygamy Trial Final Arguments Today | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
e-Press Tri-State News Network Originally published July 7, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| KINGMAN, AZ - Attorneys in Kingman will present closing arguments this morning in the trial of a Colorado City man charged with alleged sex offenses involving an underage wife assigned to him through the polygamy-practicing Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Kelly Fischer, 38, is the first of eight similarly- charged Colorado City polygamists to stand trial in Mohave County Superior Court. He is charged with sexual misconduct with a minor and conspiracy to commit sexual conduct with a minor, offenses punishable by up to two years in prison. County attorney Matt Smith told jurors that Fischer was already legally married when he took 16-year-old Jenny Steed as a "celestial bride" about six years ago. He introduced birth certificates and hospital records in an effort to demonstrate that the church-sanctioned union led to sexual relations and that Fischer was the father of the child Steed bore on August 13, 2001. That Fischer was not legally married to Steed and that they had sexual intercourse before she turned 18 is the core of the state's case. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Polygamy trial in jury’s hands | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Defense attorney urges panel to consider evidence, not lifestyle, in Fisher sexual conduct case | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Aibing Guo Kingman Daily Miner Originally published July 7, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| KINGMAN – Mohave County Superior Court Judge Steven Conn offered both attorneys in the Kelly Fisher case the choice for either a bench trial or a jury trial four days prior to the start of trial. The attorneys’ choice was to go for a jury trial. After closing arguments scheduled for this morning, the jury will decide Fisher’s fate. He is accused of sexual conduct with a minor and conspiracy to commit sexual conduct with a minor. It’s still unknown whether the defense attorney or the county attorney favored a jury trial more, but the comments from Conn at the second day of the trial indicated he might have made decisions favorable to the prosecution if he were in the position to rule. In the court discussion leading to the instructions to the jury Thursday afternoon, Conn said he believed that the state had provided sufficient evidence to prove the defendant’s guilt beyond reasonable doubt in the charge of sexual conduct with a minor. "It’s obvious to me that sufficient evidence had been presented to establish that the defendant ... had intercourse with the victim under certain circumstances at the time when she was still under the age of 18," Conn said. His delivered the comment in the absence of the jury. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Polygamist community member convicted of sex with minor | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Staff and wire reports KTVK Channel 3 - Phoenix Originally broadcast July 7, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| It took jurors only two hours to return their verdict against Kelly Fischer, the first of the Colorado City Eight to stand trial for marrying underage girls. Fischer was convicted of having sex wit a 16-year-old girl and conspiracy to commit sex with a minor. Fischer is a member of the polygamist Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Seven other men face identical charges, with the next trial postponed until next month. Fischer's sentencing is scheduled for Aug. 4. The crimes are punishable by four months to two years in prison or probation. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Colorado City polygamist trial ends in guilty verdict | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Jim Seckler Mohave Daily News Originally published July 8, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| KINGMAN - A Mohave County jury convicted a Colorado City polygamist of having sexual relations with an underage girl. Kelly Fischer, 38, was charged with one count of sexual conduct with a minor and one count of conspiracy to commit sexual conduct with a minor. Late Friday afternoon the jury, made up of five women and three men, found Fischer guilty on both counts. Fischer could face from four months to two years in prison. Fischer is also eligible to be sentenced to probation only. He could also face up to a year in county jail. Superior Court Judge Steven Conn will sentence Fischer Aug. 4. Mohave County Attorney Matt Smith said the Fischer case was one of the weakest cases of eight similar cases he will try in court, because the victim did not testify at the trial. Smith said several of the other codefendants may be easier cases to try because the victims will come forth to testify in those trials. "This shows that the law applies equally to everyone, everywhere," Smith said afterward. "This affirms the work that Gary Engels has done in Colorado City. I'm very happy for him." Engels is the special investigator for the Mohave County Attorney Office who has been investigating charges of polygamists having sexual relations with underage girls. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| When Marriage is Illegal | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By PETA OWENS-LISTON TIME Originally published Tuesday, Jul. 18, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
When Kelly Fischer drove by in his white pick-up with his teenage step-daughter seated between him and his legal wife, his neighbor Isaac Wyler knew something was up. Sure enough, the next time Wyler saw the girl, who was about 15 or 16 years old, she was pregnant. Wyler, an ex-member of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ and Latter Day Saints (FLDS), was no stranger to the signs of polygamy. His suspicions proved true: Fischer had "spiritually" married his own step-daughter in a secret ceremony, a practice common among polygamists in the FLDS community in Colorado City, Ariz.
Testimony from Wyler and another former FLDS member, Richard Holm, coupled with birth certificates, swayed a Mohave County jury on July 7 to find Fischer guilty of sexual conduct with a minor and conspiracy to commit sexual conduct with a minor. Wyler and Holm testified in court on how polygamous marriages work and gave eyewitness accounts of Fischer and the girl's "flirtatious behavior." But the verdict was unusual — and, to critics of the alleged abuses in polygamous marriages, especially significant — in that it came without the testimony of the alleged victims. In the FLDS community that populates the twin towns of Hildale, Utah, and Colorado City, Ariz., finding victims willing to speak out is rare. "The nature of this community is opposed to the crimes themselves," explains Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff. "Victims have been taught from the cradle up not to cooperate with the outside or to disagree with their leaders." Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In remote polygamist town, one investigator is trying to buy more time for young girls | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Harriet Ryan Court TV Originally published July 21, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| KINGMAN, Ariz. — On a Friday afternoon this month, a jury in this hot, dusty city on the road to the Grand Canyon announced it had reached a verdict in the case of a 39-year-old building contractor accused of the statutory rape of a 16-year-old girl. It was clear from the reporters, lawyers and curious citizens in the first-floor courtroom that the accused, Kelly Fischer, was no ordinary defendant and the charges against him no ordinary statutory rape case. Fischer is a polygamist, and the young woman prosecutors call the victim is his third wife and mother of his child. His trial in Mohave County was the first prosecution in Arizona in decades stemming from plural marriage among the Fundamentalist Latter-day Saints (FLDS), a group that broke with the mainstream Mormon church in 1890 over the practice of polygamy. Conspicuously absent from the crowd who gathered in the courtroom that evening was the man to whom the verdict likely mattered most. Gary Engels, the investigator who built the case against Fischer and seven other polygamists to be tried later, was too nervous to sit in the courtroom. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Fischer Sentenced Tomorrow | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
e-Press Tri-State News Network Originally published Tuesday, August 1, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| KINGMAN, AZ - Sentencing is set for tomorrow in Kingman, for a polygamist convicted of sexually offending his church-assigned underage wife and the defense attorney indicated the outcome could be important in how a number of other similar cases are resolved. Flagstaff lawyer Bruce Griffen represents each of eight Colorado City polygamists who are charged with violating underage wives assigned to them through common practice of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (FLDS). Seven of the cases are pending but Kelly Fischer, 37, faced probation up to four years in prison following trial convictions for sexual conduct with a minor and conspiracy to commit sexual conduct with a minor. The wife to whom the convictions relate, Jenny Steed, did not cooperate with the prosecution and was not available to testify during her celestial husband's trial. "There will at least be a statement but I don't think that she'll appear," Griffen said. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Letters Asking For Leniency In Fischer Sentencing | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
e-Press Tri-State News Network Originally published August 2, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| KINGMAN, AZ - A young woman is asking an Arizona Judge to spare her polygamous partner from jail or prison when he is sentenced today in Kingman for having sex with her after she became his church-assigned "celestial wife" more than five years ago. Jenny Steed Fischer, now 21, and about 140 other people have submitted character letters to the court urging leniency on behalf of Kelly Fischer, 37. A Mohave County jury last month convicted Fischer of sexual conduct with a minor and conspiracy to commit sexual conduct with a minor. That Jenny had sex with the already legally-married Fischer before she was of legal age was not a point contested at trial. "I've known Kelly since I was twelve years old; when he came to pick us up just before my mother's marriage to him," it said. "He has never mistreated me or forced me to do or believe anything against my will." Mohave County attorney Matt Smith said the letter reflects the brainwashing that occurs through FLDS culture. He said young girls are raised to understand that they have no choice in dating and partnering and that they must accept relationships and spiritual matches as determined by the church leader, or prophet. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Polygamists can cheat too | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Letters Provo Daily Herald Originally published Wednesday, August 2, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
A recent opinion poll asked which was more harmful: polygamy, homosexuality or adultery. This poll was obviously designed to illicit a positive response about polygamy. The choice between polygamy (a form of marriage) and adultery (cheating on a spouse) is not an either/or.
A category error occurred in this poll. Polygamists can also commit adultery. One woman I know, whose husband lived in Idaho, cheated on her and her three sister wives eventually leaving them and 14 children for a teenager. In another case, a girl who was forced into a polygamous marriage she didn't want admitted to sleeping with another man. Another woman who left polygamy said that she found out from a sister wife that her husband was having sex with a step sister. One can be a polygamist and an adulterer at the same time; these aren't mutually exclusive; so the question was flawed. Lorna Craig Perry Point, Md. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Polygamist gets 45 days for sex with teen bride | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Investigator fears sentence sends wrong message | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Harriet Ryan Court TV CNN - Law Center Originally published August 3, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (Court TV) -- An Arizona judge has sentenced a polygamist to 45 days in county jail for having sex with a teenager he took as his third wife. The sentence disappointed authorities in Kingman, Arizona, who had hoped a harsher punishment for defendant Kelly Fischer would discourage others in the church from taking teenage wives. Fischer was the first of seven members of the Fundamentalist Latter-day Saints (FLDS) to be tried for plural marriages to minors. "I don't know if we've sent a strong enough message to these people," said Gary Engels, an investigator with the Mohave County Attorney's office. About 7,000 FLDS members live in the twin border towns of Colorado City, Arizona, and Hildale, Utah. Members of the group, which broke with mainstream Mormons in the 1890s over polygamy, believe that only those in plural marriages can reach the highest level of heaven. Warren Jeffs, the church leader or "prophet," is a federal fugitive from charges in both states stemming from his alleged arrangement of "celestial marriages" between teenage girls and older, married men. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Testimony of Candi Shapley, married as teen to a polygamist | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
CourtTV Originally published August 3, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Last summer, a 19-year-old raised in the Fundamentalist Latter-day Saints (FLDS) testified before an Arizona grand jury about being married as a 16-year-old to Randolph Barlow, a 28-year-old man who already had one wife.
In these excerpts from her testimony, Candi Shapley recounts how the FLDS leader, Warren Jeffs, now a federal fugitive, "sealed" her to Barlow, a man she had never met. She then described how her new husband raped her when she said she wasn't ready to get pregnant. Barlow faces sexual assault charges at a trial scheduled for August. Shapley subsequently spoke about her experiences on "Good Morning, America." Mohave County Attorney Matt Smith: Could you tell the grand jury just a little bit about some of the things you were taught from your parents and also through the school system as far as how they women are supposed to be and what types of jobs they should seek in life and what type of education they should get? Candi Shapley: We're not really taught that much about education. We're taught that we're supposed to be good mothers, grow up and get married and our whole — we were taught that we're here to bring children onto the earth and raise them as sweet as possible. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Judge Explains Fischer's Sentence | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
e-Press Tri-State News Network Originally published August 4, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| KINGMAN, AZ - Mohave County Superior Court Judge Steve Conn made a number of points about Colorado City and the law during Wednesday's sentencing hearing for Kelly Fischer, a polygamist given a 45 day jail term for having sex with an underage wife assigned to him through church custom. Conn emphasized that neither polygamy nor the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (FLDS) that promotes a multiple wife lifestyle for its followers in Colorado City and neighboring Hildale, Utah, were on trial. He stated that it was instead Fischer who had been tried and convicted for sex offenses involving a minor. During sentencing, Conn said the issue of whether Fischer and Jenny Steed has sex when she was underage was never really contested at trial. He said that was basically proved through a pair of certificates - one that showed Steed was barely 16 when she gave birth, and another showing Fischer was the father of the child. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Johnson, Jessop angered by decision | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By David Bell Today's News-Herald - Havasu City Originally published Saturday, August 5, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Buster Johnson calls it "disgusting." Carolyn Jessop said, "People need to wake up." The pair are reacting to the relatively light sentence handed down to a Colorado City man convicted of having sex with a 16-year-old girl and conspiring to have sex with a minor. Kelly Fischer, 39, was sentenced this week by Mohave County Superior Court Judge Steven Conn to 45 days in jail, three years of probation and required to register as a sex offender. "To me it's just disgusting. I can't believe this is happening in America," said District 3 Mohave County Supervisor Johnson. "So that's the punishment for rape of a young girl? Our judges give them 45 days? I think the court system is part of the reason these abuses have lasted so long. In my opinion they're harboring these suspects." Fischer is a member of Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (FLDS), a sect that practices polygamy in Colorado City and adjoining city Hildale, Utah. Jessop escaped from Colorado City in 2003 with her eight children and she calls the FLDS a "dangerous, destructive cult." "The victims can't get help and society apparently doesn't want to prosecute the criminals. People need to wake up," Jessop said. "Women are looked on as a criminal as much as a man in these cases, because of the (polygamous) lifestyle. So the court is not really partial." Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Appears judges need better sentencing guidelines | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Opinion - Letter to Editor Mohave Daily News Originally published Monday, August 7, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Editor:
A 45-day mistake occurred in Kingman. For a polygamist being sentenced to 45 days in jail for taking a second wife who was a minor and then having sex with her is nothing. What was the message sent by the judge in Kingman? Sex with minors is nothing, especially if the minor is your "spiritual wife." The Arizona Revised statutes need to be changed not so much to send a message to polygamists about having sex with minors but rather to let judges in Kingman have better guidelines when their own common sense fails. Mike Durham Phoenix | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Trial of next Colo. City man is set for Tuesday | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Aibing Guo Kingman Daily Miner Originally published August 11, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| KINGMAN - Colorado City's Donald Barlow is likely to go to trial on Tuesday in Mohave County Superior Court unless a plea agreement can be reached by both attorneys today. Barlow, 43, reported to be a member of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, is charged with two felony counts: sexual conduct with a minor and conspiracy to commit sexual conduct with a minor. Mohave County Attorney Matt Smith initiated a call to defense attorney Bruce Griffen, who represents all eight Colorado City men charged with similar felonies, on Wednesday, but no agreement was worked out, Smith said. Both attorneys talked on the phone again Thursday, with no results. While there is still time before Tuesday to work out an agreement, Smith said he believes that both sides prefer to go to trial. Barlow is charged with having sex with a miner, Laree Steed, when she was 16 years old. Steed is believed to be Barlow's "celestial wife" in a plural marriage. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last-minute continuance | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Judge orders postponement of Donald Barlow’s trial due to added witness | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Aibing Guo Kingman Daily Miner Originally published August 15, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| KINGMAN - The trial of Donald Barlow was suddenly postponed due to a motion by County Attorney Matt Smith on Monday, less than 24 hours before the Colorado City man was set to go before a jury. Barlow, 43, believed to be a member of Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, a sect that believes polygamy is a protected aspect of religion, is charged with two felony counts - sexual conduct with a minor and conspiracy to commit sexual conduct with a minor. He was scheduled to be the second of eight Colorado City men with similar charges to go to trial. The unexpected continuance came after Mohave County Superior Court Judge Steven Conn upheld a motion from defense attorney Bruce Griffen to call a new witness, Ron Steed, to Tuesday's trial. Griffen represents all eight of the Colorado City men. Steed, who allegedly worked with Barlow from 1998 to 2002 during construction projects in Utah, was regarded by Griffen as a crucial witness to prove that Mohave County has no direct jurisdiction in the case against his client. Steed, according to Griffen, saw Barlow and his family in Utah during the four years on a regular basis and had seen the alleged victim, Laree Steed, multiple times in Utah. Barlow is accused of committing both felonies in Arizona during the same period of time. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Victim scheduled to testify against Colorado City's Randolph Barlow | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Aibing Guo Kingman Daily Miner Originally published August 15, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| KINGMAN - Mohave County Superior Court Judge Steven Conn ruled on Monday that Colorado City man Randolph Barlow will go to trial on Aug. 29 facing two counts of sexual assault and two counts of sexual conduct with a minor. Barlow, 32, is the only one of the eight Colorado City men facing sexual assault charges. The rest face charges of sexual conduct with a minor and conspiracy to commit sexual conduct with a minor. Unlike the other Colorado City cases in which no victims from the polygamous community are likely to testify before the jury, County Attorney Matt Smith told Conn that the victim of the case, Candi Shapley, should testify. Other key witnesses include the victim's sister, county investigators and former members of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, a sect that claims their religion allows the practice of polygamy or plural marriage. Smith proposed an eight-member jury for the case and suggested the trial might go as long as four days. Defense attorney Bruce Griffen agreed with Smith's estimation. Barlow, Shapley's representative and Griffen all took part in the case management hearing by telephone. While Conn talked about the jury selection with both attorneys, Barlow jumped in and tried to defend himself. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Convicted polygamist files Arizona appeal | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Jennifer Dobner The Associated Press Las Vegas Sun Originally published August 18, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SALT LAKE CITY (AP) - An Arizona man convicted last month of having sex with a teenager believed to be his polygamist bride will appeal his case to the Arizona Court of Appeals. Kelly Fischer, 39, filed the notice Monday with Mohave County Superior Court in Kingman, Ariz., court appellate clerk Naomi Fedderson said. Fischer is appealing both his July 7 conviction for felony sexual conduct with a minor and felony conspiracy, and Aug. 2 sentence of 45 days in jail and three years probation, documents filed in Mohave County state. It could take six to eight months before Fischer's case could get on the appellate court's calendar, said Donna Likewise, a deputy clerk for the Court of Appeals. And it could be three to 12 months before a three-judge panel issues an opinion, she said. Likewise said Fischer's appeal does not suspend the requirement he serve his jail sentence, which is set to being Nov. 6. Mohave County Attorney Matt Smith was out of the office Friday and unavailable for comment, spokeswoman Sarah Krumwiede said. Bruce Griffen, Fischer's attorney said he counseled his client about filing an appeal, but did not file it on Fischer's behalf and will not represent him. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Teen bride will testify against polygamist, but insists rape charges be dropped | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Harriet Ryan Court TV Originally published August 29, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| KINGMAN, Ariz. — A young woman named Candi Shapley told a grand jury here last summer that, as a 16-year-old member of a fundamentalist Mormon group, she was raped twice by a man a dozen years her senior who had taken her as his second wife. "I told him I wasn't ready to have children. And he thought that I was. He just told me that I was and so he forced me to have sex with him," she testified. (TRANSCRIPT) That man, Randolph Barlow, goes on trial Tuesday in Mohave County Superior Court, but he will not face the most serious charges in the grand jury's indictment. In a last-minute development that authorities allege underscores the powerful grip of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and its leader, Warren Jeffs, the county attorney dropped sexual assault charges after the alleged victim refused to assist in their prosecution. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Trial in polygamy case on hold after alleged victim won't testify | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
