The occupants of two polygamous, fundamentalist Mormon towns in Arizona and Utah have been accused of just about every heinous crime imaginable, from child rape to incest and beyond.
Now, their days of ignoring the law of the land may be numbered.
A jury verdict against the towns for discriminating against nonbelievers now puts the future of the communities in the hands of a judge who will have to remedy the sweeping civil rights violations.
Federal authorities haven’t specified the changes they’ll seek in Colorado City, Arizona, and Hildale, Utah. But the judge has several options, including disbanding the towns’ shared police force, and forcing the towns to use county police instead.
That would dramatically reduce the choke-hold that religious leaders have on Colorado City and Hildale, and would provide a remedy for some townspeople who reportedly want to leave.
Former church member Richard Holm, who was arrested by local police for trespassing on a property to which he held the title, said the jury’s decision would be hollow if the judge doesn’t disband the Colorado City Marshal’s Office and instead put county sheriffs in charge. “For there ever to be a decent community, there’s gotta be new faces, new control,” Holm said.
The jury concluded the towns violated the constitutional rights of nonbelievers by denying them basic services such as police protection, building permits and water hookups. U.S. District Judge H. Russel Holland is expected to order changes to the communities in the coming months.
The trial marks one of boldest efforts by the government to confront what critics have long said was a corrupt regime in the neighboring communities. It provided a rare glimpse into the communities that for years have been shrouded in secrecy and are distrustful of government and outsiders.
The jury awarded $2.2 million to Holm and five other residents for emotional distress as a result of housing discrimination, but the towns will have to pay only $1.6 million because of a settlement in that part of the case that was reached while the jury was deliberating.
Other possible remedies that Holland could order include barring town officials from discriminating, requiring fair-housing training for town employees and having a court-appointed official monitor whether the town is complying with court’s orders.
The possibility of disbanding the marshal’s office was raised earlier by the state of Arizona in a separate housing discrimination case against Colorado City, though that case’s judge kept the police force intact.
Town leaders will abide by whatever changes are ordered by the judge, Colorado City attorney Jeff Matura said, but the government’s actions won’t change people’s religious beliefs.
“There is nothing that the government can do or really should be able to do to change someone’s faith,” Matura said.
The towns were accused of doing the bidding of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, a radical offshoot of mainstream Mormonism, which disavowed polygamy more than 100 years ago. The trial came as the federal government waged fights on multiple fronts to rein in church activities.
A grand jury in Utah has indicted several church leaders on charges of food stamp fraud.
The U.S. Labor Department has a separate action against a ranch with ties to the church over a pecan harvest in which prosecutors allege that children were forced to work long hours with few breaks.
During the civil rights case, the Justice Department said town employees assisted the group’s leader when he was a fugitive and took orders from church leaders about whom to appoint to government jobs.
They say local police ignored the food stamp fraud scheme and marriages between men and underage brides.
Jurors concluded officers treated nonbelievers inequitably when providing police protection, arrested them without having probable cause and made unreasonable searches of their property.
One woman who was denied a water connection testified that she had to haul water to her home and take away sewage for six years. A former sect member said police ignored hundreds of complaints of vandalism on his horse property because he was no longer part of the church.
The towns deny the allegations and say the government is persecuting town officials because it disapproves of their religion.
“If this was any other community in America, this would not be happening at this level,” Hildale attorney Blake Hamilton said after the verdict. “The scrutiny these communities have been under is just unprecedented.”
The Associated Press contributed to this article.
This would probably be a better cause for the righteous Romney
This has been going on in the usa for 200 plus years. Men doing as they please and women and children suffering because their leaders corrupt all the officials with favors and money and all the men play God. All I have to say is what goes around comes around .Just like Warren Jeff sitting in jail for life plus 20 years.He himself probably scared a 1000 children boys and girls from age 7 up anytime he pleased. Used his so-called religion to look respectable but everyone women and child knew his crimes that probably went on for 40 years as all govt. officials looke the other way .Probably paid off with favors or money.
This is where our govt is today also. Most do no work.Have insider trading rights,but not the public. Exempted all civil service worker from having to take Obama care the day after it was passed into law .They are only it the job to get rich and please the lobbiest. All lobbiest should be BANNED from entering any govt. facility that conducts business and law fro the USA,s pop. Lobbiest are only good for the Corp. and the govt. official making the behind closed door deal. Wake up all 25-30 year old people take back your country or in 5-10 you are going to live like a 3rd world nation. The eath and all our resources are dieing the rich can buy an island and are doing so when they are finished raping our nation.
Did you really say” Men doing as they please and women and children suffering because their leaders corrupt all the officials with favors and money and all the men play God.” I agree with the issue about children -but not with adult women. Adult women in this country have option to leave the polygamist at any time. I have no idea why they stay in the polygamist relationship. I guess that their 1st Amendment right. But you know who abuse women-TPs and Repubs. Once they see their wives have wrinkles they dump them. These are same people who preach family values. Remember when you divorce the children are the ones who suffer most. But again I don’t why women vote for Repubs and TPs where they are valued as human; but as token. I am not a woman, please tell me why stand to be abused by GOP men.
