Protective Order Granted Against Polygamist Husband
 
The Associated Press
 
SALT LAKE CITY -- A Cedar City woman has been granted a protective order against her polygamist husband and was given temporary custody of their three children.

The order, issued in 5th District Court in Parowan Monday, was reported by The Salt Lake Tribune.

Tamara Phelps, 32, requested the order against Orson William Black Jr. in March.

Black was charged Feb. 27 with two felony counts of conspiracy to commit sexual conduct with a minor and three felony counts of sexual conduct with a minor in Superior Court of Arizona for Mohave County.

Black's address was listed in court documents as Hildale, Utah, adjoining Colorado City, Ariz., where the crimes allegedly occurred between 1998 and 2001.

Black was not in court Monday and is believed to be in Mexico.

Phelps said she became a second wife to Black when she was 17 and stayed in the plural marriage until 1995.

Her three children remained with Black until the charges were filed in Arizona. They have been living with her since March.

In a written statement filed with the documents in 5th District Court, Phelps described how Black, 42, allegedly abused their children, aged 14, 12 and 11.

"I saw him beat my first baby on the face and the body. He continued to hold his hand over her mouth and she turned purple. I was afraid he had killed her, for a minute," she said. Phelps said Black hit, kicked and threw the children against walls and threatened to kill her if she reported the abuse.

She also said her two daughters had nightmares and asked her to buy them a lock, one said, "to keep big, mean people out of her bedroom at night."

"I have been physically, emotionally and verbally abused by Mr. Black until finally I escaped," Phelps said. "I am terrified of Mr. Black and what he may do to me and my children."

Judge Philip Eves granted her request for a protective order.

Phelps' lawyer, Steve Julien, asked that a law enforcement officer accompany Phelps back to Hildale to retrieve items belonging to the children.
 
The Associated Press
Originally published May 6, 2003
 
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