The Associated Press KVOA News 4 - Tucson Originally published August 29, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| KINGMAN, Ariz. -- The sexual assault trial of a member of a polygamous sect was thrown into disarray Tuesday when the alleged victim refused to answer questions. Judge Steven Conn found witness Candi Shapley, 20, in contempt and considered jailing her for refusing to testify against Randolph Barlow, 33. Instead, Conn agreed to a recommendation from Mohave County Attorney Matt Smith that Shapley be placed in a home for abused women for 30 days. He told her she should consider herself in custody and ordered her to wear an electronic monitoring ankle bracelet. Barlow is charged with two counts of sexual assault for his spiritual marriage with Shapley when she was 16. Two other charges against the 33-year-old Colorado City man were dismissed before trial. The judge said he was ready to jail Shapley to "purge her contemptuous conduct" after she repeatedly refused to testify about her relationship with Barlow. He delayed resumption of the non-jury trial until Sept. 26. Her actions surprised prosecutors because Shapley had cooperated with authorities while other alleged victims in a string of prosecutions of men from the towns of Colorado City and Hildale, Utah, hadn't. She helped investigators gather evidence and testified before a grand jury. She took the stand Tuesday but repeatedly refused to answer questions. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In stunning turnaround, former teen bride refuses to testify against polygamist | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Harriet Ryan Court TV Originally published August 29, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| KINGMAN, Ariz. — Hours after the announcement of Warren Jeffs' capture, a young woman who has said the fundamentalist Mormon leader forced her into a polygamous marriage when she was a teenager stunned a courtroom here Tuesday morning by refusing to testify about the union. Candi Shapley, a former member of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, would not explain her decision not to answer questions at the statutory rape trial of a Jeffs associate, but authorities suggested the timing of the church leader's arrest and the influence of her parents, who remain members of the FDLS, were to blame. "I believe she is being put under a lot of pressure by Warren Jeffs' supporters, including those within her own family, not to testify," said Mohave County attorney Matt Smith. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sex charges against Barlow dropped | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Aibing Guo Kingman Daily Miner Originally published August 29, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| KINGMAN - Colorado City man Randolph Barlow faces a bench trial rather than a jury trial today, confirmed Mohave County Attorney Matt Smith on Monday. He said both attorneys reached an agreement to go to a bench trial on Friday and had informed the presiding judge, Steven Conn of Mohave County Superior Court, about the decision the same day. The state dropped two counts of sexual assault charges against Barlow pursuant to the wishes of the victim, Smith said. Barlow will be going to trial on charges of two counts of sexual conduct with a minor, both Class 6 felonies. If convicted, he could receive a sentence of anywhere between four months and two years in prison or receive probation. Smith refused to give specific reasons for the apparent trade-off between him and defense attorney Bruce Griffen, only saying he dropped the sexual assault charges for strategic reasons. Court files and relevant court proceeding records suggest that the victim, Candi Shapley, might have played an important role in dismissing the sexual assault charges. Shapley, according to Smith in an earlier hearing, stopped by Griffen's office in Flagstaff in early August or July with her mother and talked to Griffen about her position in the case against Barlow. It is not known what was discussed. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Colorado City polygamist leader heads to Utah first | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Jim Seckler Mohave Daily News Originally published Thursday, August 31, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| KINGMAN - The leader of a Colorado City polygamist sect will be tried on felony charges in Utah before he faces charges in Arizona. After nearly two years on the run, Warren Jeffs, 50, was arrested by a Nevada highway patrol officer Monday night near Las Vegas. Jeffs, the leader of the polygamist sect of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Colorado City faces rape charges in Utah. Jeffs also faces charges in Mohave County of sexual conduct with a minor and conspiracy to commit sexual conduct with a minor. Jeffs waived extradition during Thursday's court hearing in Las Vegas and will be extradited first to Utah to face the more serious charges there, Mohave County Attorney Matt Smith said. The decision to go to Utah first was made during a conference call between the Utah and Arizona Attorney Generals Office, the U.S. Attorney’ Office, the FBI, the Mohave County Attorney's Office and the Washington County District Attorney's Office. The decision was based on tougher release conditions based on Utah's more serious charges, Smith said. Smith said once Jeffs appears in Utah court and has an attorney, the quicker his office will know when he will appear in Mohave County. Another Colorado City polygamist, Donald Robert Barlow, also faces charges in Mohave County Superior Court. His trial is expected to begin Tuesday. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| FLDS head: Jeffs agrees to be extradited to Utah | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Polygamist sect leader faces two counts of rape in state | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Francis McCabe and Brian Haynes Las Vegas Review-Journal Originally published September 1, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Warren Jeffs' followers believed he would guide them to heaven. But the self-proclaimed prophet and suspected rape accomplice is heading to purgatory -- the Washington County, Utah, jail. Dressed in navy blue prison fatigues, his thin limbs shackled, the 50-year-old leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints appeared stunned as he stood Thursday before a throng of media and Las Vegas Justice of the Peace James Bixler. Mumbling quietly, the 6-foot-3-inch Jeffs agreed to "go ahead and be extradited" to Utah, where he faces two counts of rape as an accomplice for marrying a girl younger than 18 to an older man and insisting she procreate against her will. The charges carry sentences of five years to life. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Reluctant child bride was warned she'd lose 'salvation' | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Ann O'Neill CNN Originally published September 1, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (CNN) -- Polygamist sect leader Warren Jeffs warned a teenage girl forced into a "spiritual marriage" to submit to sex with her husband or face "losing your salvation," Utah authorities said in an affidavit. The five-page document was filed in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Thursday in support of two charges that Jeffs' practice of arranging marriages between young girls and older men makes him an accomplice to rape. Jeffs, who is believed by his followers to be a prophet, appeared in a Las Vegas courtroom and agreed to return to Utah to face the charges. Conviction carries a penalty of five years to life in prison. Authorities in Arizona also have two counts of sexual conduct with a minor, along with an additional charge of conspiracy pending against the charismatic 50-year-old leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. The Utah case will be prosecuted first because it carries the harshest sentence. His maximum penalty in Arizona upon conviction would be six years in prison. The girl, who was between 14 and 18, is identified in the document as Jane Doe. She was assigned a husband after a church leader had a "revelation," but told Jeffs she felt she was too young to marry, the affidavit states. Jeffs responded that it was her spiritual duty. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jeffs case isn't about religion | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Opinion Provo Daily Herald Originally published Tuesday, September 5, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| It's ironic that Warren Jeffs, a man revered by some as a prophet of God, was arrested in Sin City. Jeffs, the leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, was captured early last week during a traffic stop in Las Vegas. A Nevada highway trooper pulled over the red Cadillac Escalade Jeffs was riding in because its temporary license tag was illegible. Thus ended a manhunt that saw federal and local police scrambling to check out sightings in Lehi, at Strawberry Reservoir, in grocery stores and a hundred other places. Jeffs even made the FBI's Most Wanted List alongside Osama bin Laden. His peaceful capture allayed fears that his bodyguards would make good on their promise to give their lives for him in a gun battle with police. Now that Jeffs is in custody, Utah will prosecute him on statutory rape charges for forcing underage girls to marry older men. Arizona will be next with similar charges. However, Jeffs is already playing the persecution card to defend himself, telling officers that he was charged solely because of his religious beliefs. It is likely that his supporters will build on that and compare Jeffs to 19th century LDS Church leaders who went into hiding rather than be arrested for practicing polygamy. To them we say, don't waste your breath. We're not buying it, and neither will a jury. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Facilities in county stretched beyond the limit | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By David Bell Today's News-Herald Originally published Tuesday, September 5, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| KINGMAN - Two holding cells are built to handle 22 men. Forty-four men are incarcerated. The Mohave County Jail system is packed. In mid-August, nearly 600 men and women were jammed into every free bit of space Sheriff Tom Sheahan could find. And Sheahan expects things to get worse before they get better. "We should hit 10,000 bookings this year," Sheahan said. Sheahan and Capt. Bruce Brown, who heads up the Corrections Division, are housing prisoners in the main jail facility next to the county courthouse, the jail annex in the old Kingman Armory, at the old SHOCK juvenile incarceration facility at the Kingman Airport and, when possible, at the Lake Havasu City and Mohave Valley Sheriff's substations. "There are days we'd all rather be at a beach in Cancun, but we do the job we have to do," said Brown. It's the officers that make the difference. Male and female alike, they deal with a daily onslaught of insults, urine and feces hurled at them, the attacks, including spittle." Last week, inmate John David Kumpitsch, 44, of Kingman, was charged with aggravated assault for spitting on a detention officer. "Every day they do their job," said Brown. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Man on trial in Ariz. for pural marriage to underage girl | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
The Associated Press KVOA News 4 - Tucson Originally published September 7, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
KINGMAN, Ariz. Another member of a polygamous sect is on trial in Kingman for alleged sex offenses involving his pural marriage to an underage girl. Prosecutor Matt Smith told the jury that 50-year-old Donald Barlow of Colorado City fathered a child by the 17-year-old girl. Defense attorney Bruce Griffen said the state couldn't prove that Barlow had sex with the victim in Colorado City. He said Barlow was working in Salt Lake City at the time of the alleged offense. Attorneys expect the one-day trial will conclude this afternoon. Barlow is a member of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, a sect based in Colorado City and neighboring Hildale, Utah. The sect practices polygamy, including some marriages involving underage girls.
___ Information from: Dave Hawkins/KGMN-FM, http://www.kgmn.net/ | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Colorado City polygamist acquitted in Kingman | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Jim Seckler Mohave Daily News Originally published Thursday, September 7, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| KINGMAN - A Colorado City polygamist charged with having sexual relations with an underage girl was acquitted Thursday afternoon in Superior Court after a two-day trial. A Mohave County jury found Donald Robert Barlow, 50, not guilty of one count of sexual conduct with a minor. In his opening remarks, Mohave County Attorney Matt Smith said that Barlow, who was 43 years old at the time and married to another woman, had sexual relations with a 17-year-old girl in 1999 at his Colorado City home. Smith said his main evidence is a birth certificate that will show the baby being born Sept. 11, 2000, the mother's birth date as Oct.11, 1982 and Barlow listed as the father. That puts the victim's age as 17 at the time of the baby's birth and barely 17 at the time of the sexual relations, Smith said. "Sometimes you have to protect the victim from themselves and their families," Smith said. Smith said the victim would not testify at the trial because investigators could not locate her. Smith also said the case is not about polygamy or the lifestyle of the secretive polygamist town of Colorado City. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Polygamist Found Not Guilty | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
e-Press Tri-State News Network Originally published Saturday, September 9, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| KINGMAN, AZ - A jury in Kingman acquitted a Colorado City polygamist accused of sexually offending an underage girl assigned to him in a "celestial union" sanctioned by the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (FLDS). Donald Barlow, 50, rushed out of the Mohave County Courthouse late Thursday afternoon after he was found not guilty of sexual conduct with a minor. Prosecutor Matt Smith argued that Barlow had sex with the girl, then 17, in Colorado City before she bore their child in September, 2000. Defense attorney Bruce Griffen countered that a conviction is inappropriate because Smith couldn't prove where the pair had sexual relations. "The where question must be answered beyond a reasonable doubt and that's an insurmountable obstacle for the state," Griffen told jurors. He said Barlow was employed in Salt Lake City, Utah over a two year period that overlapped the time in which the sex occurred. Following the verdict, Griffen said his ability to use the employer's testimony to place the couple further from Arizona over an extended period of time was a key distinction from a similar trial that resulted in the conviction of Colorado City polygamist Kelly Fischer, 37. Fischer is appealing his conviction and 45 day jail sentence for sexual relations with his church assigned underage "bride". | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Barlow found not guilty | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jury says state provided insufficient evidence to prove crime committed in Arizona | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Aibing Guo Kingman Daily Miner Originally published September 8, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| KINGMAN - An eight-member jury decided late Thursday afternoon that Colorado City man Donald Barlow is not guilty on the charge of sexual conduct with a minor. Mohave County Superior Court Judge Steven Conn then declared Barlow free to leave the court. The jury began deliberations at about 4 p.m. and reached its conclusion after meeting for an hour and a half. The selected foreman handed Conn the "not guilty" verdict. Dam Ryan, a juror from Bullhead City, said there were different views on whether Barlow should be found guilty of the charge, but the majority of the jury was inclined to believe there was not enough evidence to prove Barlow's guilt. Ryan did not try to hide his disappointment over the verdict, but he also said the state should have done a better job. "We need more meat to prepare a dinner," Ryan said. Other jury members appeared uncomfortable with the decision, too. Most of them refused to talk to the media after the trial and left the court quickly. During Thursday's trial, County Attorney Matt Smith first introduced birth certificates of the victim, Laree Steed, and her son, Aaron Barlow, to the jury. The birth certificates showed that Steed, who was born in 1982, was 17 years old when she gave birth to her son in 2000. The father's name on Aaron Barlow's birth certificate is listed as Donald Barlow. Smith argued that the birth certificates clearly showed that Barlow had sex with Steed before she was 18 years old. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Woman held in contempt released early from Ariz. shelter | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
The Associated Press KVOA News 4 - Tucson Originally published September 14, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| KINGMAN, Ariz. -- A woman ordered to spend 30 days at a Kingman shelter for abused women because she refused to testify in a polygamy trial has been released early. Candi Shapley, 20, had cooperated with prosecutors as they prepared the case against Randolph Barlow, but she dropped a bombshell when she refused to testify at the start of his trial on Aug. 29. The trial of Barlow, 33, of Colorado City, was put on hold. He is charged with two counts of sexual assault for his spiritual marriage to Shapley when she was 16. Shapley also is considered a key witness in the Arizona prosecution of polygamist sect leader Warren Jeffs, who is being held in Utah on two counts of rape by accomplice, which carry possible life terms. In Arizona, he faces sexual misconduct charges which carry lesser penalties. Both states brought the charges in connection with marriages Jeffs allegedly arranged between older men and teenage girls. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Shapley explains reluctance to testify | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Aibing Guo Kingman Daily Miner Originally published Sunday, September 24, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| KINGMAN Candi Shapley, the alleged victim and key witness in the trial against Colorado City man Randolph Barlow, wrote a letter to Mohave County Superior Court Judge Steven Conn in early August explaining her reluctance to testify at the trial. She refused to testify at Barlow's trial on Aug. 29. She was then held in contempt of court by Conn and ordered to serve a monitored sentence in Kingman for 30 days. By request from the county attorney's office, Shapley was released two weeks into her monitored living. The letter, obtained by the Miner this week, runs five pages, with Shapley's signature on the last page. The letter is directed to Conn. Shapley expressed strong dissatisfaction in the letter in regards to the way she was treated by the prosecution and said she felt angry for being used as a tool to bring down Warren Jeffs, the spiritual leader of the FLDS. On June 6, the state flew her from Salt Lake City to Kingman to testify in front of a grand jury while her young baby was ill and ready to undergo brain surgery, Shapley wrote in the letter. Because of worries about her baby's health, Shapley said she told the grand jury "whatever they wanted me to say" in order to go back to her baby. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Barlow trial on hold | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Silent witness may be behind delay in polygamist’s case | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Aibing Guo Kingman Daily Miner Originally published September 27, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| KINGMAN - The rescheduled trial of Colorado City man Randy Barlow was continued again on Tuesday, and no new trial date has been set. A news release from the Mohave County Attorney's Office said the trial was continued by the court but did not give any specific reasons. Barlow's trail started on Aug. 29 at Mohave County Superior Court and ended up with a continuance because the key witness, Candi Shapley, the victim, refused to testify. Shapley was held in contempt of court and put into a monitored living facility in Kingman for 30 days. At the request of County Attorney Matt Smith, Shapley was released after serving two weeks. Smith said he had a candid conversation with Shapley before she left and hoped she would testify at the rescheduled trial. The continuance on Tuesday hints that Shapley still may not be ready to testify. Shapley's attorney, Mik Jordahl, had indicated the possibility of a continuance during an interview last week, saying his client might need more time to think everything over. Shapley, who testified to a grand jury last year, suddenly changed her mind and refused to testify on Aug. 29. In a letter to Superior Court Judge Steven Conn, she said she had been treated badly by prosecutors and investigators and refused to cooperate. Defense attorney Bruce Griffen then filed a motion asking Conn to dismiss the case. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| New Polygamy Trial Starts Monday | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Tri-State News Network Originally published October 17, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| KINGMAN, AZ - The next in a series of criminal cases involving Colorado City men prosecuted for allegedly having sex with underage church-assigned brides is scheduled Monday, October 23, in Mohave County Superior Court in Kingman. David Bateman, 49, is charged with sexual conduct with a minor and conspiracy to commit sexual conduct with a minor. County Attorney Matt Smith said the victim was 16 or 17 years old when sexual relations with Bateman led to the birth of their child. This is the fourth trial involving similarly situated Colorado City defendants. The first ended in the conviction of Kelly Fischer, 39, who is appealing the trial outcome and the 45-day jail sentence he's supposed to begin serving by November 6. A second trial involving defendant Randy Barlow, 33, was postponed when the alleged victim, Candi Shapley, refused to answer questions on the witness stand. Shapley was found in contempt of court and was ordered confined for 30 days at a women's shelter in Kingman. The third trial ended in favor of the defense when Donald Barlow, 50, was acquitted. Defense attorney Bruce Griffen said the not guilty verdicts were directly related to the state's inability to prove that sex occurred in Mohave County as opposed to Utah or elsewhere. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Trials set for polygamists charged with sex crimes | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Jim Seckler Mohave Daily News Originally published Tuesday, October 17, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| KINGMAN - The fourth trial involving one of eight Colorado City polygamists accused of having sexual relations with underage girls will begin Monday in Mohave County Superior Court. The trial of David Romaine Bateman, 49, charged with sexual conduct with a minor and conspiracy to commit sexual conduct with a minor, will begin Monday before Judge James Chavez. Bateman is charged with having sexual relations with an underage girl who then gave birth to his child. The alleged crime occurred in 2001 or early 2002. Seven other codefendants, who belong to a controversial polygamist sect in Colorado City, are all represented by Flagstaff attorney Bruce Griffen. Dale Evans Barlow's trial will begin on Halloween before Judge Steven Conn. Barlow, 48, is charged with one count of sexual conduct with a minor and one count of conspiracy to commit sexual conduct with a minor. Vergel Bryce Jessop, 46, is charged with one count of sexual conduct with a minor and conspiracy to commit sexual conduct with a minor. Jessop's trial is expected to begin Nov. 7 also before Conn. Terry Darger Barlow's trial is set to begin Nov. 14 before Conn. Barlow, 25, is charged with one count of sexual conduct with a minor and conspiracy to commit sexual conduct with a minor. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Series of trials ahead for polygamist men | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Ben Winslow Deseret Morning News Originally published Friday, October 20, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| A new round of trials is set to begin for a group of polygamist men accused of having sex with teenage girls. The men are all believed to be members of the Fundamentalist LDS Church, based in the border towns of Hildale, Utah, and Colorado City, Ariz. David Bateman, 49, is scheduled go on trial Monday in Kingman, Ariz., on charges of sexual conduct with a minor and conspiracy to commit sexual conduct with a minor. Dale Barlow, 48, will follow with a trial scheduled for Oct. 31, the Mohave County Attorney's Office said in a statement. He is also facing charges of sexual conduct with a minor and conspiracy to commit sexual conduct with a minor. On Nov. 7, Vergel Jessop, 46, will stand trial on identical charges. Prosecutors said Terry Barlow, 25, will stand trial the week after that. A trial for ex-Hildale police officer Rodney Holm has been postponed on a request by the Mohave County Attorney's Office. "We asked the Court to continue it so that we could prepare for State vs. David Bateman," prosecutor Matthew Smith's office said in an e-mail to the Deseret Morning News. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Batemen's Polygamy Trial Starts Today | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
e-Press Tri-State News Network Originally published October 23, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| KINGMAN, AZ - The next in a series of trials involving Colorado City men prosecuted for allegedly having sex with underage church-assigned brides is scheduled today in Mohave County Superior Court in Kingman. David Bateman, 49, is charged with sexual conduct with a minor and conspiracy to commit sexual conduct with a minor. County Attorney Matt Smith said the victim was 16 or 17 years old when sexual relations with Bateman led to the birth of their child. Smith says authorities were unable to locate the victim and weren't certain she would cooperate in the prosecution of Batemen. Smith will use birth certificates in an effort to prove the young woman was underage at the time of sexual relations and to prove that the activity led to the birth of a child with she and Bateman listed as parents. A second trial involving defendant Randy Barlow, 33, was postponed when the alleged victim, Candi Shapley, refused to answer questions on the witness stand. Shapley was found in contempt of court and was ordered confined for 30 days at a women's shelter in Kingman. The third trial ended in favor of the defense when Donald Barlow, 50, was acquitted. Defense attorney Bruce Griffen said the not guilty verdicts were directly related to the state's inability to prove that sex occurred in Mohave County as opposed to Utah or elsewhere. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bateman Polygamy Trial Verdict Expected Today | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
e-Press Tri-State News Network Originally published October 25, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| KINGMAN, AZ - Verdicts are expected later today in Kingman in the trial of another Colorado City polygamist accused of sex offenses involving an underage church-assigned bride. David Bateman, 49, is charged with sexual conduct with a minor and conspiracy to commit sexual conduct with a minor. Mohave County attorney Matt Smith told a Mohave County Superior Court jury yesterday that Bateman was 44 when he impregnated Midge Steed, then 17, in 2001 at the Colorado City home they shared with Bateman's legal wife. Smith said introduction of birth certificates will prove the ages of the defendant and alleged victim, and that a child was born of their church-sanctioned union. Defense attorney Bruce Griffen used real estate terms to emphasize his principle argument that the state can't prove where any sex occurred involving Bateman and Steed. He argued a conviction is improper and impossible if the government can't prove the alleged offense occurred in the jurisdiction in which it is charged. Griffen successfully used the geography defense in the case against Donald Barlow, 50. He said the state's failure to prove that Barlow had sex with his underage church-assigned wife in Mohave County led to his acquittal at trial in early September. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Colorado City polygamist convicted of felonies | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Jim Seckler Mohave Daily News Originally published Wednesday, October 25, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| KINGMAN - A Mohave County jury convicted a Colorado City polygamist Wednesday afternoon of having sex with an underage girl five years ago. David Romaine Bateman, 49, was found guilty of sexual conduct with a minor and conspiracy to commit sexual conduct with a minor. Bateman, a member of a controversial polygamist sect in Colorado City, was convicted of having sexual relations with a 17-year-old girl in late 2001 or early 2002. The girl then gave birth to his child. Superior Court Judge James Chavez will sentence Bateman Nov. 29 following an aggravation/mitigation hearing. Bateman continues to be released from custody on a $2,500 bond. Bateman faces up to two years in prison for each charge or Chavez could sentence him to probation only. Mohave County Attorney Matt Smith said the difference between Bateman's guilty verdict and his codefendant, Donald Barlow's acquittal last month was Smith was able to present convincing evidence such as documents and family photographs that show Bateman resides at his Colorado City home. Bullhead City Councilman Sam Medrano, who served as the foreman on the jury, said there was no other place other than Bateman's Colorado City home where the sexual relations could have taken place. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bateman Polygamy Trial Ends In Guilty Verdict | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