What planet are you from?
Obviously you have never known ONE Polygamists wife, and know her abuse. Married at age 8- secluded until he died two years ago, now at age 57 , alone in the back hills with an adult daughter, who was his wife s well, plus his wives in Utah. She was a token wife, prisoned for all 50 years.
Uneducated , alone, with a adult retarded child> Now wouldn’t you like to meet her and take care of her animal life?
and Obama is above all that because he is a democrap ?and he is seemingly encouraging the same treatment and sharia law?
You cannot have thought out your response. Most of the women in those communities have many children. The children become their lives. Also most mothers have a very strong maternal connection to their children willing to suffer abuse just to be with them. Once someone leaves the church they have no access to their children. The other mothers take over raising them and the abuse often gets worse. Yes they are adult women but you have no idea the level of intimation that occurs. Most women who do want to leave have to be smuggled out. The police and local governments are filled with church leaders who enforce church rules over constitutional laws. That’s means women do not get to see their children.
I totally agree with you Masanja! They are DEVIENTS! PERIOD!!
Nothing like that in third world country! It exist mostly in civilized country under the name of the freedom, or under the name of religion.
Roland, Mitt Romney isn’t a member of the fundamentalist Mormon church. But who cares when political demagoguery is so much more fun?
Those “CAMPS” probably ate a Mittens SLUMNY hotel chain that didn’t go bankrupt like the other 200 that did!!! Grandson of a polygamist from meheeko.
I thought polygamy was illegal in the United States?
How can polygamy be illegal if homosexuality is legal?
Good question! If those involved are consenting adults it should be legal. Child rape and pedaphila should remain illeagal and the penalties hardened. Monogamy is a relative new idea in the world. Governments should get out of the marriage business. Adults should be free to make any partnership contracts they want.
GOOD, now go after the Islam Muslims and the weapon hiding mosques and training camps…
not to mention their 4 wives and child brides..
I agree. They try and implement sect laws wherever they live to continue some of the same traditions that the Mormons are doing. The islamics also stash weapons for later jahad use.this has been discovered in several other countries already.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints does NOT condone Polygamy! If you want to make comments please make informed one’s. By the way there is no such thing as the Mormon church. That word was a slur nick name that should only be used by religious BIGOTS. Informed people should refer to them as Latter Day Saints or just Saints. The polygamous call themselves fundamentalist Latter Day Saints. They have no more to do with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints than the Southern Baptists have to the Roman Catholic Church.
Sorry! We gotta go after the white folk only. Imports are OK as it is their “culture” and they don’t need to assimilate. Yet they will take our free housing, IBT, and WIC cards. You know female genital multilation, choking your kids when they do wrong. Freedom of religion! We are sewing our on seeds of destruction.
Why are they picking on these fringe Mormon groups while the US government is funding, feeding, clothing, housing and educating millions of Muslims with multiple wives and children ??????
Could it be because these groups are using local government to break the law under the color of law?
Still, our government shouldn’t be helping any Muslims in America except those CITIZENS entitled to aid.
yes,
they are using out laws as interpreted by
Obama and the progressives to bury US..
Google:
Cloward and Piven Strategy
to get an idea of the plan..
btw, NAMBLA is celebrating..
Muslim Professor: Marriage has No Age Barrier and
Muslims Have No Need to be Ashamed about Sex with Children
http://freedomoutpost.com/muslim-professor-marriage-has-no-age-barrier-and-muslims-have-no-need-to-be-ashamed-about-sex-with-children/ …
they can all move to Saudi Arabia,
or anywhere in the Middle East,
ps, they are tearing Africa asunder as well..
what’s the UN doing you might ask? hah!
they are “a sharia compliant world body”..
their job is to do lunch and observe massacres. and
humanitarian crisis’, then talk about how broke they are
and what they aren’t going to do about it, because nothing
is what they actually do the best.. ./s
We would never tolerate a bunch of Moslems with their bag lady harem in tow, why these inbred mutants? HBO/Big Love happy blabber aside, they are aberrations and if the government is going to pick and choose which laws to ignore, we should get to ignore the ones we don’t like as well.
we may not tolerate, but that
doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist..
we even have Sharia Law in US Courts
(and a whole lot more), Google it..
also Google:
Speaker Pelosi: Stand Up for Muslim
Women, Not Islamists Like Rauf!
via Pajamas Media 9/05/10
[A large majority of America’s Muslims, women and girls,
are living under sharia laws. Stripped of their human dignity.]
Polygamist, Muslims, How is it that we condemn Polygamist ? Yet we seemingly embrace A more violent race of people who commit atrocities more heinous then Polygamist. Seems to me polygamist just want to be left alone. While Muslims want nothing more than the total destruction of America. Our president and his cohorts in congress are well on their way to commit treason. What is their agenda? And why?
