Barlow: Key Witness Fails To Appear
 
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Tri-State News Network
 
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.

Defense attorney Bruce Griffen opposed continuing the trial.

Barlow is charged with two counts of sexual assault and one count of sexual conduct with a minor. Smith said the alleged victim was 16-years-old at the time of the alleged offenses in 2002 and that they occurred after she was assigned to the already legally married Barlow, in a church-arranged marriage not recognized in Arizona.

According to Smith, the woman told authorities on prior separate occasions that she would appear and testify at trial. He said he believes her parents and others have pressured her into not cooperating with the prosecution, given their support for the polygamist lifestyle promoted by the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

Barlow's trial has been rescheduled to begin June 5th, though the date is subject to change depending on the availability of the alleged victim.
 
Tri-State News Network
Originally published March 11, 2006
 
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