From Deseret News archives:
Texas Attorney General hints at bigamy prosecutions
In national TV interviews, Abbott said some women who have spoken to news reporters from the Fundamentalist LDS Church's Eldorado ranch appear to have admitted to bigamy.
"Questions were made to those women, and I think those women need to be asked some other questions," Abbott told the Fox News Channel on Wednesday. "The women were asked on national TV if they were married to men who were also married to other women. And they answered yes. That's a violation of Texas bigamy laws."
Abbott said the women have all declined to answer questions about underage marriages at the YFZ Ranch, and needed to be pressed on the issue.
The Texas Attorney General's Office would not say if it was actively pursuing a bigamy prosecution against the women, who first broke their silence in interviews with the Deseret News Saturday.
"Our office has been in frequent communication with law enforcement and prosecutors handling this case," Abbott spokesman Jerry Strickland told the Deseret News. "However, at this time we wouldn't disclose the nature of those conversations nor discuss any ongoing criminal investigations."
Texas law precludes the Attorney General's Office from getting involved in most local criminal prosecutions without a request from local prosecutors, Strickland said. The attorney general has offered its assistance to the Tom Green County District Attorney's Office, which is handling the case.
"However, we are not involved in the prosecution of any offense at this point," said Strickland.
Abbott defended the decision to remove the 416 children from the YFZ Ranch, saying the children were in immediate risk, given the allegations that young women were at risk of being sexually assaulted by older men.
In Utah, prosecutors have only charged bigamy as an enhanceable offense when pursuing crimes against polygamy. That is mostly because of legal arguments that can be made about First Amendment rights to religious freedom and the practice of plural marriage.
Utah has successfully prosecuted polygamists Tom Green and FLDS member Rodney Holm for bigamy, alongside other offenses accusing them of marriages with minors.
E-MAIL: bwinslow@desnews.com
Recent comments
what a selfish man. but also what such sad desperate woman. adultry...
amber | March 26, 2009 at 5:33 p.m.
This whole thing is simply ridiculous.
Adultery is...
Robert | May 26, 2008 at 8:31 a.m.
Being removed from my parents as a child has affected the rest of my...
joie stclair | April 17, 2008 at 9:02 p.m.
- TCU moves into 4th place in BCS 3:16 p.m.
- Alcohol suspected in Roy shooting 2:36 p.m.
- Chaplain seeks prayers for meaning 2:36 p.m.
- La. Gov. declares state of emergency 2:34 p.m.
- 'SuperFreakonomics' just as fun 1:42 p.m.
- Beck is the new Oprah for thrillers 1:34 p.m.
- Zemeckis on his 'Christmas Carol' 1:34 p.m.
- 'The American house next door' 1:10 p.m.
- Make a printed-palm tree 1:09 p.m.
- Snakeskin makes fashion statement 1:03 p.m.
- Gay advocates trek to LDS office
213 - Dirk does dirty work in Dallas
190 - House passes health care bill
180 - Lobo suspended
173 - Cougars crush hapless Cowboys
146 - Speed has never been BYU's game
136 - Utah Jazz fall apart against Kings
108 - RSL rallies to advance
103 - Thousands protest health bill
101 - Provo company innovating engines
98
Why do so many people live so close to refineries in Utah and elsewhere?
NASA's Stardust probe continues to bring new knowledge about the nature...
What?????? They Lost? No way! According to their delusional fans, it was...
15 minutes huh? Those 15 minutes for the Utes have lasted since at least...
have the "What Women Want" event. Us guys had a "What Men Want" expo years...
The harm is that we do NOT live in a Christian Theocracy so we do not need...
I personally think global warming is a bunch of bunk. If it is getting...
Everyone that doesn't have Park City connections should be rooting for...
Hey folks, why does Las Vegas think they can get water for fountains to flush...
One word sums up the "Maginot Line" of BYU football: speed. FSU and TCU have...
It's too bad that the DN didn't print the actual letter these scientists sent...
A Big Shout out to the Morgan Fans! Wow over a 5 hour drive and you still...