These people are not the original “Mormons” and should not be connected. There are many different “cults” claiming to be “Mormons. Even the Utah Mormons are not original and changed the “rules” when they moved from Nauvoo to Utah. Even The Book of MORMON has been abridged or changed from the original.
that is true..
just as Islam allegedly has
different cults, so do Mormons..
again, Google for info, ie:
Q:Do Mormons have multiple wives?
A: Mormons do not practice polygamy. The practice of polygamy is strictly prohibited in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Mormons believe God’s standard of marriage is monogamy, or marriage between one man and one woman.
Mormons are way ahead of the Islamic communities..
Moron is a false religion and so is islam.
Are these two towns private towns? Do they receive funding from the federal or state government? If this is a private religious community the residents may have the right to restrict access to outsiders, but if the towns are receiving public funds they have to abide by public laws. Communes are treated differently than regular neighborhoods.
We are seeing another example where people’s faith is not compatible with societal laws. A judge will not have to sort it all out. It will be interesting to see if the judge can come up with a solution that will please all parties or if this will get appealed.
Google:
are FLDS federally funded?
and.or
federal funding of FLDS
also Google:
are Islamic enclaves federally funded?
and/or
federal funding of islamic enclaves
so what about this http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=0R81h6rWgtU
THANK YOU!
new here, didn’t know one could post links..
ergot.. here’s another one: “Muslimville”
2/10/16
What is it like to live in Hamtramck, Michigan
– the first Muslim majority city in the USA
http://www.familysecuritymatters.org/blog/detail/what-is-it-like-to-live-in-hamtramck-michigan-the-first-muslim-majority-city-in-the-usa#ixzz3znYSvVxi …
also:
11/11/15
New Muslim Majority City Council in Michigan Warns,
“Today, we show the [non-Muslims] and everybody else”
http://freedomoutpost.com/2015/11/new-muslim-majority-city-council-in-michigan-warns-today-we-show-the-non-muslims-and-everybody-else/
btw: we also have Shari Law, a Federal
Sharia Judge, and much much more..
10/18/15
Federal Sharia Judge Colleen McMahon
Rules Muslims Get Special Privileges
http://freedomoutpost.com/2015/10/federal-sharia-judge-colleen-mcmahon-rules-muslims-get-special-privileges/
my previous reply is on hold..
meantime:
Barack Obama Orders U.S. Military
To Sharia Law During Ramadan,
http://www.inquisitr.com/1342227/barack-obama-orders-u-s-military-to-sharia-law-during-ramadan-christians-express-disdain/
and from all i can garner, i believe the video may be fake so to speak, i
don’t think we’ll ever know until they announce we are now the Ummah
States of Allah, as we have been stealthily infiltrated over the past few
decades at the very least..Google: youtube, 4 star admiral slams obama
It’s Satan at work again. Dark, evil, disgusting and deplorable. Hiding in a cloak of deceit using the Almighty.
it,s satan for sure that deceives the whole world..if you,re deceived you don,t know it..this goes for most christians
& certainly those satanic murderer islamic religion completely brain washed & deceived moon god worshippers
Can I move there ? with 4 old ladies I would not have to work , I could keep one home to polish my motorcycles and get the other 3 working as dancers . I could live like a king !
Well my opinion is that the laws of the land should be administered by law enforcement officials, those who break the law should be reprimanded by the courts. And those in charge of enforcing the laws that fail to do their jobs should loose their position, and that starts at the president and on down the chain. Enough of officials only upholding the laws they like and ignoring the ones they don’t. That also includes the president and on down.
State rights Utah not my problem. we tend to have too much federal stuff butting into States rights.
If the allegations are true (incest, polygamy, rape, etc.), then the state is justified in making sure the law enforcement officers in these towns aren’t looking the other way in the face of these crimes. The children have a right to grow up in a decent community, free of abuse, early ‘marriage’, and forced labor that is overly demanding for children. The women in the community may agree to some of this, however, the chance that a few do not and feel compelled by the community culture requires that the state investigate. It may seem as if what 3-4 or more consenting adults do doesn’t matter, but in the end, it’s the children you have to make sure are safe, and these communities have lots of kids. Law enforcement shouldn’t be complicit with child abuse, even if they share the same religion and beliefs.
I am in no way allowing for child molesting. But the Federal Courts and US Supreme Court have ruled that same-sex marriage is okay. So how much longer until one man two women or two men one woman is also allowed. The US Courts have opened a can of worms by throwing out the traditional marriage laws. I’m sure that lawyers are preparing all sorts of ‘deviants are okay’ lawsuits to fight all existing marriage laws. Just wait and see!!
Why don’t they just lower the legal age to 16?
These men are vile and have been tolerated for years. Their town officials are the men. See how that works?
This story is as old as civilization. A few corrupt people gain power, are ignored by most people who just want to be left alone and the whole system collapses of it’s own corruption. May Jeffs and his ilk rot in jail.