From Deseret News archives:
Swinton may be witness in FLDS evidence challenge
Among those who could be witnesses at the contentious hearing: the woman who allegedly made hoax calls that sparked the raid on the polygamous sect's property in west Texas. Rozita Swinton's name appears on a list of potential witnesses subpoenaed for either testimony or documents, according to court records obtained by the Deseret News.
Lawyers for the FLDS Church and one of its leaders, Lyle Jeffs, filed the subpoena request in court in late April. Their list of possible witnesses include workers at San Angelo's New-Bridge Family Shelter, Texas Rangers involved in the initial investigation into the phone call that sparked the raid, FLDS members at the YFZ Ranch, Swinton and documents pertaining to a series of cell phone numbers linked to her.
FLDS Church attorneys recently renewed their challenge to the seizure of evidence, urging the judge to set a hearing date.
"Counsel understands this Honorable Court has been extremely busy with matters relating to the children removed from the YFZ Ranch," wrote Cynthia Orr, a San Antonio attorney for the FLDS Church and Lyle Jeffs.
They are demanding that the search warrants and evidence be tossed, questioning the grounds for the search and suggesting that anything seized may fall under priest-penitent privilege between FLDS leaders and followers.
Nearly 1,000 boxes of evidence were seized in the April raid on the YFZ Ranch. Authorities have been poring over thousands of pages of documents, including dictations by FLDS leader Warren Jeffs in which he details alleged underage marriages. Some of that evidence has become public in court records used by Texas child welfare authorities.
Swinton, 33, is considered a "person of interest" in the phone calls that launched the raid on the YFZ Ranch. In late March, someone claiming to be a pregnant 16-year-old girl named Sarah called the NewBridge Family Shelter, activists and other crisis hotlines, claiming to be in an abusive marriage to an older man named Dale Barlow. Barlow was questioned by Texas lawmen, but not charged with any crime.
Texas Child Protective Services and law enforcement went to the ranch to investigate. They never found "Sarah," but on site, they claimed to have seen other signs of child abuse that prompted a judge to order the removal of all of the children from the compound.
Recent comments
realitycheck: "do you understand that the court never said the ranch...
What the judge said | Aug. 20, 2008 at 1:39 p.m.
realitycheck, last I checked the First Amendment stated that...
realitycheckisamoron | Aug. 19, 2008 at 8:52 p.m.
yes - I understand an analogy. do you understand that the court...
realitycheck | Aug. 19, 2008 at 10:51 a.m.
- Oden hurt, done for season? 12:56 a.m.
- USU home-court streak ends 12:55 a.m.
- USU names field after Merlin Olsen 12:52 a.m.
- Utes stop Idaho State 12:51 a.m.
- Y., U. to learn bowl destinations 12:49 a.m.
- Utes' team staying well-tuned 12:48 a.m.
- Kirilenko sits, Miles improves 12:47 a.m.
- BYU basketball: Cougars crush Dons 12:38 a.m.
- Kirilenko will not play tonight 12:34 a.m.
- Surprise job comeback 12:33 a.m.
- Why is Y. ignoring spew of hatred?
309 - Letters: Liberal because LDS
247 - Y. profs: Beck not all-knowing
195 - Hate not limited to 1 in-state rivalry
189 - Aggies shoot past Cougars
179 - N.Y. Senate rejects gay marriage
128 - Unbeaten BYU takes trip to Logan
105 - George lost in rivalry hatefest
104 - Harpring's NBA career is over
94 - Ed Smart 'appalled' at testimony
90
Trolley Square's annual Holiday Open House will feature visits with...
That does it — I'm having an affair! Thanks to Tiger Woods, David...
First, a big thank you to all who posted questions here for me to ask...
We'll be watching the AGGIES in the NIT. At least BYU will BE in the NCAA....
You're right, the REFs don't care...they laugh when they leave the...
Las Vegas- Wyoming v USC Poinsettia- Air Force v Cal Armed Forces- Utah v....
Just another mental lapse. This is the NBA, this isn't a regular high school...
T-Buck, ESPN's box has CJ Miles shooting 3-for-10. Not a great deal of...
Tiger Woods used the media build up and sponsorship $$$ to attract...
Hey fellow Aggies, quit whining. We lost to the better team tonight. BYU...
I am glad the Cougars won this one too. What was the score with AZ...
More Maynor, 10 min. of Fes, we get the win. Since Jerry's extension, Fes...
Ivan--thank you buddy. It's always good to get the input of a BYU fine...