e-Press Tri-State News Network Originally published October 26, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| KINGMAN, AZ - The latest in a series of prosecutions targeting Colorado City polygamists charged with sexually offending underage girls has ended in guilty verdicts in the case against David Bateman, 49. A Mohave County Jury deliberated just 40 minutes before finding Bateman guilty yesterday of sexual conduct with a minor and conspiracy to commit sexual conduct with a minor. Prosecutor Matt Smith asserted at trial that Bateman was 44 years old in 2001 when he impregnated the 17-year-old girl who bore his child. Smith said Midge Steed had been assigned as a "celestial bride" to the already married Bateman in a practice common within the Funamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (FLDS). Defense attorney Bruce Griffen argued Bateman should be acquitted because alleged crimes can only be prosecuted in the jurisdiction in which they occur. And Griffen told the jury that the state failed to meet its burden of proving that sex between Bateman and Steed occurred in their home in Colorado City. That finding, however, was not difficult for the jury, given evidence and testimony introduced by Smith. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jury reaches guilty verdict | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Aaron Royster Kingman Daily Miner Originally published October 26, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| KINGMAN - It took the jury about 30 minutes to arrive at a guilty verdict in the David Romaine Bateman case. Bateman, 49, of Colorado City, was charged with the Class 6 felonies of sexual conduct with a minor and conspiracy to commit sexual conduct with a minor. He sat silent and motionless while the court read the jury's decision on both charges. "I think it was a quick verdict," Bateman's attorney Bruce Griffen said. "I'm disappointed, whether it was a quick or slow verdict." Griffen said that he felt he had made an effective argument in questioning whether the prosecuting attorney presented evidence that the victim and Bateman conceived the child in Arizona. He also said that Bateman was disappointed with the verdict. Bateman is one of the three cases to go to trial so far in Mohave County involving men from Colorado City who are members of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and were indicted on sexual conduct with a minor and conspiracy to commit sexual conduct with a minor charges. Two of the three have resulted in guilty verdicts; one resulted in a non-guilty verdict. Five cases, with one already started, remain for Griffen to defend. "It could be two and two," Griffen said. "I'm not keeping score." Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Cedar City man pleads not guilty on sexual abuse charge | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Ryan Dionne The Spectrum Originally published October 26, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| CEDAR CITY - Wayland W. Wyler pleaded not guilty Wednesday to two first-degree felonies relating to sexual abuse of a child. Wyler was charged with sodomy of a child and aggravated sex abuse of a child after a girl, with whom he had a special relationship, accused him of sexually assaulting her. The incidents allegedly occurred throughout the last three years, but weren't brought to the attention of an adult until earlier this year, according to the court's probable cause statement. Though Wyler's attorney objected, a video interview of the alleged victim will be allowed to be used in the courtroom if Chief Deputy Iron County Attorney Troy Little desires. After hearing testimony from the expert who interviewed the girl following the accusations, Judge John Walton found there was ample evidence to proceed with the case. No date has been set, but Wyler will later appear in court for a two-day trial before Walton. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Charges against polygamist dropped | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Jim Seckler Mohave Daily News Originally published October 30, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| KINGMAN - Felony charges against one of eight Colorado City polygamists charged with sexual conduct with under age girls were dismissed in Superior Court Monday. Terry Darger Barlow, 25, was charged with one count of sexual conduct with a minor and conspiracy to commit sexual conduct with a minor. His trial was set to begin Nov. 14. Mohave County Attorney Matt Smith dismissed the charges against Barlow because defense attorney Bruce Griffen could prove that Barlow and the victim were not living in Arizona at the time of the alleged crimes. Also on Monday, the trial for Vergel Bryce Jessop, 46, charged with one count of sexual conduct with a minor and conspiracy to commit sexual conduct with a minor was postponed until Dec. 5. His trial was to begin next week. Superior Court Judge Steven Conn also denied Monday a motion to stay another codefendant's jail sentence. Kelly Fischer, 39, was the first codefendant to be tried and convicted of one count of sexual conduct with a minor and one count of conspiracy to commit sexual conduct with a minor. Fischer was sentenced to probation and 45 days in county jail. He has until Monday to report to county jail. His attorney filed a motion to delay when Fischer has to report to jail until his sentenced is reviewed by the Arizona Court of Appeals. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Upcoming Trial Presents Hurdle For Prosecution | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
e-Press Tri-State News Network Originally published November 2, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| KINGMAN, AZ - The trial for one of the members of the polygamy sect run in Colorado City was recently postponed after the alleged victim refused to testify. The trial for Randolph Barlow is now tentatively set to begin at the end of November. Barlow is charged with two counts of sexual conduct with a minor. The nameless victim originally refused to testify and has now retained legal council, making the job of Mohave County Attorney Matt Smith a little harder as little preparation is being done regarding her testimony. Smith told TSN, "When there is little preparation with a witness, it makes things harder, but we have her taped interview and she did testify in front of the grand jury. So, I believe with that, when she does testify, she will tell the truth based on her previous testimony under oath." Barlow's trial is scheduled to be heard before Mohave County Superior Court Judge Steven Conn. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Fischer Starts Doing Time | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
e-Press Tri-State News Network Originally published November 10, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| KINGMAN, AZ - A Colorado City polygamist convicted of sexually offending a church-assigned underage bride has begun serving the 45 day jail sentence ordered by Mohave County Superior Court Judge Steve Conn. Kelly Fischer, 39, checked into the jail in downtown Kingman at 6:09 p.m. Monday. A jury found Fischer guilty in July of sexual conduct with a minor and a related conspiracy charge. A union between a sixteen year old girl assigned to Fischer by the polygamy practicing Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (FLDS) led to the birth of their child in 2001. Judge Conn previously refused to stay the jail sentence while Fischer worked to have his convictions and punishment overturned in the Arizona Court of Appeals. Fischer will spend Thanksgiving in custody but be released five days before Christmas. David Bateman, 49, will be the next Colorado City polygamist to be sentenced for sex offenses in Mohave County. In a case nearly identical to Fischer's, Bateman was convicted of the same offenses. Judge Conn has been criticized on national television and in local newspaper editorials for failing to impose a harsher sanction in the Fischer case. Sentencing for Bateman is scheduled November 29th. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| New trials set for polygamist men | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Ben Winslow Deseret Morning News Originally published Wednesday, November 15, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| New trial dates have been set for four of eight polygamist men facing sex crimes charges. The Mohave County Attorney's Office in Arizona said Wednesday that sentencing has been scheduled for Nov. 29 in the case against David Bateman, 49, who was convicted recently of sexual conduct with a minor and conspiracy to commit sexual conduct with a minor. Prosecutors claim the Colorado City, Ariz., man was 44 when he had sex with a 17-year-old girl. Over the next two months, trials will commence in Kingman, Ariz., for the remaining four men, facing similar charges. All are believed to be members of the Fundamentalist LDS Church, based in the polygamous border towns of Hildale, Utah, and Colorado City. On Dec. 5, Vergel Jessop, 46, will stand trial. Two weeks later, Dale Barlow, 48, will go on trial. Randy Barlow, 33, will go on trial again on Jan. 3, 2007. His trial was initially postponed after the alleged victim — one of his wives — refused to testify. Police and prosecutors have told the Deseret Morning News they believe she was influenced by family members who are trying to protect FLDS leader Warren Jeffs. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jeffs teachings on tape | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Prosecutors may use old lectures as evidence | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Ben Winslow Deseret Morning News Originally published Saturday, November 18, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| From the time they are children, girls in the Fundamentalist LDS Church are taught to prepare themselves for marriage. Those marriages are often arranged, which is what has landed FLDS Church leader Warren Jeffs in trouble with the law, accused of forcing teenage girls into marriages with older men. Some of those marriages are polygamous. "I hope you understand that very often a girl is given to a husband after her own likeness," Jeffs once said. "You should be praying that you will be prepared and that you will be given to a husband who will prove faithful to the end." The Deseret Morning News has obtained a series of tape recorded lessons from Jeffs' time as principal of the Alta Academy, a now-defunct FLDS school at the base of Little Cottonwood Canyon. The 50-year-old Jeffs is scheduled to appear in St. George's 5th District Court on Tuesday for a preliminary hearing on two charges of rape as an accomplice, a first-degree felony. Across the border in Mohave County, Ariz., Jeffs is charged with numerous counts of sexual conduct with a minor and conspiracy to commit sexual conduct with a minor. "Jane Doe IV," the prosecution's star witness in the Utah case, claims the FLDS leader forced her to marry an older man against her wishes. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Small Nevada Hotel Hosted Polygamist Weddings | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Jennifer Dobner The Associated Press KUTV Channel 2 Originally published November 19, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| CALIENTE, Nev. Room 15 seems like an unlikely place for a wedding. There are no flower-covered arbors, pews or unity candles waiting to be lit. It’s just an apartment-style motel room with a bed, a dresser, table and a couch. A door off the kitchenette leads to small patio with a fire pit. But there were dozens of weddings here at the quaint, quirky Caliente Hot Springs Motel, "world famous" for its warm, therapeutic waters. Dozens of religious unions arranged between underage girls and men from a polygamist church whose leader, Warren Jeffs, now stands accused of rape as an accomplice for marrying a 14-year-old girl to her older first cousin. The leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Jeffs, 50, will be in a Utah court Tuesday for a hearing to determine if prosecutors have enough evidence to try him on two first-degree felony charges. If there’s a trial and Jeffs is convicted, the man some 10,000 followers revere as a prophet could spend the rest of his life in prison. Prosecutors allege the bride, who is referred to in court documents as Jane Doe No. 4, told Jeffs she didn’t want to marry – she believed she was too young. Later, she begged to be released from the union, saying she didn’t like marital relations. But Jeffs said the marriage was her religious duty and threatened her with the loss of her salvation, court documents state. That threat may have been what she was thinking when she stood dressed in white and said, "I do," sealing the spiritual marriage with a secret handshake. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Trial on for Colorado City polygamist - maybe | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Jim Seckler Mohave Daily News Originally published Monday, November 20, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| KINGMAN - The trial of a Colorado City polygamist charged with having sex with an underage girl may or may not go depending on another trial. Vergel Bryce Jessop, 47, is charged with one count of sexual conduct with a minor and conspiracy to commit sexual conduct with a minor. His jury trial is set for Dec. 5. Jessop's trial is expected to go on that date but another trial involving a defendant charged with sexual abuse is also scheduled for that date in the same court. Superior Court Judge Steven Conn told the attorneys Monday for both cases to decide which case will go on that day. If the attorneys can not come up with an agreement, Conn will decide which case takes priority. For the first time, Mohave County Attorney Matt Smith also said Jessop's alleged victim will testify for the prosecution at his trial. In three previous trials involving Jessop's codefendants, the victims, all members of the same polygamist sect in Colorado City, refused to testify in court. Two codefendants were convicted and one was acquitted. Without the victim's testimony, Smith's main arguments in the previous trials rested with birth certificates of the babies born to the victims, showing their ages. The attorney for all eight codefendants, Bruce Griffen, questioned at each trial where the sex act took place, in Arizona or Utah. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Polygamist prophet a pimp: prosecutor | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jeffs's lawyers frame it completely differently. They call it is a case of religious persecution | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Daphne Bramham Vancouver Sun Originally published Wednesday, November 22, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE, Utah - Polygamist prophet Warren Jeffs is nothing more than a pimp -- a pimp for God, perhaps -- but a pimp just the same. That's the position the state of Utah is taking in a case against Jeffs, the 50-year-old leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, a breakaway sect of the Mormon church. Using precedents from other cases involving polygamy and others involving forced prostitution, Utah prosecutors argue that Jeffs -- who FLDS believe is God's spokesman on Earth -- married a 14-year-old girl to a 19-year-old man, instructed them to have sex and produce many children. Jeffs's defence lawyers frame it completely differently. They say it is a case of religious persecution. "It is nothing less than the State of Utah condemning a culturally different religion. It is a continuation of 165 years of intolerance for a people who engage in different cultural and religious practices," attorney Walter Bugden said Tuesday after the preliminary hearing was adjourned until Dec. 14. "There is no rape in this case. Officiating at a wedding ceremony does not make Mr. Jeffs an accomplice to rape." Jeffs is charged in Utah with two counts of rape as an accomplice. Once this case is dealt with, he will then be transferred to Arizona to face five counts of sexual conduct with a minor and one count of conspiracy to commit sexual conduct with a minor. Jeffs was arrested Aug. 28 in Las Vegas after spending nearly four months on the FBI's 10 Most Wanted list alongside Osama bin Laden. The state's key witness is a young woman who is now 20 and two weeks shy of having a baby. She says she was forced into a religious -- not legal -- marriage with her 19-year-old first cousin, a boy who used to taunt her, calling her Tubby-Tubba. Over several hours of testimony, the young woman described how in April 2001, as a Grade 9 student, she was dumbfounded when her step-father told her she would be married that week. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Judge denies new trial for polygamist | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Jim Seckler Mohave Daily News Originally published Wednesday, November 22, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| KINGMAN - A Superior Court judge denied Tuesday a defense motion for a new trial for a Colorado City polygamist convicted last month of having sex with an underage girl. David Romaine Bateman, 49, was found guilty in October of felony sexual conduct with a minor and conspiracy to commit sexual conduct with a minor. He faces up to two years in prison for each charge or he could be sentenced to probation only. Bateman's attorney, Bruce Griffen, asked for a new trial citing that the prosecution's key witness, Richard Holm, overheard Mohave County Attorney Matt Smith's opening statements. A court television channel televised the trial using a monitor outside of the courtroom in the hallway. Normally, witnesses are not allowed in the courtroom until they are called to testify. Griffen also said a juror's statements to the media after the trial showed that she had a negative view of the polygamist sect's leader, Warren Jeffs. Griffen argued that she did not reveal her feelings about Jeffs during jury selection before the trial. Another issue was that the prosecution's investigator did not disclose evidence about Holm's past history with his former wife. He was a former member of the church who was excommunicated several years ago. Griffen also said a list he received concerning items seized at Bateman's home by sheriff detectives was inadequate. He again argued there was no evidence where the sex act took place. Smith countered that Holm was not prejudiced even if he did overhear Smith's opening statements. He also questioned the relevancy of Holm's adultery incident that occurred 30 years ago. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In Warren Jeffs hearing, former teen bride describes arranged marriage | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Harriet Ryan Court TV Originally published November 22, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE, Utah — The woman at the center of the rape case against Warren Jeffs told a rapt courtroom Tuesday that she had never heard of sex and did not know where babies came from when the polygamist leader ordered her, at age 14, to marry and "go forth and multiply" with an older man who was her first cousin. Weeping and blotting her reddened face with a tissue, the woman, now 20, testified that her upbringing in Jeffs' Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was so sheltered that she gasped in confusion and horror when her new husband unzipped his pants. "What is that? Put it away," she recalled shouting at him soon after their April 2001 wedding. She said she was repulsed when the 19-year-old man, whom she had known her entire life, touched her. She said she fought off his advances for weeks until he forced her to have intercourse, saying, "This is what men and wives do." According to the witness, when she tearfully confided in a married sister, "she said, 'Do you know you are having sex with him?' And I said, 'What is sex?'" Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Prosecutors send a stern message | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Mike Watkiss / 3TV reporter KTVK Channel 3 - Phoenix Originally published December 18, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| A very clear message was sent today as a judge passed down the stiffest sentence yet for one of the so-called Colorado City 8. The criminal prosecution of polygamist leader Warren Jeffs may be grabbing all of the headlines in Utah, but it is certainly not the only location where this dramatic story continues to unfold. On Monday in Kingman, one of Jeff's adult male followers was sent to prison by a crusading, gutsy attorney by the name of Matt Smith. "Well I think the main message is leave the girls alone before they reach the age of 18," said Smith in a previous interview with 3TV. Smith has been the single most effective and aggressive elected official in sending a message to the male followers of Jeffs. It's a message he has delivered through his high-profile criminal prosecution of several of Jeffs' followers. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Colorado City polygamist gets prison term | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Jim Seckler Mohave Daily News Originally published Monday, December 18, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| KINGMAN - A Colorado City polygamist was sentenced to prison while his codefendant agreed to a plea agreement Monday in Mohave County Superior Court. David Romaine Bateman, 49, was convicted in October with sexual conduct with a minor and conspiracy to commit sexual conduct with a minor. Bateman, a member of a polygamist sect in Colorado City, was convicted of having sexual relations with a 17-year-old girl in late 2001 or early 2002. The girl then gave birth to his child. Bateman's attorney Bruce Griffen told of his client's upstanding character and background, of participating in a search and rescue unit and becoming a teacher after getting a college degree. Bateman also had no criminal history. "He's a citizen's citizen and a stellar role model in his community," Griffen said. In asking for probation, Griffen also said his client was put into a difficult position by his faith and his religion. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bateman sentence: 9 months | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| FLDS member had been found guilty of sexual | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Aaron Royster Kingman Daily Miner Originally published December 20, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| KINGMAN - David Romaine Bateman, 49, of Colorado City entered the courtroom silently in street clothes with his family and left in handcuffs with the same stoic countenance. Bateman was sentenced Monday to nine months in prison for sexual conduct with a minor and conspiracy to commit sexual conduct with a minor. Mohave County Judge James E. Chavez sentenced Bateman to serve the sentences for the Class 6 felonies concurrently and required Bateman to register as a sex offender upon his release. "I want to make it clear up front, I'm not sentencing Warren Jeffs or the FLDS ... I'm sentencing Mr. Bateman," Chavez said. Chavez explained that he felt probation was useful for rehabilitation, while prison is necessary to help prevent a continuance of crime. "There must be some general deterrent effect to these proceedings," Chavez said. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Fischer Freed | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
e-Press Tri-State News Network Originally published December 22, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| COLORADO CITY, AZ - The first man convicted among eight northern Arizona polygamists indicted for alleged sex offenses involving underage wives assigned to them by a church sect that practices polygamy is no longer in custody. Kelly Fischer, 39, was released from the Mohave County jail in Kingman early Wednesday evening. Fischer completed a 45 day jail term that has been criticized as too lenient in a flurry of letters to the editors of local newspapers and by legal analysts appearing on nationally televised programs focusing on the multiple wife custom of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (FLDS) with thousands of members in the northern Arizona town of Colorado city and the neighboring border community of Hildale in Utah. A jury found Fischer guilty in July of sexual conduct with a minor and conspiracy to commit sexual conduct with a minor. Prosecutor Matt Smith used birth certificates and hospital records to convince the panel that illegal sexual relations between Fischer and a 16 year-old girl led to the birth of their child in August, 2001. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Polygamist Given Prison Sentence | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
