Smith says sex offenses, not civil rights
 
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Tri-State News Network
 
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.

"No matter what, these people are going to come out and say that this is religious persecution," Smith said. "They're going to play that card to try to get as much media attention and as much sympathy or empathy that they can, but it doesn't have anything to do with that at all."

FLDS Church leader Warren Jeffs is one of the two indicted Colorado City men who have not yet been served their legal papers or appeared in court voluntarily. Jeffs is thought to be in hiding, and a $10,000 reward is offered for information leading to his arrest. Smith responded cautiously when asked if he asked Griffin if he might deliver Jeffs as he did seven other defendants. "We did discuss that subject and I don't know if I want to comment on what he told me," Smith said. Smith said he believed the Colorado City cases have been distributed among Mohave County Superior Court Judges Steve Conn, Bob Moon and James Chavez.
 
Tri-State News Network
Originally published Wednesday, July 20, 2005
 
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