e-Press Tri-State News Network Originally published December 22, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| INGMAN, AZ - Mohave County Superior Court Judge James Chavez imposed a nine month prison sentence December when prosecutor Matt Smith only asked for "substantial jail" for a Colorado City polygamist convicted of sex offenses involving a supportive church-assigned spiritual wife. The punishment prompted a one word response from defense attorney Bruce Griffen. "Shocked," Griffen said of the sentence Judge Chavez handed down earlier this week for his client David Bateman, 49. Griffen said he was unable to speak with Bateman as he was quickly taken into custody, but that an appeal is virtually guaranteed. "The likelihood that it won't be appealed is zero," Griffen said. "To give a non-probationary disposition in my mind was error." Griffen noted Judge Chavez found eight or nine mitigating (positive) factors and no aggravators. He said the law calls for a super mitigated sentence when a Judge finds no aggravators and at least two substantial mitigating factors. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Trial for polygamist delayed | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Jim Seckler Mohave Daily News Originally published Thursday, January 11, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| KINGMAN - Wednesday's trial for a Colorado City polygamist charged with having sexual relations with an underage girl has been postponed indefinitely. Rodney Holm's trial before Superior Court Judge Steven Conn was postponed with no new date scheduled. Holm, 40, a former Colorado City police officer and one of eight defendants who belong to a controversial polygamist sect of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Colorado City, is charged with three counts of sexual conduct with a minor. Another codefendant, Randy Barlow, 33, is charged with two counts of sexual conduct with a minor. He had also been charged with two counts of sexual assault but those charges were dismissed. No trial date has been set in his case. The third remaining codefendant, Dale Evans Barlow, 49, is charged with one count of sexual conduct with a minor and one count of conspiracy to commit sexual conduct with a minor. His trial before Conn has also not been rescheduled. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Trials set for remaining Colorado City polygamists | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Jim Seckler Mohave Daily News Originally published Monday, January 15, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| KINGMAN - Tuesday's sentencing for a Colorado City polygamist charged with having sexual relations with an underage girl has been delayed indefinitely. Vergel Bryce Jessop, 47, pleaded no contest Dec. 18 to an undesignated charge of child abuse. He had been charged with sexual conduct with a minor and conspiracy to commit sexual conduct with a minor. Jessop and seven other codefendants who face charges in Mohave County Superior Court belong to a controversial polygamist sect of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Colorado City. No new sentencing date has been set for Jessop. Under the plea agreement, Jessop will be sentenced to probation for three years with no additional jail time. If he completes his probation, the felony charge will be designated as a misdemeanor. Judge Steven Conn will also decide if Jessop must register as a sex offender. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Three Colorado City men still face charges for child brides | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Patrice St. Germain The Spectrum Originally published January 19, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE — Three Colorado City men are still facing charges in Mohave County for their participation in spiritual marriages to girls under the age of 18. The Mohave County Attorney’s Office obtained indictments against the men. Cases are still pending against Dale Barlow, Rodney Holm, and Randy Barlow. The case against Dale Barlow is set for a jury trial on Feb. 14 and Rodney Holm’s case is set for jury trail on Feb. 21. A bench trial was schedule for Randy Barlow on Jan. 30 but has been postponed because witness Gary Engles, an investigator with the Mohave County Attorney’s Office, is out of the country. Sentencing was set for Jan. 16 for Vergel Jessop but was vacated and no new date has been set. On Dec. 18, Jessop pleaded no contest to child abuse, a class 6 undesignated offense. Jessop will receive three years supervised probation with no additional jail time. Registration as a sex offender will be at the court’s discretion. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Polygamists' trials now on again | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Jim Seckler Mohave Daily News Originally published Monday, February 19, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| KINGMAN - Trials have now been set for the three remaining Colorado City polygamists charged with having sexual relations with underage girls. Superior Court Judge Steven Conn set Randolph Barlow's one-day bench trial to begin Feb. 27. Barlow, 33, is charged with two counts of sexual conduct with a minor. A bench trial is where the judge not a jury decides the verdict. Dale Evans Barlow's jury trial is now set to begin Feb. 28. Barlow, 49, is charged with one count of sexual conduct with a minor and one count of conspiracy to commit sexual conduct with a minor. Rodney Holm's jury trial is now set for March 20. Holm, 40, a former Colorado City police officer, is charged with three counts of sexual conduct with a minor. The codefendants belong to a polygamist sect of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Colorado City. Conn also set the sentencing hearing for Vergel Bryce Jessop, 47 for March 22. He pleaded no contest Dec. 18 to an undesignated charge of child abuse. He had been charged with sexual conduct with a minor and conspiracy to commit sexual conduct with a minor. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Charges dropped against one of Colorado City Eight | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Mike Watkiss / 3TV KTVK - Phoenix Originally broadcast Tuesday, February 27, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Eight polygamist men were arrested for allegedly marrying and having sex with underage girls. On Tuesday, charges were dropped against one of those men, Randolph Barlow, the sixth in the series. Long before polygamist leader Warren Jeffs was charged with any crimes, Mohave County Attorney Matt Smith charged eight men with marrying plural brides. The most recent of the cases concluded today. Candi Shapley, a mother of two and a former child bride had no interest in becoming a crusader. "I would love to have it all just go away and live my peaceful life," she said. Shapley said people broke into her home after she was named to testify in the trial against Barlow, her ex-husband. Barlow was indicted by a Mohave County Grand Jury for allegedly taking a child bride. "I think the saddest part of my marriage was that I was so innocent and blinded from the real world," Shapley said. Shapley said that she had never met Barlow before he held her down, took her clothes off and raped her. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Top court rejects case on polygamy | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Utahn Holm had appealed his bigamy conviction | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Ben Winslow Deseret Morning News Originally published Tuesday, February 27, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The U.S. Supreme Court has shot down a challenge to the ban on polygamy, declining to hear an appeal of Rodney Holm's bigamy conviction. Without commenting Monday, the justices declined to take up the case. Holm's attorney, Rod Parker, was disappointed. "It's an important issue that deserves to be addressed," he said. "The people deserve to have this case heard." The Utah Attorney General's Office said the justices' decision not to hear the Holm case concludes that the Hildale polygamist's constitutional rights were not violated. "This is a case that involved a minor," said assistant Utah Attorney General Laura Dupaix. "Everyone agrees that a person does not have a constitutional right to have sex with a minor or to take a minor as a bigamous bride." In 1998, 16-year-old Ruth Stubbs was told by Fundamentalist LDS Church leader Rulon Jeffs that she would be wed to 32-year-old Rodney Holm, who was a Hildale police officer. He was already married to Stubbs' sister, and she would become his third wife. In a ceremony performed by Warren Jeffs (who is now the FLDS Church's leader and is currently facing criminal charges), Holm and Stubbs were declared "legally and lawfully husband and wife." Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Victim won't testify; charges vs. polygamist dropped | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Jim Seckler Mohave Daily News Originally published Tuesday, February 27, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| KINGMAN - The trial for one of three remaining Colorado City polygamists charged with having a sexual relation with an underage girl suddenly ended Tuesday with his charges being dismissed. Randolph J. Barlow's bench trial before Superior Court Judge Steven Conn resumed after a six-month delay. Barlow, 33, was charged with two counts of sexual conduct with a minor. Mohave County Attorney Matt Smith dismissed the charges against Barlow saying the victim, who refused to testify when she first took the stand six months ago, still refuses to testify or even answer his questions. Smith said if she was subpoenaed and even jailed she still would not testify. He did not want to jail the victim in the case so he was forced to drop the charges. Unlike the previous trials of Barlow's codefendants, the victim, who was under age at the time of the crime, did not give birth to a child and there was no other evidence that Barlow had sexual conduct with her. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Shapley's Stalemate Gets Polygamy Charges Dismissed | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
e-Press Tri-State News Network Originally published February 28, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| KINGMAN, AZ - Charges against a Colorado City polygamist were dismissed Tuesday when the alleged victim refused to take the witness stand as she did last summer. Superior Court Judge Steve Conn granted Mohave County Attorney Matt Smith’s request to dismiss two sexual conduct with a minor charges and the case against Randolph Barlow, 33. The alleged victim, Candi Shapley, 20, along with her attorney, spoke with Smith outside the courtroom before Judge Conn reconvened the trial that was postponed last August whe she refused to testify against Barlow. Judge Conn held Shapley in contempt of court and she spent two weeks confined in a shelter for abused women before Smith requested her release in September, hoping she would take the witness stand when the trial resumed. Smith said Shapley was assigned through the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (FLDS) to the already legally-married Barlow as a celestial spouse and that he had illegal sexual relations with her when she was 16 years-old in 2002. But Smith said he couldn’t make his case without Shapley’s cooperation. "I am absolutely convinced that she will not testify," Smith said. "She is adamant that she is not going to answer questions." Smith told Judge he would not ask that Shapley be found in contempt of court and sanctioned again. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Silent witness | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| With Shapley refusing to talk, Colorado City man won’t face trial on sexual conduct with minor charges | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Aaron Royster Kingman Daily Miner Originally published February 28, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| KINGMAN - Mohave County Judge Steven Conn dismissed, with prejudice, the two sexual conduct with a minor charges facing a Colorado City man. Conn dismissed the charges against Randolph Joseph Barlow, 33, at the request of Mohave County Attorney Matt Smith Tuesday. Smith said he spoke with the victim and key witness, Candi Shapley, and her attorney before the trial, and she refused to testify. "I am absolutely convinced she will not testify," Smith told Conn. "She is adamant not to testify." This isn't the first time Shapley has refused to testify in the case. The trial first started on Aug. 29 and was continued because she refused to testify. Shapley was held in contempt of court and put into a monitored living facility in Kingman for 30 days. At Smith's request, Shapley was released after serving two weeks. "I am not willing and I don't want to put (Shapley) in jail because she is the victim," Smith said. Shapley had testified to a grand jury on the same case in 2005 but changed her mind and refused to testify before the first trial began. She had earlier complained to Conn in a letter that she had been treated by prosecutors and investigators as someone without feelings and said she refused to cooperate with the state and testify. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Polygamist trials back on track in April | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Jim Seckler Mohave Daily News Originally published Saturday, March 24, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| KINGMAN - Trials for two remaining Colorado City polygamists have now been tentatively set for April. The trial for Dale Evans Barlow, 49, was set Thursday to begin April 10. His trial was previously postponed because a state witness was not available to testify. Barlow is charged with one count of sexual conduct with a minor and one count of conspiracy to commit sexual conduct with a minor. Barlow and seven other codefendants belong to a controversial polygamist sect of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Colorado City. Rodney Holm's jury trial is set to begin April 17. Holm, 40, a former Colorado City police officer, is charged with three counts of sexual conduct with a minor. Sentencing for Vergel Bryce Jessop, 47, was delayed Thursday because a psychologist report was not completed. No new date has been set. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Colorado City polygamist to be sentenced April 20 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Jim Seckler Mohave Daily News Originally published Thursday, April 5, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| KINGMAN - A Superior Court judge will soon sentence one of three remaining Colorado City polygamists charged with having sex with underage girls. Vergel Bryce Jessop, 47, will be sentenced April 20. He pleaded no contest Dec. 18 to an undesignated charge of child abuse. He had been charged with sexual conduct with a minor and conspiracy to commit sexual conduct with a minor. His sentencing has been postponed several times. Under the plea agreement, Judge Steven Conn will sentence Jessop to three years supervised probation and no additional jail time. Conn will also decide whether Jessop must register as a sex offender. The trial for Dale Evans Barlow, 49, will now begin Wednesday after a one-day delay. He is charged with one count of sexual conduct with a minor and one count of conspiracy to commit sexual conduct with a minor. Rodney Holm's jury trial is now also set to begin April 17. Holm, 40, a former Colorado City police officer, is charged with three counts of sexual conduct with a minor. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Polygamist plea: One of two still facing trial accepts last-minute agreement | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Jim Seckler Mohave Daily News Originally published Thursday, April 12, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| KINGMAN - The case of one of two remaining Colorado City polygamists charged with having sex with underage girls ended suddenly Wednesday with a last-minute plea agreement. Dale Evans Barlow, 49, was charged with one count of sexual conduct with a minor and one count of conspiracy to commit sexual conduct with a minor. He pleaded no contest in Superior Court to conspiracy to commit sexual conduct with a minor with the sexual conduct charge being dismissed. Judge Steven Conn will sentence Barlow June 15 to supervised probation for up to three years. Conn can also designate the charge as a misdemeanor, felony or leave it as undesignated at Barlow's sentencing. If the charge is designated a felony or left as undesignated, Conn could sentence Barlow to up to one year in county jail. If it is designated a misdemeanor, Barlow could be sentenced to up to six months in jail. The charge could also be designated a felony and re-designated as a misdemeanor after Barlow completes his probation. Conn will also decide if Barlow must register as a sex offender. Since the plea agreement was reached just hours before Barlow's Wednesday morning's trial, Conn said about a dozen jurors still showed up in court despite attempts to notify them about the plea agreement and the defendant would have to pay their costs of $12 a day for each juror. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Polygamist Sentenced to Probation for Marrying Teen | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
The Associated Press KTAR 92.3 - Phoenix Originally published April 21, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| KINGMAN, Ariz. - A member of a polygamist sect who pleaded no contest to a child abuse charge for taking an underage wife was sentenced to one day in jail and 3 years probation. Colorado City resident Vergel Jessop will also have to register as a sex offender during his probation. The judge in Mohave County spared him additional jail time Friday because his wife has significant medical problems, county prosecutors said. Jessop, 47, had been charged in August 2005 with sexual conduct with a minor and conspiracy to commit sexual conduct with a minor. He pleaded no contest to the lesser charge in December. Jessop's sentencing was the sixth of eight cases involving members of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints to be concluded. All eight were charged with crimes related to their underaged plural wives. Dale Barlow is set to be sentenced in June for his no contest plea to conspiracy to commit sexual conduct with a minor. The last defendant, Rodney Holm, is set for trial in May. Of the remaining members of the polygamous sect originally charged, one was acquitted, charges were dropped against two men, and two others were convicted at trial or pleaded guilty. The leader of the FLDS, Warren Jeffs, is being held in Utah on two counts of rape by accomplice and faces life terms in prison if convicted. In Arizona, he faces sexual misconduct charges which carry lesser penalties. Both states brought the charges in connection with marriages Jeffs allegedly arranged between older men and teenage girls. The FLDS is based in Colorado City and nearby Hildale, Utah. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Polygamist must register as sex offender | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Jim Seckler Mohave Daily News Originally published Sunday, April 22, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| KINGMAN - The only issue a Mohave County Superior Court judge faced Friday was whether to order a Colorado City polygamist to register as a sex offender. Vergel Bryce Jessop, 47, pleaded no contest Dec. 18 to child abuse. He had been charged with sexual conduct with a minor and conspiracy to commit sexual conduct with a minor. Jessop and seven other codefendants belong to a polygamist sect of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Colorado City. Per the plea agreement, Judge Steven Conn sentenced Jessop to three years supervised probation with no additional jail time. The only question was whether Conn would order Jessop to register as a sex offender. Jessop's attorney, Bruce Griffen, argued his client was not a sexual deviant, that he was a loving family man who was obeying his religion. After seeing a copy of People magazine, Jessop even thought that the magazine was pornographic. Mohave County Attorney Matt Smith argued that Jessop could repeat his action of marrying an underage bride if the church prophet tells him to do so. Smith also suggested at the very least ordering Jessop, an employee for the Colorado City parks department, to register as a sex offender for as long as he was on probation. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jessop gets probation | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Colorado City man had pleaded no contest to child abuse charge | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Aaron Royster Kingman Daily Miner Originally published April 22, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| KINGMAN - A Colorado City man who had pleaded no contest to child abuse was sentenced to three years supervised probation and will be required to register as a sex offender during that time period. Vergel Bryce Jessop, 47, was one of the eight men from the polygamist-supporting Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints indicted by the Mohave County Attorney's Office on sexual conduct with a minor and conspiracy to commit sexual conduct with a minor felony charges. "I'm certain that I can probably talk for hours on what I think is the very interesting issue as to whether this case and the other cases are attacks on polygamy or attacks on a lifestyle," Mohave County Judge Steven F. Conn said before sentencing. "And I'm absolutely convinced that they are not, and I tried to make that clear every time we tried this case. These cases are about people having sex with underage girls and justifying their doing so by reliance upon their religion. I believe that is a significant distinction," Conn said. Jessop, who is a member of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, earlier accepted a no-contest plea to child abuse, a Class 6 undesignated offense. According to the plea agreement, Jessop received three years of supervised probation with no further jail time. Whether Jessop had to register as a sex offender and for how long was based upon the discretion of Conn. "The real issue in this case is whether I force the defendant to register as a sex offender," Conn said before sentencing. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Polygamist cop still charged in Arizona | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
The Spectrum Originally published May 30, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| HURRICANE — Former Hildale/Colorado City police officer Rodney Holm is still facing charges in Mohave County, Ariz., for his participation in a spiritual marriage to a girl under the age of 18. Holm was indicted by a grand jury in 2005 and a jury trial scheduled for next month has been postponed until July 10. Dale Barlow, who faced similar charges from a grand jury indictment, entered a plea of no contest to one of the charges — conspiracy to commit sexual conduct with a minor. The charge of sexual conduct with a minor will be dismissed. Barlow will receive a sentence of supervised probation with up to one year in the county jail at the court’s discretion. The court will also decide if Barlow has to register as a sex offender. Sentencing for Barlow is set for June 15. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Colorado City cases still pending | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
The Spectrum Originally published June 13, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Cases against two Colorado City men concerning their alleged roles in marrying underage girls are still pending in Mohave County, Ariz. A jury trial set for Tuesday in the case against former Colorado City police officer Rodney Holm has now been reset to July 10. Holm’s trial has been reset numerous times since he was indicted by a grand jury two years ago. In the sentencing for Dale Barlow, the defense counsel has field a motion to continue the June 15 sentencing because Barlow has not completed a psychosexual evaluation. The sentencing is still set for Friday. Barlow entered a plea on April 11 in which he pleaded "No Contest" to one of the charges in the indictment, Conspiracy to Commit Sexual Conduct with a Minor as an undesignated Class 6 felony. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| U.S. polygamist community faces rare genetic disorder | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Jason Szep Reuters China Daily - Beijing, China Originally published Friday, June, 15 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| COLORADO CITY, Arizona (Reuters) - In a dusty neighborhood under sheer sandstone cliffs studded with juniper on the Arizona-Utah border, a rare genetic disorder is spreading through polygamous families on a wave of inbreeding. The twin border communities of Hildale, Utah, and Colorado City, Arizona, have the world's highest known prevalence of fumarase deficiency, an enzyme irregularity that causes severe mental retardation brought on by cousin marriage, doctors say. "Arizona has about half the world's population of known fumarase deficiency patients," said Dr. Theodore Tarby, a pediatric neurologist who has treated many of the children at Arizona clinics under contracts with the state. "It exists in a certain percentage of the broader population but once you get a tendency to inbreed you're inbreeding people who have the gene there, so you markedly increase the risk of developing the condition," he said. The community of about 10,000 people, who shun outsiders and are taught to avoid newspapers, television and the Internet, is home to the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (FLDS), a sect that broke from the mainstream Mormon church 72 years ago over polygamy. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| New sentencing date for Colorado City polygamist | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Jim Seckler Mohave Daily News Originally published Tuesday, July 17, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| KINGMAN - The often-delayed sentencing for one of eight polygamists who belong to the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Colorado City was set Tuesday for next month. Dale Evans Barlow, 49, pleaded no contest to conspiracy to commit sexual conduct with a minor in April. A charge of one count of sexual conduct with a minor was dismissed. Superior Court Judge Steven Conn will sentence Barlow Aug. 17. Per the plea agreement, Conn will sentence Barlow to supervised probation for up to three years and a possible sentence of up to one year in county jail. The judge must also decide if Barlow must register as a sex offender. The sect's leader, Warren Steed Jeffs, 52, is in custody in St. George facing rape charges in Utah. He is also charged in Mohave County with three counts of sexual conduct with a minor in a 2005 case. He was recently indicted on new charges of two counts of incest and two counts of sexual conduct with a minor in one case and two counts of incest and two counts of sexual conduct with a minor in another case. Seven other members of the Colorado City polygamist sect also faced charges including Rodney Holm, 40, a former Colorado City police officer, who is charged with three counts of sexual conduct with a minor. His trial is set for Aug. 7. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Trial for polygamist postponed a month | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Jim Seckler Mohave Daily News Originally published Thursday, July 26, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| KINGMAN - The trial for the last of eight polygamists who belong to the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Colorado City was postponed again Thursday until September. Rodney Holm, 40, a former Colorado City police officer, is charged with three counts of sexual conduct with a minor. Superior Court Judge Steven Conn postponed his trial until Sept. 5. Holm's codefendant, Dale Evans Barlow, 49, pleaded no contest in April to conspiracy to commit sexual conduct with a minor. A charge of one count of sexual conduct with a minor was dismissed. After numerous delays, Barlow will be sentenced Aug. 17. Per the plea agreement, Conn will sentence Barlow to supervised probation for up to three years and a possible sentence of up to one year in county jail. The judge must also decide if Barlow must register as a sex offender. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Polygamy Prosecutors See Unfinished Job | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Amanda Lee Myers The Associated Press USA Today Originally published Friday, August 17, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| PHOENIX (AP) -- As the criminal trials against eight members of a polygamous sect slowly come to an end, the Arizona authorities who brought them to court predict that other practitioners will continue to skirt the law. "We still have people that we believe are being abused that refuse to testify, so as long as that's happening, we haven't finished the job," Attorney General Terry Goddard said. "You know a tradition of 100 years doesn't get turned around in one or two." The eight men were accused of entering polygamous unions with young girls and then fathering their children. Authorities had hoped their indictments would serve as a warning to other male members of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. But two years later, three of the men received jail sentences ranging from one day to nine months. One was found not guilty and charges were dropped against two others. Another, Dale Barlow, is scheduled to be sentenced Friday for his no contest plea to conspiracy to commit sexual conduct with a minor. Under his plea agreement, a charge of sexual conduct with a minor was dismissed. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| A look at what's happened to the Colorado City Eight | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
The Associated Press KVOA News 4 - Tucson Originally published August 17, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Terry Barlow: Charges were dropped because the alleged victim and defendant lived outside of Mohave County.
Randolph Barlow: Charges were dismissed after the alleged victim refused to testify. Donald Barlow: Was found not guilty. David Bateman: Sentenced to nine months in prison on Dec. 18. Kelly Fischer: Was sentenced to 45 days in jail. Vergel Bryce Jessop: Accepted a plea deal and was sentenced to one day in jail. Dale Barlow: To be sentenced Friday. Rodney Holm: Trial set for next month. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Man Sentenced to 45 Days in Colorado City Polygamy Case | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
The Associated Press KTAR News 92.3 - Phoenix Originally broadcast August 17, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| KINGMAN, Ariz. - A member of a polygamist sect who was convicted of conspiring to commit sexual conduct with a minor was sentenced Friday to 45 days in jail, prosecutors said. Dale Barlow, who had pleaded no-contest to the felony charge, also was ordered to register as a sex offender for the three years of his supervised probation. He is ineligible for work release. As part of his plea deal, a charge of sexual conduct with a minor was dismissed. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Polygamist must register as a sex offender for 3 years | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Ben Winslow Deseret Morning News Originally published August 18, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| A Colorado City polygamist has been ordered to register as a sex offender for three years after he was sentenced for having sex with a teenage girl. Dale Barlow, 48, was sentenced Friday in Mohave County (Arizona) Superior Court. He was convicted of conspiracy to commit sexual conduct with a minor, a class-6 felony. Barlow was given three years on probation and ordered to serve 45 days in the Mohave County Jail. Barlow is one of eight members of the Fundamentalist LDS Church charged with sex crimes in Mohave County, Ariz. Three were convicted, one was acquitted and the charges were dropped against two. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Barlow Sentenced | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
e-Press Tri-State News Network Originally published Monday, August 20, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| KINGMAN, AZ - A judge in Kingman has denied a request for freedom from a northern Arizona polygamist who pled guilty to a sex offense involving the youngest of the three women his church recognizes as his wives. At his sentencing Friday, Dale Barlow, 48, Colorado City, also complained about being prosecuted for conduct endorsed by the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (FLDS). "I regret that the state has come in on my religion and caused us the grief," said Barlow, son of Dan Barlow, the former longtime mayor of Colorado City. "I won’t change my religion because somebody didn’t understand." Mohave County Attorney Matt Smith countered, "This case isn’t about polygamy, it’s about the fact that the defendant engaged in sexual relations with someone under the age of 18." Superior Court Judge Steve Conn imposed a 45 day jail sentence and said Barlow has until October 22 to report to jail in Kingman. Conn ordered Barlow to register as a sex offender until he completes three years probation. He must also pay restitution of some $3,800 in court costs. Barlow pled guilty to conspiracy to commit sexual conduct with a minor. The alleged co-conpsirator is Warren Jeffs, the FLDS prophet who faces several charges in Mohave County for allegedly arranging marriages in which underage women were violated. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Barlow sentence: 45 days | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| FLDS member says jail time, probation won’t change his beliefs | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Aaron Royster Kingman Daily Miner Originally published August 20, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In an effort to stay consistent, Mohave County Judge Steven F. Conn sentenced an admitted devout follower of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints to 45 days in jail. Dale Evans Barlow, 49, of Colorado City also was given three years probation after he pleaded no contest to conspiracy to commit sexual conduct with a minor. He received one day of credit on his sentence. Barlow must report to the Mohave County Jail to begin serving his sentence by 6 p.m. on Oct. 22. Conn said he chose the Mohave County Jail over a detention facility in Colorado City because he doubted the city's law enforcement would carry out the intent of his order. Barlow has to register as a sex offender until he successfully completes his probation. At that time, the undesignated offense would be considered a Class 1 misdemeanor. "I will go forward with my life," Barlow said before sentencing. "I won't change my religion because somebody didn't understand." Barlow said that he had no ill will against Mohave County Attorney Matt Smith or Mohave County Sheriff Tom Sheahan. He added he felt the state had caused grief to his family. "My family loves me and wants me home, where I want to be," Barlow said. Through the polygamist-supporting religious sect, also known as the FLDS, Barlow married three women. He conceived a child with his last wife, the victim in this case, when she was 16. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Child rape wrapped in religion | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Opinion The Arizona Republic Originally published August 22, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Child rape can take on a Twilight Zone quality when the rapists identify their victims as "wives." Needed clarity comes from Mohave County Attorney Matt Smith, who gets credit for taking on the thankless job of prosecuting accused child rapists. "This case isn't about polygamy," Smith said. "It is about the defendant having sexual conduct with a minor." Smith said this as one of eight cult members who were accused of polygamous sexual unions with young girls was handed a 45-day sentence. The unrepentant 49-year-old cult member fathered a child by a 16-year-old girl. Dale Evans Barlow called her his third "wife," which insults marriage. The lawyer for the eight cult members said they were being religiously persecuted, which insults religion. These people were members of a cult run by Warren Jeffs, who is awaiting trial on two felony counts of rape as an accomplice. In Jeffs' cult, young girls are routinely forced to become the multiple "wives" of much older cult favorites. Young boys are routinely run out of town to decrease the excess male population that builds up in polygamous communities. Prosecutors, including Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard, deserve gratitude for standing up for victims. Sadly, the prosecutions did little to bring the law crashing down on the polygamists. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Case vs. polygamist dropped | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Jim Seckler Mohave Daily News Originally published August 27, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| KINGMAN - The case against the last of eight polygamists who belong to the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Colorado City ended Monday. Rodney Holm, 41, a former Colorado City police officer, had been charged with three counts of sexual conduct with a minor. His trial was set to begin Sept. 5. Mohave County Attorney Matt Smith dropped the charges without prejudice providing that Holm completes 40 hours of community service and does not commit a similar offense for one year. Smith also said the alleged victim and her brother engaged in a blackmail attempt to get money from one of the leaders of the church. The victim reportedly wrote a letter saying she would not testify against some defendants if leaders of the church gave money to her brother and another man. Seven other members of the Colorado City polygamist sect had faced charges including Dale Evans Barlow, 49, who pleaded no contest in April to conspiracy to commit sexual conduct with a minor. A charge of one count of sexual conduct with a minor was dismissed. He was sentenced earlier this month to three years on supervised probation and 45 days in county jail. He must also register as a sex offender. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Should People Be Free To Be Enslaved?: Polygamy, Prostitution, and the "Consenting Adults" Argument | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Sherry F. Colb FindLaw Originally published Wednesday, September 19, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Recently, Warren S. Jeffs was charged with two felony counts of rape, as an accomplice. Prosecutors allege that Jeff forced a 14-year-old girl to marry her older cousin, who subsequently forced the girl to have intercourse with him.
As the spiritual leader or "prophet" of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints ("FLDS"), Jeffs has allegedly been involved in facilitating many more marriages involving underage women, including plural marriages, than the charges against him reflect. As FindLaw columnist Marci Hamilton suggested in her persuasive essay on the subject, Jeffs's arrest could signal a new willingness on the part of our public institutions to prioritize children's rights over absolute religious prerogative. It could also, I would suggest, highlight a dark side to polygamy - one that belies the claims of those who defend it as a "private" matter between consenting adults. At the same time, as Bob Herbert suggested in a heartbreaking and compelling New York Times column, the practice of prostitution, in Nevada and elsewhere poses a threat to the safety, wellbeing, and freedom of women and young girls who find themselves caught within its web. Such stories likewise call into question the suggestion by prostitution's defenders that the oldest profession ought to be treated as a private affair between consenting adults, inappropriate for criminal sanction. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Husband in US Mormon case regretful | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Alexandria Sage Reuters TVNZ - New Zealand Originally published September 20, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| A fundamentalist Mormon who married his 14-year-old cousin cried and said he felt "really bad" about the end of their relationship at the centre of a trial highlighting a breakaway sect that practices polygamy. Allen Steed testified days after the cousin told the court she wanted to die after being forced into sex in the arranged marriage. The woman said she begged her husband not to touch her as he undressed her one night soon after their wedding. "I felt really, really bad," Steed said while dabbing at his eyes. "I would do anything to win her back. I tried everything I knew." Warren Jeffs, 51, leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, is charged with two counts of being an accomplice to rape after he presided over the wedding of Steed and the teenager. When talking about the end of the couple's marriage, which he considered legal, Steed began to cry and dabbing at his eyes with a tissue. He testified in St George, Utah, 192 kms north-east of Las Vegas, that when he was married at age 19, he, like his bride, knew nothing about sexual relations. Sexual intimacy, according to the breakaway church's doctrine, is only for procreation. Men and women also have no interaction before marriage and often a couple is wed without knowing the spouse. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| US polygamist leader found guilty | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The leader of a US polygamist sect has been convicted of being an accomplice to rape for arranging the marriage of a 14-year-old girl to her older cousin | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
BBC News Originally published Tuesday, 25 September 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The leader of a US polygamist sect has been convicted of being an accomplice to rape for arranging the marriage of a 14-year-old girl to her older cousin. A court in Utah found Warren Jeffs, a self-proclaimed prophet, guilty of two counts of encouraging the young girl to have sex against her will. The head of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (FLDS) could face life in prison. The sect split from the Mormon Church after the latter renounced polygamy. Mr Jeffs has been in custody since August 2006, when he was arrested in Nevada after nearly two years on the run. At the time, he was on the FBI's Ten Most Wanted list. He went into hiding after being charged in Arizona with being an accomplice to incest and sexual misconduct for allegedly arranging marriages between minors and older men. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Former FLDS Member Talks About Jeffs Verdict | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Melanie Brooks KTNV ABC 13 - Las Vegas Originally broadcast September 25, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
A former member of the FLDS says she left when she saw her sisters being married off. She now runs an organization to help other women leaving the religious sect. Action News traveled to Mesquite where she spoke with us first hand. Brenda Jensen was barely old enough to drive when she was nearly forced into marrying a 60 year old man. She would have been his 14th wife. Brenda tells Action News, in the world of FLDS women have no value. Brenda followed the Warren Jeffs trial closely, reading article after article and even going to the courthouse in Utah. She says what Jeffs did was disgusting. As a way of healing, Brenda and two former FLDS members formed the "Hope Organization" to help young women and men who are fleeing the religious sect. She wants Jeffs to see long-term prison time. The "Hope Organization" has helped hundreds of young people in the past four years as they make what they call a painful decision to leave FLDS. Keep it tuned to Channel 13 Action News for the latest on this story.
Webmaster's note: Two of the Directors of The HOPE Organization were former members of "The Work" (later called the FLDS). The third Director of HOPE was never involved in polygamy. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Guilty: sect leader and rape of 14-year-old bride | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
The Sidney Morning Herald - Sidney, Australia Originally published September 26, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The leader of a polygamist sect in Utah could face life in prison after being found guilty of rape charges stemming from the marriage of a 14-year-old girl against her will to a cousin. Warren Jeffs, 51, the leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, which split from the Mormon Church because of differences over polygamy, was convicted on two charges of acting as an accomplice to rape. Jeffs, a self-proclaimed prophet whose followers believe he is descended from Jesus Christ, was arrested in August last year outside Las Vegas, after being included on the FBI's Ten Most Wanted list. Prosecutors at his trial in St George, Utah, 480 kilometres south of Salt Lake City, said Jeffs was guilty because he had ordered the girl to get married and have sex with her 19-year-old cousin, despite her objections. "Mr Jeffs told a 14-year-old girl, who had told him she thought she was too young to get married, that it was her obligation," prosecutor Brock Belnap told jurors in opening statements. Defence lawyers said Jeffs did nothing other than offer routine advice to his accuser, who is now 21. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ex-husband of victim in Warren Jeffs trial is charged with rape | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Emanuella Grinberg Court TV Originally published September 26, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE, Utah (Court TV) — A day after polygamous sect leader Warren Jeffs was convicted of rape as an accomplice for forcing a 14-year-old girl to marry her older cousin and have sex with him, the woman's ex-husband has been charged with rape. Allen Steed, 26, was charged with one count of rape in Washington County, Utah, for having sex with Elissa Wall after their arranged wedding in 2001. Wall testified last week during Jeffs' trial that Steed forced himself on her in the weeks following their April 23, 2001, wedding, although she had begged him to wait. Wall told the jury that she dreaded the wedding and begged both Warren Jeffs and his father, Rulon, who was the group's leader at the time, to intercede, but Warren Jeffs insisted that she go through with it. Later, after she reported the rape to Warren Jeffs, she testified, he told her to return to her husband and give herself "mind, body and soul" to him. "He told me that I needed to go home and repent," Wall told the jury. "He said I was not living up to my vows, I was not being submissive to my priesthood head, and that was what my problem was." Jeffs, 51, who is considered the prophet of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (FLDS), faces 10 years to life in prison on two counts of rape as an accomplice when he is sentenced Nov. 20. The FLDS, which broke from the Mormon church in the 1890s over polygamy, believes that plural marriage is a path to eternal salvation. Steed, a truck driver who has not remarried since Wall left the FLDS community in 2004 with another man, testified for the defense that he never raped his wife. He claimed that his wife initiated their first sexual encounter, and that the use of force is forbidden in the FLDS. The rape charge carries a sentence of five years to life. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| FLDS member who testified in Jeffs case to face rape charge | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Reported by Anne Yeager KNXV-TV ABC 15 - Phoenix Originally broadcast September 27, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| One day after Warren Jeffs learned he was heading to prison for rape-as-an-accomplice, the man who proescutors say raped his 14-year-old bride is now being charged. "It’s about time. Why wasn’t he facing charges before?" asked television pundits right after the decision was made. Allen Steed, 26, says sex was consensual between he and his then-wife when they first married. But his now ex-wife, Elissa Wall, says she was forced into it and Jeffs pushed it to happen. Now Steed will have his day in court. Perhaps not on the stand, but facing a rape charge. If you ask local legal experts, prosecutors have a good case. "All members of that jury thought that a rape happened," one prosecutor said. "They believed her. They didn’t believe him." When Steed took the stand to defend Warren Jeffs, prosecutors clearly asked him if he understand his testimony can be used against him. His response was yes. Perhaps he never knew that just days after that testimony, he too will be charged, an arrest warrant signed, and bond put at $50,000. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Warrant issued: Police seek man for skipping out on pre-trials | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Ryan Dionne The Spectrum Originally published October 17, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| CEDAR CITY - He didn't show up for his first pre-trial conference, nor his second. And on his third chance to show - just two days before his scheduled trial - Wayland Wyler skipped, again. Judge John Walton gave Wyler a third opportunity to show up in court because Wyler's attorney, Kenneth Combs, told the judge Wyler's truck broke down and he couldn't travel to court - though Combs didn't know where Wyler was travelling from. Because the suspect didn't appear Tuesday morning, Walton issued a $50,000 warrant for Wyler's arrest. Iron/Garfield Counties Narcotics Task Force detective Mike Crouch, who was lead investigator and arrested Wyler in Spring 2006, said Tuesday's warrant simply adds to Wyler's two warrants from Washington County. "I'm gonna make every effort to get him back into custody," Crouch said. Wyler, 40, was accused of sodomizing an 11-year-old girl with whom he had a special relationship on March 12, 2006, according to a court document. The alleged activity had been happening for about three years, according to the document. Wyler, who was charged with first-degree sodomy on a child and first-degree aggravated sexual abuse of a child, was scheduled for a two-day jury trial to start Thursday, but Walton decided, Monday, to reschedule the trial. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wyler arrested at St. George hospital | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Tiffany De Masters The Spectrum Originally published October 17, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE — Wayland Wyler was arrested at 1:53 p.m. today at Dixie Regional Medical Center's 400 East campus on charges of multiple warrants. Sgt. James Van Fleet, spokesman for the St. George Police Department, said the Washington County Sheriff’s Office came in contact with Wyler Monday night where they found he had a medical issue — because of that he couldn't be taken into custody. Deputies contacted St. George Police Department telling officers Wyler was to be discharged today. "He's (Wyler) being transfered to the jail as we speak," Van Fleet said. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wayland joins Warren in Purgatory | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Bookings Washington County Sheriff's Office washeriff.state.ut.us Originally published October 17, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
WYLER, WAYLAND WIGHTMAN Birth Date: 01/07/67 Address : 3475 E HIDDEN SPRGS DR, Washington, UT
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wyler arrested at DRMC | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Tiffany De Masters The Spectrum Originally published October 18, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE - Wayland Wyler, 40, was arrested at 1:53 p.m. Wednesday at Dixie Regional Medical Center on charges of multiple warrants, according to the St. George Police Department. Chief Deputy Rob Tersigni, with the Washington County Sheriff's Office, said deputies received an anonymous tip early Wednesday morning informing them Wyler was checked into the hospital. "We received information he was in the hospital and we didn't do anything but pass along the information to St. George Police Department," Tersigni said. The Washington City Police Department first came into contact with Wyler at about 3:30 a.m. Tuesday when they responded to a carbon monoxide poisoning call. Sgt. Chris Ray, with the Washington City Police Department, said the officer's report indicated the officers on scene were not aware Wyler had warrants out for his arrest. Ray said there were indications Wyler was in the garage working on his vehicle. "We're suspecting that he (Wyler) was suffering from carbon monoxide poisoning," he said. Mike Crouch, with the Iron/Garfield Counties Narcotics Task Force, arrested Wyler in Spring 2006 on charges of first-degree sodomy on a child and first-degree aggravated sexual abuse of a child. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Polygamy leader says was "immoral" with sister | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Reuters Originally published October 31, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - U.S. polygamist sect leader Warren Jeffs, convicted of being an accomplice to rape, renounced his role as prophet while awaiting trial because he had been "immoral" with a sister and a daughter 30 years ago, according to a court document. The newly released document showed that Jeffs, 51, made the statements in several conversations from his Utah jail with family and members of the breakaway Mormon sect earlier this year. Jeffs, revered by followers as the leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, or FLDS, will be sentenced on November 20. He was convicted in August in Utah on two counts of being an accomplice to rape by forcing a 14-year-old sect member to marry her first cousin. The trial riveted Utah, the Western state with a majority Mormon population, many who consider polygamy to be a thorn in the side of their faith. The FLDS, whose estimated 7,500 members live in an enclave along the Utah-Arizona border, is not part of the mainstream Mormon church, which has long renounced polygamy. While in jail awaiting trial, Jeffs made a series of phone calls recorded by authorities in which he said he "had been immoral with a sister and a daughter" when he was 20 years old, a court document released on Tuesday showed. Jeffs did not elaborate on the nature of the conduct. "He renounced his role as prophet, explaining that the Lord revealed to him that he was a wicked man and has not held the priesthood since he was 20 years old," the document said. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| An 'Escape' from polygamy | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Sherryl Connelly New York Daily News Originally published Sunday, November 4th 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
ESCAPE. By Carolyn Jessop with Laura Palmer Broadway Books, $24.95
There is some irony in that Carolyn Jessop, who had just escaped an abusive polygamist marriage with her eight children, was able to bring in needed extra dollars sewing long underwear for HBO's "Big Love," then shooting in Salt Lake City. But there is no other humor in this 39-year-old woman's account of effectively being held prisoner in what is the most controversial of the fundamentalist polygamist sects. Its leader, Warren Jeffs, was recently convicted on two counts of rape as an accomplice, having made the FBI's 10 Most Wanted List when he went underground to avoid arrest. Carolyn was 18 when her father announced she was to marry 50-year-old Merril Jessop, who wielded influence in the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-day Saints (FLDS). The sect, then located in a remote area of Colorado, was about to grow increasingly extreme as the prophet ailed and his son, Warren, assumed power. She later learned that Merril meant to ask for one of her more beautiful sisters, but confused the girls' names. While another sister ran away in similar circumstances, Carolyn was still a believer - although a very unhappy one, and soon to become more so. The house was ruled by Merril's favorite wife, Barbara, who would exert control over the three wives by beating their children senseless. One of the women retreated to her bedroom, coming out only at night, while the other was clearly mentally unstable, her condition untreated. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jeffs, troubled in jail, said soul was 'damned' | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
The Associated Press Mohave Daily News Originally published Tuesday, November 6, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SALT LAKE CITY (AP) - A polygamous sect leader repeatedly told his allies from jail that he was not their prophet and instead was "one of the most wicked men on the face of the Earth," according to transcripts released by a judge Tuesday. Fifth District Judge James Shumate released several court filings that had been sealed before Warren Jeffs' trial. He was convicted in September of two counts of rape as an accomplice in the 2001 arranged marriage of a 14-year-old follower and her 19-year-old cousin. The filings range from reports on Jeffs' mental health to pretrial disputes about evidence. Some information, including the competency reports, had been previously released in edited forms, although much of it had been sealed by the judge because of fears that it could hurt Jeffs' chances for a fair trial. Perhaps most significant among the documents are the selected Washington County jail transcripts of phone calls and visits between Jeffs and members of his Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in January and June. At times, Jeffs tells his followers that he is speaking to them after getting direct guidance from God. "I'm just a damn soul, damned soul," he said. "I was immoral with a sister and a daughter when I was younger, so the Lord showed me I'm one of the most wicked men on the face of the Earth since father Adam's time," Jeffs said on Jan. 24. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The Vent | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
The Spectrum Originally published November 10, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Now that Warren Jeffs has admitted to having immoral relations with a daughter and sister, the new favorite hymn of the FLDS Church should be "We Thank Thee, Oh God, for a Pervert." | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| New Filing Asks Judge to Set Aside Guilty Verdict | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
The Associated Press KSL TV Channel 5 Originally published November 13, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- Attorneys for the polygamous sect leader found guilty of an accomplice rape are asking a 5th District judge to set aside the verdict. Attorney Wally Bugden says the evidence in the trial of Warren Jeffs was insufficient and circumstantial. Bugden says performing a marriage ceremony and counseling a couple to stay married shouldn't constitute rape. In September, a jury convicted Jeffs of two counts of first-degree felony rape for his role in the 2001 marriage of a 14-year-old follower to her older cousin. The key witness, now 21, says Jeffs forced her to marry and have sex against her will. Bugden says the witnesses testimony doesn't support the verdict. He says she told jurors that others influenced the marriage and never told anyone she was being raped. Jeffs is head of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, a polygamy practicing sect that makes its home on the Utah-Arizona border. Sentencing is set for Nov. 20. He faces two life sentences. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Polygamy leader Jeffs sentenced to prison | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Tim Gaynor Reuters Yahoo! News Originally published November 20, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE, Utah (Reuters) - U.S. polygamist leader Warren Jeffs, the self-proclaimed "prophet" of a sect of breakaway Mormons, was sentenced on Tuesday to 10 years to life in prison for having forced a 14-year-old girl to marry her first cousin. The leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, or FLDS, received five years to life for each of two felony convictions on charges he was an accomplice to rape. The sentences will be served consecutively and a state board of pardons will ultimately determine how much time he spends in prison. Jeffs spent 15 months on the run and was on the FBI's Most Wanted list before his arrest in August 2006. He was convicted in September. Looking gaunt, Jeffs showed no emotion when the sentence was read and he declined to address the Utah court. But his victim, who is now 21, was in court and directly spoke to the judge before sentencing. "Jeffs and his influence over me, as a 14-year-old girl, affected me and my family in so many ways," said Elissa Wall. She said she trusted the court would give him "the sentence that he deserves and that some good would come from this." Jeffs forced her to marry her 19-year-old cousin despite her objections. Revered as infallible by his followers and reviled as power-crazed and delusional by others, Jeffs, 51, led some 7,500 FLDS members in the red-rock borderlands of Utah and neighboring Arizona. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Polygamist leader sentenced for his role in child rape case | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Warren Jeffs receives two consecutive terms of five years to life for forcing a 14-year-old girl to marry her cousin. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Nicholas Riccardi Los Angeles Times Originally published November 21, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE, UTAH -- - The leader of a polygamous cult was sentenced to two consecutive terms of five years to life in prison Tuesday for being an accomplice to the rape of a 14-year-old girl he forced to marry her 19-year-old cousin. A gaunt Warren Jeffs, 51, sat silently as Judge James L. Shumate handed down the sentence. Prosecutors had urged the judge to make an example of Jeffs, who is seen as a prophet by about 10,000 members of the Fundamentalist Church of Latter Day Saints, a Mormon splinter group that has been disavowed by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. "There needs to be a message sent . . . that you cannot hide behind your position as a religious leader," prosecutor Ryan Shaum said. Utah's sentencing laws make it difficult to determine how much time Jeffs will spend in prison. Judges hand down a range of time that convicts may serve rather than specific sentences. The state parole board decides when inmates are released. Shumate gave Jeffs the maximum sentence, deciding that he would serve back-to-back sentences of five years to life for the two counts of serving as an accomplice to rape. The parole board will evaluate Jeffs' case in three years but it is "highly unlikely" it would order a release before the minimum sentence is served, said Kent Jones, a senior hearing officer. In court, Shumate noted that Jeffs knew that it was illegal in Utah for 14-year-olds to marry. The wedding was performed in Nevada. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 'My husband had five other wives and sex with him was gross' | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| When Carolyn married Merril Jessop she moved into his home with all his other wives and children. She bore him eight children in 15 years. Then, she tells Ciara Dwyer, she finally made her daring escape | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
BT Woman Belfast Telegraph - Belfast, Northern Ireland Originally published Wednesday, February 6, 2008 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| When Carolyn Blackmore was 18, her mother woke her at 2am to tell her that her father wanted to speak to her. He told her that the head of their church had received a message from God that she was to marry a man called Merril Jessop. Carolyn knew of this man as a respected and powerful member of the community, but had never laid eyes on him before. He was 50 - 10 years older than her father - and Carolyn was to be his fourth wife. The sudden nature of this arrangement was a shock, but one she had to accept. This was their way; marriages literally were made in heaven in this religious community, or so it seemed, at first. Carolyn had been born into the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints (FLDS) which was an extremist group splintered from, and renounced by, the Mormon Church. They all lived in an enclosed community 350 miles outside Salt Lake City. It was the largest polygamist cult in America. They practised polygamy as part of their celestial marriage principle, under which a man must have multiple wives if he expects to do well in heaven; then he can eventually become a god and wind up with his own planet. Also, the more wives he has on Earth, the higher his status in the community. When a woman marries, she becomes the property of her husband and must obey him and become one with him in every way. (For example, it was wrong for Carolyn to like something that her husband didn't.) If a wife works outside the home, she must hand over all her earnings to her husband. The FLDS is an extremist religious cult - nothing to do with the regular Mormon religion - and it is still in existence. It has many bizarre rules. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Polygamist Leader Warren Jeffs Pleads Not Guilty in Arizona | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Staff Report KWES NewsWest 9 - Midland, Texas Originally broadcast February 27, 2008 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ARIZONA - He says he didn't do it. Polygamist Leader Warren Jeffs plead not guilty in an Arizona courtroom on Wednesday. He's facing sex charges stemming from the arranged marriages of 3 teenage girls to older men. Jeffs has already been sentenced to five years to life in Utah for similar charges. Prosecutors say it will be six to 8 months before he goes to trial. Jeffs has a compound near the west texas town of ElDorado. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| New Jeffs book provides insight into women in fundamentalist group | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
The Spectrum Originally published March 11, 2008 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE — A new book, "Inside the World of Warren Jeffs," by local author Dr. Carole A. Western, takes the reader inside Short Creek, two nearby communities in Hildale, Utah, and Colorado City, Ariz., where the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints leader, Warren Jeffs ruled until his arrest and conviction in the fall of 2007 as an accomplice in the rape of a 14-year-old girl. Western will discuss her new book and take questions at The Book Cellar, in downtown St George, Saturday at 3 p.m. Western details the experiences of several young women in Short Creek and lets them tell in their own words how they were coerced into virtual servitude and forced into unwanted pregnancies by the men they were ordered to marry. In addition, Western explains the power of the "First Wife," family sleeping arrangements and how polygamists manage to receive support from the U.S. government under its welfare programs as well as Medicaid. Western also covers how teenage boys in polygamy sects are forced out of the colony, so as not to create competition for older men. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wyler pre-trial postponed | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Tiffany DeMasters The Spectrum Originally published March 20, 2008 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE - Wayland Wyler's new defense attorney asked the judge Wednesday afternoon for more time to review the case before rescheduling a pre-trial. Defense attorney Alan Boyack is now representing 41-year-old Wyler in a case where he has been charged with two counts of sodomy of a child, both first-degree felonies. "I've only recently came on board and there is a fair amount of investigation that needs to be done in a community that is sometimes difficult to obtain information," Boyack said. He added he hasn't had the opportunity to review the transcript of the preliminary hearing and his private investigator hasn't had the opportunity to interview witnesses. Senior Deputy Washington County Attorney Ryan Shaum said they anticipated the continuance. "We just hope whatever investigation he (Boyack) needs gets done so we can get the trial reset so the alleged victim and family can move on with their lives," Shaum said. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Girls 'Conditioned' to Accept Sex From Adult Men | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Investigators: Disturbing Pattern of Child and Sexual Abuse as the Norm on Polygamous Texas Compound | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By MIKE VON FREMD, STEVE PETYERAK and OLIVIA STERNS ABC News Originally published April 9, 2008 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The 16-year-old girl -- pregnant for a second time and possibly suffering from three broken ribs -- who alerted Texas authorities to raid a polygamist compound wanted to escape and save her younger sister from the same fate, court documents have revealed. The girl, whispering into a cell phone late at night so she would not be overheard, was apparently terrified to be caught. But by the end of her final phone call to a family violence shelter, she broke down crying and tried to get counselors to forget what she had said. "She began crying and then stated that she is happy and fine and does not want to get into trouble and that everything she had previously said should be forgotten," court documents stated. It is a picture of a young cult member afraid of being caught talking to the outside world and also afraid of the outside world. Police are still trying to determine whether she is one of the 416 children taken from the Yearning for Zion Ranch this weekend. In a series of hushed calls from a cell phone that wasn't hers, the girl told family violence counselors how she had been forced into a "spiritual marriage" with a 50-year-old man who had six other wives and would force himself on her sexually. She said the man "would beat and hurt her whenever he got angry." When he would choke her or hit her in the chest, "another woman in the home held her infant child," the court documents stated. Carolyn Jessup, a former wife of the leader of the group, who escaped with her eight children years ago, explained that this kind of abuse was the norm on the same compound where she used to live. "If he's abusing one of their sister-wives, they view that as, well, she's really wicked or evil, he needs to do that or she'll corrupt our family. They're very supportive of it," Jessup said. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Search: Were beds in temple used for teen sex? | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Brian West Deseret Morning News Originally published Thursday, April 10, 2008 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SAN ANGELO, Texas — A Texas Ranger serving a search warrant at a polygamist ranch says there are beds inside the FLDS Church's only temple. And those beds, according to newly relased documents that support the reasons for a police raid on the compound owned by the sect, are in a part of the temple where "males over the age of 17 engage in sexual activity" with underage girls. New portions of a second search warrant, which was issued Sunday, were unsealed Wednesday and provided the first glimpse of some of what law enforcement officers have encountered since raiding the church's 1,700-acre ranch. Inside the large limestone temple, ranger Leslie Brooks Long said she observed several locked safes, locked desk drawers, locked vaults, multiple computers and beds. "On one of the beds within the temple, (I) observed that the bed linens were disturbed as if the bed had been used," she wrote. The officer said she also noticed a strand of hair believed to come from the head of a female, the court document states. An unidentified former FLDS Church member, who has been advising Schleicher County Sheriff David Doran over the past several years, told the sheriff about the beds. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Never Too Young to Marry, Sect Girls Say | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Texas Official Testifies Girls Said Teen Marriages and Pregnancies Were Desirable | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By SCOTT MICHELS ABC News Law & Justice Unit ABC News Originally published April 18, 2008 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SAN ANGELO, Texas, April 18, 2008 — A child protection supervisor testified Thursday that girls at a West Texas polygamous ranch believed that teen marriages were OK and that girls from the compound had gotten pregnant when they were as young as 13. The girls believed there was "no age too young to be married and they wanted to have as many babies as they could," said Angie Voss, a supervisor of investigations at the Texas Department of Child Protective Services. Voss testified during a massive hearing in one of the largest child protection cases in U.S. history, an ad hoc, unwieldy process that will eventually determine the fate of 416 children taken from the Yearning for Zion Ranch. The hearing will resume today. Thurdays' hearing, filled to capacity with more than 350 lawyers for the state, the children and their parents, dragged on into the night after a sputtering start. At times, it seemed the process threatened to fall into chaos as lawyers jumped from their seats to object and Judge Barbara Walther struggled to maintain order. "It's a real monumental task -- the judge is essentially flying by the seat of her pants," said Eric Robertson, who represents a 2-year-old currently being housed in the San Angelo Coliseum. Voss said it would not be safe to send the children -- including the boys -- back to the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints compound because the culture there encourages marrying underage girls to older men in "spiritual marriages." "I believe the boys are groomed to be perpetrators," she said. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Polygamists Avoiding Inbreeding Problems? | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Shallow Gene Pool Not Yet Translated Into Defects; Some Experts Say Effects Still Possible | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By DAN CHILDS ABC News Medical Unit Originally published April 22, 2008 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| To geneticists, the polygamous Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (FLDS) community, based in West Texas, might look a bit like an eddy in the river of gene flow. Within this sect, for generations, a small number of families have married and remarried, their genes becoming subtly more similar with each passing decade. Now, state officials have begun gathering DNA samples from the more than 400 children taken into state custody, primarily to help tease out the complex family trees within the group and determine whether sexual abuse has taken place. But through these tests, officials may also get a glimpse of exactly how genetically similar the individuals that make up the group have become - and why the members of this sect appear to have largely sidestepped the archetypical deformities that come part and parcel with close inbreeding. Martha Bradley is a sociologist at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City and author of the book "Kidnapped From That Land," which documents the government's 1953 raid on a polygamous fundamentalist community in Short Creek, Ariz. She is also an expert on the FLDS, having studied the group in the early 1990s, and she believes it is likely that some degree of inbreeding has already occurred within the sect. "I wouldn't be surprised if there were [inbreeding]," Bradley says. "It's such a small pool of members, and it has been since the '20s." Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Fumarase Deficiency and the FLDS - A Tragic Secret | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Kevin Duignan Associated Content - Denver, CO Originally published April 25, 2008 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Two weeks have passed since the raid on the polygamist compound in Texas, giving the nation a look at some of the beliefs and practices of the secular FLDS church. Allegations of physical and sexual abuse, forced marriages of girls as young as 13 and plural marriage are being reported on news broadcasts around the world. Church members have allowed a few members of the media limited access into their compound to speak out against both the manner in which the raid was handled and the way they and their children have been treated. This has also provided us with rare glimpse into the environment beyond the normally locked gates that have served as a barrier between two very different worlds. Video depicting soft spoken women dressed in handmade, full length dresses, all with similarly styled braided hair. Combined with the finely built, log buildings and the isolation of the surrounding area, one gets a feeling of stepping back in time, back to when life wasn't so complicated. The FLDS has always been a secretive society, but perhaps their most guarded secret is an extremely rare and crippling disease affecting an increasing number of children back in Hildale and Colorado City, which is where the Texas members originated. Fumarase Deficiency is an enzyme irregularity that interferes with the cells ability to transform food into energy. It causes a wide variety of devastating symptoms such as severe mental retardation, epileptic type seizures, physical deformities and can leave the patient unable to care for themselves. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dear God, Why not me? | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By RICK CASEY Commentary Houston Chronicle Originally published Tuesday, April 29, 2008 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| God told Warren Jeffs that he and his favored men in the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints should "marry" at least three and preferably many more underage virgins. Should I feel discriminated against? That's a pretty good deal — better than getting 72 virgins after you die by martyrdom. A bird in the hand, and all that. I put the "marry" in quotes not because it refers to "spiritual" as opposed to legal marriages. I put the word in quotes because what God also told Jeffs about marriage is different from what God told Matthew, as translated by King James: "Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder." God told Jeffs that he had the power to put marriages asunder by taking one man's women and giving them to another man. A 2006 article in The Independent of London quoted former FLDS member Ross Chatwin as saying Jeffs once transferred a number of wives to a man because he "laid the carpet down in his house. It was a pretty extensive job." Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Where 'the handsome ones go to the leaders' | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By ROBERT MATAS Globe and Mail - Toronto, ON Canada Originally published Saturday, May 3, 2008 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ELDORADO, TEX. — The Yearning For Zion ranch a few miles west of nowhere was built to keep the secrets of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints hidden from prying eyes. But the church's days of splendid isolation and impenetrable secrecy – only the top fringe of the temple's white limestone walls visible from a distant rural road at the edge of the 1,700-acre spread – are rapidly ending. The Texas Rangers raid of the secluded ranch in early April led to sensational allegations of grooming underage girls for marriage and sexual abuse. And the discovery of a 17-year-old girl at the ranch from an FLDS community in British Columbia could expose a part of the church's life that governments on both sides of the border have long ignored. Her parents say she had been visiting her grandmother who was living at the Texas ranch. But a weeklong Globe and Mail investigation indicates the trip may have been a ride on a little-known underground railway that takes young girls across the Canada-U.S. border – in both directions – for one purpose: to be assigned as a so-called celestial bride to FLDS men. Flora Jessop, a former FLDS member who fled at age 16 after she was forced to marry a cousin, said the practice of "trading" young women across the border was akin to international trafficking of young women for sexual purposes. "It happens all the time," she said in an interview. "They are not concerned about citizenship... They just walk across on a dirt road," she said, adding that no one ever tries to stop the border crossings. Brenda Jensen, who was born into a polygamist FLDS family in B.C., said the insular communities require new blood "so they will not be so badly inbred." The FLDS communities have problems from too many children marrying their close relatives, including vulnerability to a rare genetic disorder called fumarase deficiency, which causes mental retardation and possibly early death. The girls are taken across the border quietly at night and never return, Ms. Jensen said, adding, "The handsome ones go to the leaders." Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| FLDS Church A Cover For Pedophiles | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Opinions The Daily News Record - Harrisonburg, Virginia Originally published Monday, May 12, 2008 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
The Fundamentalist Latter-Day Saints have yet produced another atrocity in the name of their beliefs. Anyone who would believe that the marriages (some forced) and impregnation of underage girls is part of a religious belief is either naïve or willfully ignorant.
Those who follow such teachings are using their religion to cloak pedophilia, and should fear for the judgment of God. "And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me, it is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea" (Mark 9:42). Dale Goodwin Harrisonburg Va | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Who decides First Amendment limits - God or state? | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Opinion The Spectrum Originally published Tuesday, May 20, 2008 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| When a group's First Amendment right to worship as they choose involves the subjugation of women and children, and reportedly violates the law, how far do we go to ensure the safety of the women and children without violating the group's rights? For every American, regardless of our beliefs, the events surrounding the incident at the YFZ ranch in El Dorado, Texas, require our close attention. Texas officials have stumbled into the gray area of religious liberty, child abuse and the question of how much deference we pay to the idea of "God's law." Accounts of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints' practices indicate that women, children and property are just that - property. They are reportedly taken away and redistributed at the whims of the prophet. Growing evidence seems to indicate that the sect arranged marriages, some to girls as young as 13. We're not talking about consensual polygamous relationships here. And this is all done in the name of God. FLDS faithful will tell you that they are free to leave at anytime, which is tantamount to saying that they are free to suffer eternal damnation for defying the prophet and, by extension, God. That's some freedom. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Shocking pics of Jeffs shown in hearing | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Paul A. Anthony San Angelo Standard-Times Originally published Saturday, May 24, 2008 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The San Angelo judge accused by a higher court of abusing her discretion fought back Friday, overruling objections that cited the appellate decision during a lengthy and contentious child-custody hearing that will continue next week. 51st District Judge Barbara Walther indirectly rejected assertions by the Third Court of Appeals that she should not have allowed the state to maintain custody of more than 450 children belonging to members of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Attorneys for the state's Child Protective Services agency and an attorney for the infant in Friday's hearing did the same. "I tried to narrow the scope and keep things moving along (in April), and the complaint was I didn't let enough evidence in," Walther said of the en masse custody hearing in which she granted the state temporary custody of the children. "We're going to have a full-blown adversarial hearing. If it takes two or three days, so be it." The comments came amid testimony and evidence that raised eyebrows in the small courtroom and will continue to be when testimony resumes Tuesday morning. Most shocking was the state's release of a picture from summer 2007 showing imprisoned sect leader Warren Jeffs, now 52, deeply kissing a then-12-year-old girl, the aunt of the infant born May 12 whose custody was the subject of the hearing. Rulon Daniel Jessop, the girl's brother and the infant's father, said he sees nothing wrong with his children being in the same house with underage "sister wives" of much older men. "It seemed a little wild to me," Jessop testified, "but you see a lot more wild things driving down the streets of the city at night. I do not consider a girl kissing a man sexual abuse." Jessop identified the girl, who is listed in FLDS bishop's records as being born July 3, 1994, and is shown in pictures dated July 27, 2006, as his sister, Merrianne. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Escape | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Erin Moriarty Reports On A Daring Escape From The FLDS And The Fallout That Followed | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
48 Hours CBS News Originally broadcast May 27, 2008 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (CBS) Child advocate Laura Chapman is not afraid to take risks. Nine years ago Laura rescued two teenage girls from an FLDS branch outside Salt Lake City, and she risked kidnapping charges and even death threats to do it. "I could relate to them. I could see myself in them," says Laura, who was once herself a member of the FLDS community in Hildale, Utah. "My father had four wives, I have 31 brothers and sisters," Laura tells correspondent Erin Moriarty. She was 18 when she was forced to marry a man she barely knew. "We had never kissed. We never had any kind of intimacy at all," she says. "So I knew what that's like for a young woman. It's a severely emotionally abusive experience." Laura tried to be the dutiful wife, and before long she had five children. But inside she struggled as she watched young girls being married off to older men. "There were just things that happened over the years that my soul told me where wrong," she says. The last straw for Laura was when her own husband announced that in order to get to heaven he would need another wife. In fact, he had already chosen her: a 16-year-old girl. "He told me that he married her," Laura recalls. "Tears ran down my face and he said, 'You look like you need a hug. Can I hug you?' And I said, 'Don't you ever touch me again and get the hell out of my house.'" At 28 years old, Laura took her five children and left both her husband and the FLDS. With only a fifth grade education, she went to college, supporting her children on welfare and grants. It was in 1999, when 48 Hours first met Laura living in a suburb of Salt Lake City and working as an anti-polygamy advocate. "What I went through to leave and get an education and raise five children, one with a handicap on my own is horrific. No girl raised in the United States of America should ever have those basic rights to an education or who she marries taken from her," she says. So when Laura got a call begging her to help Sarah and Kathy, she couldn't refuse. "The girls said they had one week before their marriages would be performed. Sarah's mother was making her wedding dress," Laura remembers. Because one of the grooms was said to be in his 40s, Laura first tried to get Utah children's services to intervene. "I was like, 'If 16-year-old girls are facing an arranged marriage in polygamy, can you help them?' He said ‘Not until they've had unwanted sex with an older man,'" she remembers. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Photos appear to show sect leader kissing girl | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
CNN Originally published Wednesday, May 28, 2008 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (CNN) -- Pictures showing the leader of a polygamist sect kissing a girl who appears to be a minor have been introduced into evidence in the legal battle over the seizure of more than 400 children from the sect's Texas ranch. The pictures show Warren Jeffs, leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, with two females who appear to be under 18. In both sets of pictures, Jeffs and the females are kissing. One set of pictures is labeled "first anniversary -- January 26, 2005." The photos have been entered into evidence in Tom Green County District Court as part of a custody case involving a family whose children were among those removed last month from the FLDS' Yearning For Zion Ranch near Eldorado, Texas. About 460 individuals were removed, although up to 20 were found to be adults. State officials have maintained that they found a "pervasive pattern" on the ranch of girls being forced into underage marriage to older men. The photos appear to be part of an effort to show that the FLDS not only allows such underage marriages, it encourages them. One of the girls shown in the photos is an aunt to the children involved in the custody hearing and lived on the YFZ Ranch, according to information given in court. Her birth date was given as July 1994, meaning she is 13. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| DNA taken from sect leader in inquiry | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
CNN Originally published Friday, May 30, 2008 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SAN ANGELO, Texas (CNN) -- Texas authorities say they collected DNA swabs from jailed polygamist sect leader Warren Jeffs in connection with a criminal investigation involving "spiritual marriages" to four girls ages 12 to 15. The samples were taken Thursday in Arizona from Jeffs, the sect's jailed 52-year-old "prophet," said Jerry Strickland, spokesman for the Texas attorney general's office. Jeffs is leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The criminal investigation moved to the forefront Friday as a Texas judge refused to sign an order returning to their homes more than 300 children seized last month from the polygamist sect's ranch. Judge Barbara Walther said she wanted all the mothers involved to sign the order first. In the criminal investigation, marital records -- known as bishop's records -- were seized April 3 from the sect's Yearning for Zion ranch, according to an affidavit for a search warrant seeking the DNA samples. The records show that Jeffs married a 14-year-old girl January 18, 2004, in Utah, the affidavit says. Jeffs "married" three other underage brides -- two 12-year-olds and a 14-year-old -- at the sect's 1,700-acre ranch near Eldorado, Texas, the affidavit says. The court document refers to photos of Jeffs with his alleged child brides. In one picture, the affidavit states, he is kissing one of the 12-year-olds. In another, he is with a 15-year-old wife at the birth of their child in October 2004, according to the affidavit. Jeffs is believed to have "committed the felony offense of sexual assault of a child," the affidavit says. One of the 12-year-olds, who was believed to have married Jeffs on July 27, 2006, allegedly was sexually assaulted by him that day, the affidavit states. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jeffs's wedding pictures disgust | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Editorial By Daphne Bramham Vancouver Sun Originally published Friday, May 30, 2008 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The idea of child brides is disgusting, but seeing photographs of 12- and 14-year-olds with their adult husbands is stomach-churning. That's why Elissa Wall passed out photos of her 14-year-old self after testifying against Warren Jeffs, the prophet of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, last September. If not for her, Jeffs might still be marrying young girls. Instead, he is serving two consecutive terms of five years to life and preparing to go to trial on similar charges in Arizona later this year or early next year when, once again, Wall will be the key witness. Yet even while he sits in jail, Jeffs's sermons form the basis of the religious instruction at Bountiful elementary-secondary school, which is both accredited and funded by the B.C. government. "I clung to being anonymous [at the beginning of the trial]. It made me feel protected," Wall said this week in an interview. "But the press was brutal. Some of the reporters said I was an unbelievable witness because I came across as too strong. "But I wasn't always a 20-year-old who was able to stand up for myself. I was once a child. People needed to understand that it had taken a long time, healing, and a lot of struggles to get there. I wanted people to remember that girl of 14 who was shackled and put into a terrible situation by people who were supposed to be protecting her." This is why her new book, Stolen Innocence: My Story of Growing Up in a Polygamous Sect, Becoming a Teenage Bride, and Breaking Free of Warren Jeffs (published by HarperCollins Canada), contains pages of photos of her as a child. And it may be part of the reason why Texas child protection officials last week filed wedding photos of Jeffs with two of his more than 80 wives as evidence in court that the FLDS is a pervasive, systemic culture of abuse. One of the girls has been officially identified as being only 12. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sexual assault by Jeffs alleged | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Jennifer Rios San Angelo Standard-Times Originally published Saturday, May 31, 2008 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The state of Texas has obtained DNA samples from Warren Jeffs, leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and a convicted sex offender, on suspicion of sexual assault. The warrant for the DNA was issued Thursday by the Kingman Police Department in northwestern Arizona after discussion with Texas authorities and executed at the Mohave County jail there, where Jeffs is being held. He is serving five years to life in a Utah prison on two counts of being an accomplice to rape in a marriage he performed in 2001 involving a 14-year-old girl and her 19-year-old cousin, and awaiting trial in Arizona on similar charges. Authorities believe "that Warren Jeffs has committed the felony offense of sexual assault of a child," the warrant states, based on evidence obtained at the YFZ Ranch. The evidence, the warrant says, includes marital records showing that Jeffs "wedded" more than one underage girl and sexually assaulted a 12-year-old. Jeffs is suspected of sexually assaulting four girls at the sect's ranch between January 2004 and July 2006. Under current Texas law, girls younger than 16 cannot consent to sex or marriage. However, before 2005, Texas law allowed girls as young as 14 to marry with the permission of their parents. By obtaining the DNA samples, Texas authorities will be able to determine whether Jeffs fathered any children born to underage mothers, and thereby establish whether he sexually assaulted those children. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Polygamous sect pledges to quit performing underage marriages | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Ben Winslow Deseret News Originally published Tuesday, June 3, 2008 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ELDORADO, Texas — The same day a judge signed an order returning hundreds of FLDS children taken in the raid to their anxious parents, the polygamous sect pledged to no longer perform underage marriages. "In the future, the church commits that it will not preside over the marriage of any woman under the age of legal consent in the jurisdiction in which the marriage takes place," Fundamentalist LDS Church member Willie Jessop said Monday, reading from a statement. "The church will counsel families that they neither request nor consent to any underage marriages. This policy will apply church-wide." Jessop stood on a dirt road here at the YFZ Ranch in the hot sun, wearing his Sunday best as he spoke passionately about the reunions taking place, and the pain that FLDS faithful have endured. "With the help of thousands of prayers that have been offered, we believe that God can start to mend so many broken and devastated hearts," he said. Families will be criss-crossing Texas today — sometimes traveling hundreds of miles to pick up their children from foster care facilities in happy reunions, exactly two months after the children were taken in the raid that became the nation's largest-ever child custody case. Susan Hays, a Dallas attorney appointed by the courts to represent a little girl in state custody, picked up her client's mother and has been driving her across Texas to retrieve the child. "The little girl is sleeping right now after we played a game of spot the cows," Hays chuckled over the phone, the sound of the freeway behind her. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| FLDS Church issues statement on marriage | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Deseret News Originally published Tuesday, June 3, 2008 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
The church's policies regarding marriage have been widely misrepresented and misunderstood. Indeed, much of the misinformation circulating on this subject seems designed intentionally to fuel the flames of prejudice against the church.
The church's practices in this regard continue a long tradition of marriage in this country that would have been found to have been unremarkable in 19th century America. In the FLDS church, all marriages are consensual. The church insists on appropriate consent, including that of the woman and the man, in all circumstances. Nevertheless, the church is clarifying its policy toward marriage. Therefore, in the future, the church commits that it will not preside over the marriage of any woman under the age of legal consent in the jurisdiction in which the marriage takes place. The church will counsel families that they neither request nor consent to any underage marriages. This policy will apply church-wide. The church believes in purity, cleanliness and innocence. Our children and families are the cornerstones of our lives and our religion. We hope that this modest clarification in policy will alleviate recent concerns and allow the church and its families to reside in peace among our neighbors. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Stripped Bare: As FLDS children in Texas begin returning to their parents, ex-sect member Kathleen Mackert asks what future awaits polygamy’s children | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Stephen Dark Salt Lake City Weekly Originally published June 5, 2008 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
LAS VEGAS—Six-year-old Kathleen Mackert packed a suitcase she found in the closet. She put in some food from the kitchen of her family’s home, a blanket, a change of clothes and her nightgown. It was after school and her mother wasn’t home from work. She set off down the street in Kearns, determined to find new parents. Her mother and father could not be her parents. Not a man who did such terrible things to her. Not a woman who failed to protect her from him. They couldn’t be her parents.
She says she had tried to kill herself a few months before. "I was in hell, I might as well go there," she recalls now, 44 years later. Her suicide attempt came shortly after her father started sexually abusing her. But her mother, Myra Tolman, interrupted her plans. Kathleen Mackert says her mother smelled the aspirin on her breath in the middle of the night and forced her to vomit the pills. Tolman says, however, she saw an empty aspirin bottle and a few pills scattered around her daughter’s bed, dragged her to the bathroom and made her vomit. Kathleen Mackert walked through the quiet subdivision, spring buds marking the trees in nearby open fields. Surely a parent would find her, take her in for their daughter and love her. But as it grew darker, she couldn’t figure out where she was. She kept walking. No one came out to ask the scared little girl in a long dress, coat and thick braids if she wanted a new home. "Kathleen Fawn Mackert," her mother screamed at her as she pulled up in her car. She always used the full names of the seven children she had with her polygamist husband, Clyde Mackert, when she was angry. "What do you think you are doing?" Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Poll: Utahns don't trust promises of FLDS parents | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
John Hollenhorst reporting KSL 5 TV Originally broadcast June 8, 2008 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The story of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (FLDS) Texas climaxed last week when hundreds of children were sent back to their parents. But many Utahns are skeptical of promises made by the FLDS parents. A new KSL poll reveals even more skepticism about their church's pledge to abolish underage marriage. Now, an old sermon by FLDS prophet Warren Jeffs may add fuel to that skepticism. The tapes are among hundreds of sermons Jeffs recorded years ago. According to former members, his devoted followers play those tapes over and over in their homes. In one sermon he justifies false promises to authorities. In one sermon Jeffs taught, "A family can only be a family by appointment of the prophets. You can only get married and be a priesthood family if he says who you should marry." To get their children back, FLDS parents agreed to follow various court orders, and the church made a promise to the public: "The church commits that it will not preside over any marriage of any woman under the age of legal consent," FLDS spokesman Willie Jessop said. Utahns are highly skeptical. Almost half believe the FLDS will probably or definitely not follow the court orders. Only one-third believe they will. Almost three-fourths are skeptical of the promise to halt underage marriage, and only 2 percent believe the FLDS definitely will give it up. The Attorney General's office says it doesn't know what to make of the pledge. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 'Free choice' no option for FLDS women of any age | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Linda Valdez The Arizona Republic Originally published June 10, 2008 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The polygamous Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints now says it will not sanction the marriage of underage girls. You can almost hear cult elders thinking, "That ought to take the heat off." Do you trust these guys? Women who escaped the cult say girls are taught from infancy that they are subservient to men. How can they ever make a "free choice"? Even if the age promise sticks, it only changes the timing of the enslavement. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 5 Investigates: From Polygamy To Stripping | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
KPHO CBS 5 Phoenix Originally broadcast July 9, 2008 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| PHOENIX -- When Kathleen Mackert was 16 years old, her father took her out for a birthday dinner. That night, he instructed her "of the physical demonstrations of how a woman's body responds to a man's," Mackert said. On her 18th birthday, her father forced her to marry her step-brother. "I thought, 'Thank God, at least I know him, and he doesn't have another wife,'" she said. Mackert grew up in the Fundamentalist Church of Latter-Day Saints, where polygamy is a way of life. Nevertheless, she, her husband and her four children eventually escaped the church. Soon after, she and her husband split up. To support her children, Mackert worked as a firefighter, a police dispatcher and in health care -- but it wasn't enough. So she turned to stripping. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sentencing set back for offender | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By DAVID DEMILLE The Spectrum Originally published July 15, 2008 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| CEDAR CITY - The sentencing date has been postponed for a 41-year-old Southern Utah man who pleaded guilty to sexually abusing a female relative, beginning when she was 8 years old. Wayland Wightman Wyler, a former member of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, could face up to 30 years in jail. He was originally arrested in March of 2006 on charges he sexually molested the relative multiple times over a three-year period. His sentencing date was moved to July 28. Wyler pleaded guilty to two second-degree felony counts of sexual abuse of a child (domestic violence) last month and faces two one- to 15-year sentences. He faces similar charges in Washington County, but those could be dismissed following the plea agreement in Iron County. According to court documents, the victim testified that Wyler began molesting her when she was 8 years old and continued for three years before she notified her mother. The mother then contacted law enforcement. The sentencing was scheduled for Monday, but Wyler's attorney, Alan Boyack of St. George, is out of town for continuing legal education, said Brian Adamson, an attorney in Boyack's office. Monday's postponement was the latest in a series of delays in the case, which has involved several twists and turns. Iron County Sheriff's deputies started a search for Wyler when he was first charged in 2006 until he eventually tuned himself in. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Child marriage in America | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "The Sacrifice," written and directed by Malibu resident Diane Namm, brings to light the reality of child marriage in America. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Olivia Damavandi / Special to The Malibu Times Life & Arts Malibu Times - Malibu, CA Originally published Wednesday, July 16, 2008 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Child slavery comes in many forms, and in the film "The Sacrifice," it is depicted by marriage. The film, written and directed by Malibu resident Diane Namm, and featuring an all-star cast, is a short drama encapsulating what happens the day a polygamous cult leader comes to take a reluctant 13-year-old girl from her parents to be his wife. Though it is fictional, the story bears striking similarities to the news reports of child marriages discovered from the recent West Texas polygamist compound raid (which occurred shortly after the movie was filmed), and "The Sacrifice" shows an accurate depiction of the physical and emotional trauma instigated by child marriage, a growing and significant concern here in the United States. Today, the disparaging consequences of child marriage continue to be neglected in parts of South Asia, Africa, Latin America, the Middle East and various other areas of the developing world. "Millions of child brides, some barely past puberty, are denied access to health, education and economic opportunities," wrote Lyn Thomas, deputy director-general of International Planned Parenthood Association in a guide for global policy action called "Ending Child Marriage." "The majority of them are burdened with the roles and responsibilities of wives and mothers without adequate support, resources or capabilities." While American news journalists frequently report child marriages in Third World countries, the matter is largely ignored in the United States. "Since there are many fundamentalist religions and cultures out there in which young girls are forced into early marriage and childbearing, I felt that setting this story in the heart of middle America would make it more immediate for the audience-rather than setting it in a foreign country-so that the audience couldn't dismiss this as the sort of thing that happens elsewhere and not in the U.S., which it does, daily," Namm said. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The Sacrifice from Diane Namm on Vimeo. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jeffs faces indictment over child bride swap | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Reported by: Brent Hunsaker ABC 4 News Originally broadcast July 21, 2008 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ELDORADO, Texas (ABC 4 News) - Evidence of a swap of child brides could land polygamist prophet Warren Jeffs in even more legal trouble. The grand jury looking into the criminal allegations against the FLDS meets Tuesday, July 22 in the courthouse in Eldorado. Sources close to the Texas investigation predict "several" indictments will be handed up by the grand jury against some of the leading men of the FLDS polygamist group – including Jeffs. Jeffs is likely to be charged in connection with the swap that investigators say took place July 27, 2006 in a house on the Eldorado FLDS ranch belonging to Jeffs. At the time, Jeffs was a fugitive on the FBI’s "10 Most Wanted List." The swap was made between Jeffs and one of his Lieutenants, Merril Jessop. Jessop is an FLDS "bishop" who runs the ranch. Jeffs reportedly got an underage bride from Jessop, and Jessop got a bride for one of his sons. In a dictation submitted Friday in 51st District Court, San Angelo, Texas, Jeffs is quoted as saying, "... I looked at Merril Jessop, and he looked at me, and he said, ‘I am willing,’ and smiled. I said, ‘I am willing.’ I explained that the Lord wanted this young lady to be sealed to me to carry on in her training..." Pictures previously made public in court proceedings show wedding pictures of Jeffs posing and kissing the 11-year old daughter of Jessop. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sect leader Jeffs charged with child sex assault | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
CNN Originally published July 22, 2008 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (CNN) -- A Texas grand jury indicted polygamous sect leader Warren Jeffs on sexual assault charges and five of his followers also face a variety of charges, Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott said Tuesday. Jeffs was charged with sexual assault of a child, a first-degree felony, Abbot said. Four of Jeffs' followers were each charged with one count of sexually assaulting a girl under the age of 17 and one of those four faces an additional count of bigamy. A fifth follower is charged with three counts of failure to report child abuse, Abbot said. The five followers were not identified. The 52-year-old Jeffs is the leader and so-called "prophet" of the estimated 10,000-member Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, an offshoot of the mainstream Mormon church. The FLDS openly practices polygamy at its Yearning for Zion Ranch outside Eldorado, Texas, and in two towns straddling the Utah-Arizona state line -- Hildale, Utah, and Colorado City, Arizona. Texas authorities raided the ranch in April, seizing more than 400 children who were later returned to their families after the Texas Supreme Court ruled the state had no right to remove the children and lacked evidence to show they faced imminent danger of abuse. In May, DNA samples were taken from Jeffs as part of a criminal investigation into allegations he "spiritually" married four girls ranging in age from 12 to 15, authorities said. A search warrant seeking the DNA samples said marital records -- known as bishop's records -- from the ranch show that Jeffs married a 14-year-old girl on January 18, 2004, in Utah. The records showed that Jeffs "married" three other underage brides -- two 12-year-olds and a 14-year-old -- at the YFZ Ranch, according to the search warrant. One of the 12-year-olds -- believed to have married Jeffs on July 27, 2006 -- was sexually assaulted by Jeffs later that day, the search warrant said. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Texas child welfare officials want custody of 8 children from polygamist group | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By ROBERT T. GARRETT The Dallas Morning News Originally published Tuesday, August 5, 2008 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SAN ANGELO – Child Protective Services, forced by courts last spring to return hundreds of children to their parents in a polygamist sect, jumped back into Texas' tussle with the sect Tuesday. The state agency asked a judge to put eight of the children of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints back into state custody. In affidavits that provide the best view yet of what CPS has found in its investigation of possible sexual abuse of young teenage girls, four child-abuse investigators said removal of six girls and two boys, ages 5 to 17, are necessary because their mothers won't agree to keep them away from men practicing and promoting underage marriage. The affidavits reveal stories that are sad and dismaying. A 10-year-old girl told CPS investigator Kerrie Blair that she was brought to the sect's West Texas ranch in the middle of the night more than two years ago. She and a younger sister lived there with bishop Merril Jessop and his wife, Barbara. The two girls haven't seen their 41-year-old birth mother since coming to Texas, Ms. Blair said. The older girl "said she misses her mother very much, and when she asked her uncle Merril Jessop about where her mother is living, he has told her it was none of her business," Ms. Blair's affidavit says. It says sect records show their mother married Mr. Jessop in 2004 and has abandoned the two girls. CPS says children of the sect are indoctrinated to accept underage marriage, as its interview with a 14-year-old daughter of Merril and Barbara Jessop indicates. The girl, who sect records and photographs suggest was "spiritually married" to jailed sect prophet Warren Jeffs two years ago, told investigator Ruby Gutierrez that she disagreed with the state worker's characterization of underage pregnancies as sexual abuse. "She said that the marriages are pure," Ms. Gutierrez's affidavit says. The girl added that "this can't be a crime because Heavenly Father is the one that tells Warren [Jeffs] when a girl is ready to get married and that he is only following the word of Heavenly Father." Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Court rejects arguments by polygamist | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Howard Fischer Capitol Media Services The Herald - Sierra Vista, Arizona Originally published Wednesday, August 6, 2008 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| PHOENIX — Arizonans have no religious right to practice polygamy — at least not with minors — the state Court of Appeals ruled Tuesday. The judges rejected arguments by a member of the Fundamentalist Church of Latter Day Saints that he was legally entitled to have sex with a 16-year-old girl because she was his "celestial wife" as recognized by his religion. Judge Donn Kessler, writing for the unanimous court, said while the right of individuals to believe whatever they want is absolute, the right to act on it is not. Tuesday's decision in the case of Kelly Fischer is not likely to be the end of the legal fight. Attorney David Goldberg said he eventually expects the issue to have to be decided by the U.S. Supreme Court. Goldberg acknowledged that the nation's high court has ruled there is no right to polygamy. But he noted that decision came in 1878. He said the Supreme Court, in various more recent rulings, has refused to use morality as a basis of deciding constitutional rights. As proof, he cited the 2002 decision striking down a Texas anti-sodomy law. And Goldberg said he believes the Supreme Court, if presented with this issue, will make a similar ruling. But Goldberg may have a problem not present in that Texas case, where the participants were both adults. In this case, the victim of the offense was just 17 when she gave birth in 2001 and listed Fischer, then 33, as the father on the birth certificate. Fischer was one of several men arrested in 2005 in connection with investigations by Arizona and Utah officials of adult men having sex with girls who are minors. The victim refused to testify at the trial. Instead, prosecutors relied on the birth certificate as well as testimony of how the FLDS church practices polygamy. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Arizona court upholds polygamist's conviction | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Kelly Fischer's bid to appellate court cited religious freedom | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
The Associated Press Tucson Citizen Originally published August 6, 2008 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| PHOENIX — An Arizona appeals court has upheld the conviction of a Colorado City polygamist who argued that his marriage to an underage girl was protected by religious freedom. Kelly Fischer was one of the so-called "Colorado City Eight," members of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints who were prosecuted starting in 2005 for taking underage plural wives. Fischer was convicted of sexual conduct with a minor and conspiracy. In his appeal, he argued that Arizona's constitutional ban on plural marriage prevented him from legally marrying his new teenage bride. The court ruling issued Tuesday rejected that defense and referred to similar U.S. Supreme Court rulings. It also said Arizona has a compelling interest in preventing child sexual abuse. The unanimous opinion, written by Judge Donn Kessler, rejected Fischer's argument that his prosecution for sexual conduct with the girl violated his right to religious freedom under the federal Constitution's First and Fourteenth Amendments. Fischer described the girl, who gave birth to his child when she was 17, as his "celestial wife." Fischer did not say that he would have lawfully married the girl except for Arizona's antipolygamy law. Instead, the court said, he argued simply that a "celestial marriage" should be recognized under the statutory definition of a spouse. But, the court said, his challenge failed because Fischer did not show he would have had a statutory defense if plural marriage were not prohibited. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Appeals court upholds polygamist's conviction | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By KTAR.com KTAR 92.3 - Phoenix Originally published August 6, 2008 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| A member of a polygamist sect has lost his appeal of convictions stemming from his claimed marriage to a 16-year-old girl and fathering her child. The Arizona Court of Appeals on Tuesday rejected the appeals of Kelly Fischer. He was convicted in 2006 of one count each of sexual conduct with a minor and conspiracy to commit sexual conduct with a minor. Fischer was sentenced to 45 days in the Mohave County Jail and three years probation. Fischer was among eight members of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who were indicted in May 2005, on charges of marrying under-aged girls. The defendants lived in Colorado City on the Arizona-Utah border, where the headquarters for the FLDS are located. According to the indictment, Fischer had two wives and married the 16-year-old daughter of his second wife in 2000. At age 17, she gave birth to a baby girl on Aug. 31, 2001. The birth certificate listed Fischer as the father and said he was 33 at the time. Fischer claimed his convictions violated his rights to freedom of religion under the First and 14th Amendments to the U.S. Constitution and his right to due process under the 14th Amendment. He also claimed that he was not permitted to present a defense that sex with the woman was allowed because she was his spouse. In addition, he claimed the Superior Court unfairly allowed hearsay testimony and that there was not sufficient evidence to support the convictions. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Court upholds conviction of FLDS member Fischer | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Suzanne Adams Kingman Daily Miner Originally published Friday, August 8, 2008 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mohave County Attorney Matt Smith is very pleased with a recent ruling from the Arizona Court of Appeals. The court upheld the conviction of Kelly Fischer on Tuesday. Fischer, a member of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, was found guilty in 2006 of sexual conduct with a minor and conspiracy to commit sexual conduct with a minor. He was sentenced to 45 days in jail. He appealed his sentence, saying that the Arizona law that prevents plural marriages violated his religious rights. Many members of the FLDS believe that having more than one wife is an important part of their religion. The Arizona Court of Appeals rejected Fischer's argument, saying the state has an interest in preventing child abuse. "I was very happy with the decision. It certainly affirms what we've been trying to do here and that we've gone about it in the right way," said Smith. "To get the Court of Appeals approval on how we charged the case involving Mr. Fischer and presented the case is something that is very beneficial to us and should help us in future cases as well," Smith said. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mother mum in polygamy custody case | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
CNN Originally published August 18, 2008 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SAN ANGELO, Texas (AP) -- The mother of a girl allegedly given in marriage at age 12 to jailed polygamist leader Warren Jeffs refused to answer questions Monday from attorneys for the state. The state wants to remove the girl, now 14, and an 11-year-old brother from the mother's care, saying she has refused to guarantee the girl won't have contact with men accused of being involved in underage marriages. The girl's father allegedly blessed her marriage to Jeffs and the underage marriages of at least two sisters. The hearing was initially delayed while lawyers in the girl's case and three others tried to negotiate settlements. Later, Texas Ranger Nick Hannah helped Child Protective Services introduce into record dozens of marriage records, photos and church records outlining family relationships that were seized from the Yearning For Zion Ranch in Eldorado. The girl's mother refused to answer roughly 50 questions asked by attorneys for the child welfare agency, including what constituted abuse, the names of her children and her relationship with their father. "I stand on the Fifth (Amendment)," she said repeatedly in a flat tone. Her attorney, Gonzalo Rios, said Jessop, 55, was exercising her right against self-incrimination because of the continuing investigation. In documents submitted with the state's custody petition, the 14-year-old girl is quoted as telling a caseworker that a young teenage girl marrying an older man "can't be a crime because Heavenly Father is the one that tells Warren when a girl is ready to get married." Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Man sentenced in southern Utah sex abuse case | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Ben Winslow Deseret News Originally published Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2008 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| CEDAR CITY — A man convicted of sexually abusing a child has been sentenced to prison time. Court records said Wayland Wyler was sentenced here in 5th District Court on Monday to serve one to 15 years in the Utah State Prison for a pair of convictions on charges of sex abuse of a child, a second-degree felony. Wyler, 41, was sought by Iron County authorities in 2006 after the victim came forward to a family member and disclosed the abuse. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Man faces 30 years in jail for sex abuse case | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
BY NUR KAUSAR The Spectrum Originally published December 13, 2008 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| CEDAR CITY - A Southern Utah man was sentenced in 5th District Court on Monday to one to 15 years for each of two second-degree felony counts of sexual abuse of a child. Wayland Wightman Wyler, a former member of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, pleaded guilty to both counts back in June, after being incarcerated for eight months awaiting trial. Prior to sentencing a 90-day diagnostic evaluation was made of Wyler, 41, and a therapist did a psycho-sexual evaluation. Deputy County Attorney Troy Little said both then made recommendations to the court. Wyler was originally arrested in March 2006 on charges of sexually molesting a female relative multiple times over three years, beginning when she was 8 years old. After bailing out on the charges, Wyler failed to appear in court last October, Little said. Wyler had a warrant out for his arrest because of the appearance failures, said Iron County Det. Mike Crouch. He was arrested again after being hospitalized, treated and released for carbon monoxide poisoning, reportedly after being found unconscious in his garage with a vehicle running. Little said Wyler and Iron County entered into a plea negotiation for sentencing, since he had been charged in both Washington and Iron Counties. Wyler's attorney, Alan Boyack, said the original counts were for two first-degree felonies which carried a mandatory 25-year sentence. With the plea deal, the charges decreased and the Washington County charges were dropped, even though Boyack said he disagreed with the outcome. "I thought it would hopefully go to probation," Boyack said. "I did not think the evaluation was done well. All the objective things in it pointed to probation, but the judge based his decision on the heinousness of the crime." Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Texas report: Kids in sect suffered neglect, abuse | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By MICHELLE ROBERTS The Associated Press Google News Originally published December 23, 2008 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SAN ANTONIO (AP) - A dozen girls were sexually abused at a polygamist group's ranch targeted in a high-profile raid last spring, and parents neglected more than 250 other children living there by doing nothing to protect them from becoming future victims, Texas child welfare officials said in a report released Tuesday. The Department of Family and Protective Services concluded there was evidence that 12 girls, ages 12 to 15, were "spiritually" married to adult men in the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, which runs the Yearning For Zion Ranch in Eldorado. Seven of them had one or more children, the report says. Another 262 children were listed as neglected because the agency said their parents knew there was sexual abuse in the household but did not move to protect their children from possible abuse. The report, which summarizes the investigations done on all 439 children at the West Texas ranch, was issued at the request of the Health and Human Services executive commissioner, a gubernatorial appointee who oversees the protective services agency. "The Yearning for Zion case is about sexual abuse of girls and children who were taught that underage marriages are a way of life. It is about parents who condoned illegal underage marriages and adults who failed to protect young girls - it has never been about religion," the agency said. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Texas polygamist ranch report details child abuse | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Jim Forsyth Reuters Originally published Tue Dec 23, 2008 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SAN ANTONIO (Reuters) - Child neglect and abuse were widespread at a Texas polygamist ranch with at least a dozen girls forced into underage marriages, according to a report released by state authorities. The report, released late on Monday, said most of the cases had been closed because of subsequent steps taken by parents since massive raids were launched in April against the polygamist compound in a remote corner of west Texas. The report by the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services is the latest chapter in a saga that gripped the state with lurid tales of adolescent brides married to older men under the cloak of a secretive sect practicing its religion on an isolated ranch. Texas authorities raided the Yearning For Zion Ranch outside the small west Texas community of Eldorado in April, removing over 400 children in response to an abuse complaint. The compound was run by a renegade Mormon sect called the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, which still practices polygamy. The sect practices an austere lifestyle and the women dress in conservative pioneer clothes. Multiple marriages were once common among U.S. Mormons but the mainstream Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints renounced the practice over a century ago and is at pains to distance itself from the FLDS and other polygamist groups. "Twelve girls are confirmed victims of sexual abuse and neglect because they were married at ages ranging from 12 to 15," the Texas report said. It went on to say that 262 other children "were subjected to neglect because parents failed to remove their child from a situation in which the child would be exposed to sexual abuse committed against another child." Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Utah victory over Alabama proves once and for all that marrying multiple people is better than marrying only one person who is your cousin | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
The Serious Sports News Network (satire) - Chicago, IL Originally published January 4, 2009 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| NEW ORLEANS, LA — In what amounts to a huge victory for both the University of Utah and the entire state, the Utah Utes soundly defeated the Alabama Crimson Tide in the Sugar Bowl and demonstrated once and for all that having many wives is actually better than having one wife who happens to be your first cousin. Experts on polygamy agree that the 31-17 victory in the Sugar Bowl is proof positive that the aforementioned revelations are true. "This victory is all that we needed," said polygamy expert D. Niles Dempster, of the University of Utah's School for Polygamy Studies. "Many of the players on our team are obviously children of men who have multiple wives. The increased competition in their families obviously compelled them to greatness. That, and the fact that they had multiple mothers cheering for them was an obvious step in the right direction." Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Judge Dismisses Motions for 17-Year-Old Girl in Polygamist Sect | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
The Associated Press FOX News Originally published Friday, February 6, 2009 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SAN ANGELO, Texas — A judge on Friday dismissed a flurry of petitions and motions, including the subpoena of a reporter, in the case of a 17-year-old daughter of jailed polygamist sect leader Warren Jeffs. Texas District Judge Barbara Walther dismissed the girl's attorney, Natalie Malonis, and a string of motions and petitions related to the contentious fight over the girl, who was allegedly married at 15 in the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Child welfare officials on Monday dismissed her case, saying the girl could be kept safe even if there was previous abuse. But the dismissal did not resolve motions filed by Malonis, who the girl tried to fire earlier in the case, and the girl's mother. Walther dismissed them all on Friday, including the contested subpoena of a San Angelo Standard-Times reporter who had been leaked a copy of the deposition of Yearning For Zion Ranch leader Merril Jessop. The paper reported the dismissal on its Web site Friday. Child Protective Services has dropped from court oversight nearly all the 440 children taken from the YFZ Ranch last April. Still, a dozen FLDS men, including Jeffs, face charges ranging from sexual assault of a child to failure to report child abuse. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| New book chronicles early polygamy among Mormons | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
The Associated Press Chicago Tribune Originally published February 8, 2009 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SALT LAKE CITY - If the past is a window to the present, then a new book about polygamy among early Mormons could be a portal to understanding where some contemporary Utah polygamists have found inspiration for their way of life. From child brides and secret ceremonies to their defiance of marriage laws, the narrative in George D. Smith's "Nauvoo Polygamy" illustrates the development and breadth of polygamy as it was first practiced in the 1840s by the members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints living in Nauvoo, Ill. "It changes our understanding of a plurality of wives," polygamy historian Martha Sontag Bradley said of the book. "It provides indisputable, quantifiable evidence that the scope of plural marriage was more broad and deep than we had imagined." In nearly 700 pages, the book weaves the story of church founder Joseph Smith's relationships with the more than 30 women he married and how he persuaded his closest followers that "celestial marriage" was a sacred and essential religious practice. In addition, more than 70 pages of charts uniquely chronicle Illinois marriages between 196 Mormon men and 717 women -- about four wives to each man -- including the dates of the unions and, when available, the ages of husbands and wives. The records show more than 200 of the brides were 17 or younger. Often they married men 10 or more years older, including 12-year-old Mary Ann Williams whose husband was 43 when they married in 1856. The data are somewhat similar to marriage and family records seized last year from a Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints ranch in a raid by Texas authorities. One of Utah's largest polygamous groups, the traditionally insular FLDS closely follow Joseph Smith's original teachings. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Polygamy Practiced Openly In American Towns | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Reporting: Rick Sallinger CBS 4 - Denver Written for the Web by CBS4 Special Projects Producer Libby Smith Originally broadcast May 14, 2009 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| COLORADO CITY, Ariz. (CBS4) -- In a remote area along the Arizona-Utah border there are twin towns where polygamy is practiced openly. Men have multiple wives and in many cases dozens of children. The lifestyle is common among residents in Colorado City, Arizona and Hildale, Utah. Many of the residents have lived much of their lives as members of the Fundamentalist Church of Latter Day Saints, or the FLDS. The church teaches that a man needs at least three wives to get to highest level of heaven. Some residents have left the church but still practice the polygamist lifestyle. "How big is your family?" CBS4 Investigator Rick Sallinger asked Marvin Wyler, a practicing polygamist. "34 children," Wyler replied. "How many grandchildren?" Sallinger continued. "110 is approximate, it changes every year," Wyler responded. Wyler is a former member of the FLDS. He's now a member of a different polygamous sect. At one time he had 3 wives, one passed away. Now he maintains homes with two wives. CBS4 visited the home of Wyler keeps with Charlette Chatwin. "Is there any difference between your wife here and your wife there? Are they perfectly equal?" Sallinger asked Wyler. "Yeah, they are both perfectly wonderful people added to my home," Wyler responded. His wives have also added dozens of children to his home. One of the tenants of the polygamist lifestyle is to pro-create which members interpret as a need to have as many children as possible. "I would never use contraceptics and I would take as many as the Lord gave me," Charlette Chatwin told CBS4. "How many did you have?" Sallinger asked her. "I had 16," she replied. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| RCMP says Blackmore had 9 child brides | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
CTV.ca News Staff CTV.ca - Canada Originally published Tue. Jun. 30 2009 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Polygamist Winston Blackmore had nine child brides, including four 15-year-olds, RCMP say in an affidavit filed in B.C. Supreme Court. The child brides were identified for the first time in the affidavit. Two were 16-year-olds and another three were 17-year-olds. Police also say in the affidavit that four of the girls had their first child before they turned 18, according to a list compiled by RCMP Const. Shelley Livingstone on Sept. 27, 2005. The list was recently filed in court for a pretrial hearing. Blackmore, a member of a polygamist sect in B.C., has had a total of 25 wives since 1976, according to police. The wives had 101 children. He has been charged with one count of practicing polygamy, along with James Oler, who is the leader of a rival faction within the 1,000-person Bountiful sect, which is nestled in the rugged Kootenay region in B.C.'s interior. On Tuesday, Blackmore, 52, denied he had married four different 15-year-olds. "That's wrong," he said. While RCMP allege Blackmore had nine child brides, he has never been charged with sexual exploitation. The age of consent at the time of the marriages was 14. In 2008, Ottawa raised the age of consent to 16. Although Blackmore has admitted to having multiple wives, his lawyers have said they intend to argue the ban on polygamy violates the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Preliminary hearings begin next April. But Blackmore's legal team is in court this week, trying to have the charge dismissed on a procedural issue. See photo | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| B.C. polygamist wedded nine girls under 18 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
ctvbc.ca CTV.ca - Canada Originally published Tue. Jun. 30 2009 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| B.C. polygamist Winston Blackmore has married nine girls who were under the age of 18, according to an investigation by the RCMP. Four of the girls were only 15 years old when they married Blackmore, who has 101 children and has been married 25 times since 1976. Details of Blackmore's personal life are revealed in documents attached to an affidavit filed in connection with a pre-trial hearing in the B.C. Supreme Court of British Columbia, after he was charged with polygamy. The documents were also obtained by The Globe and Mail newspaper. The charges follow an investigation by RCMP Const. Shelley Livingstone of the RCMP's Creston, B.C. detachment. Through her years living in Creston, Const. Livingstone has become familiar with the community of Bountiful. Located in the Creston Valley of southeastern B.C. near Cranbrook and Creston, Bountiful is made up of members of the polygamist Mormon fundamentalist group. The residents live in a commune-style compound. The investigation followed a February 2005 conference in Winnipeg where Bountiful community member Zelpha Chatwin stated that her husband was forced to marry a 15-year-old girl. Police later talked to witnesses, including individuals who identified themselves as wives of Winston Blackmore. "All of those interviewed were told that we were investigating sexual exploitation," Const. Livingstone said in the court document. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| God's Brides | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The Tragedy of "Heaven's" Child Brides | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
By Shane Clarke London Correspondent The Seoul Times - Seoul, Korea Originally published Saturday, October 3, 2009 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In Yemen, more than a quarter of girls are married before the age of 15; some as young as 11. This is blamed on poverty and lack of education. Elissa Wall, at the age of 14, was forced to marry her 19-year-old first cousin in 2001. However, Elissa Wall is not one of the Yemeni child brides. She was born and raised in the United States, and her "marriage" took place in Utah, within the confines of the closed religious community known as the Fundamentalist Church of the Latter Day Saints. The FLDS is a Mormon sect where polygamy and underage marriage are a way of life. According to the Hope Organisation, church leader Warren Jeffs, who arranged Elissa’s union, told her that "she risked her salvation if she refused to have sexual relations with her husband." This led to Jeffs’s conviction in 2007 on two counts of being an accomplice to rape. However, this case is still ongoing, with an appeal hearing scheduled for November 3rd. The Hope Organisation, which fights against underage and polygamous marriage in the US, publishes regular reports on its website showing that the FLDS is still alive and strong. This polygamous sect boasts more than 10,000 members, and controls the twin towns of Colorado City, Arizona, and Hildale, Utah. Perhaps it is this strength in numbers which affords it the protection it seems to be getting from somewhere within the US administration. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|
| Read the Tom Green County, Texas Court's Affidavit of Nick Hanna sent to Natalie Malonis providing Records of Warren Jeffs discussing child bride marriages and other FLDS crimes, faxed February 15, 2010 | |
| Read the Tom Green County, Texas Court's Subpoena of Nick Hanna by Natalie Malonis to provide Records of Warren Jeffs discussing child bride marriages and other FLDS crimes, dated February 13, 2010 | |
| Read Sam Brower's memo comparing the FLDS to the Mafia written October, 2009 | |
| Read the Arizona Court of Appeals decision on the Kelly Fischer child bride conviction filed August 6, 2008 | |
| Read the July 27, 2006 dictation by Warren Jeffs regarding performing 3 underage marriages of his daughter, Wendell Nielsen's daughter and Merril Jessop's daughter filed in Texas court July 18, 2008 | |
| Read the June 2008 Declaration of Jane Blackmore regarding delivering babies to underage girls in the FLDS | |
| Read the Affidavit for Search Warrant for Warren Jeffs in the Texas Child Bride cases dated May 29, 2008 | |
|
Read the List of Court Proceedings for Wayland Wightman Wyler on 2 felony charges of Forcible Sodomy of a Child filed in Washington County, Utah in 2007 | |
|
Read the Motion for Arrest Warrant against Wayland Wightman Wyler on 2 felony charges of Forcible Sodomy of a Child dated September 10, 2007 | |
| Read the June 30, 2006 Minute Order in the case of Randolph J. Barlow denying Court TV the right to film the trial | |
| See the Iron County "Wanted Poster" for Wayland W. Wyler from March 17, 2006 | |
| Read the 2006 study Abbas Raptus : Exploring Factors that Contribute to the Sexual Abuse of Females in Rural Mormon Fundamentalist Communities by Anthropologist Janet Bennion | |
| See the Marriage Record of Raymond Merril Jessop and Teresa Jeffs performed July 22, 2005 | |
| Read the transcript from the FLDS Priesthood Meeting held April 13, 2002 | |
| Watch part 1 of a video on FLDS Geneograms Tracking the Polygamous Family Trees | |
| Watch part 2 of a video on FLDS Geneograms Tracking the Polygamous Family Trees | |
| Watch the Damned to Heaven documentary trailer | |
| Watch the Colorado City and the Underground Railroad documentary trailer | |
| Watch more of the Colorado City and the Underground Railroad documentary trailer | |
| Watch the Colorado City and the Underground Railroad documentary trailer discussing the child molester Orson William Black | |
| Watch this December 2000 video on Lenore Holm by Mike Watkiss | |
| Read Warren Jeffs' Home Economics class lecture on marriage dated March 13, 1998 | |
| Read Warren Jeffs' dictation about the pecking order of obeying in the FLDS dated February 20, 1998 | |
| Read Warren Jeffs' Specific Duties and Counsel to Daughters dated January 30, 1998 | |
| Read Warren Jeffs' Home Economics class lecture on marriage dated November 21, 1997 | |
| Read more of Warren Jeffs' Home Economics class lecture on marriage dated November 21, 1997 | |
| Read the Young People's Ancient Priesthood History dated January 10, 1996 | |
|
|
|
| For more information email: |
| "Religion" is no excuse for committing child abuse |
| Copyright © 2004-2010 The HOPE Organization |
| Site Map |