Sifting through FLDS evidence proves to be tedious

SAN ANGELO, Texas — Texas authorities expressed frustration Monday at the slow process of sorting through all the items seized from the Fundamentalist LDS Church's ranch near here.

The Texas Supreme Court Monday assigned Court of Appeals Justice Molly Francis to review the estimated 1,000 boxes of documents and other items to determine what information could be considered private under the attorney-client privilege.

The items seized by Texas Rangers and other law enforcement officers is being held in a Department of Public Safety room in San Angelo.

"That room is floor to ceiling with boxes," explained attorney Bob Switzer, who for the past two weeks has been trying to sort through the many items for lawyers representing the FLDS Church and some of its followers.

Judge Barbara Walther held an informal hearing Monday and allowed attorneys to address the lack of progress.

Prosecutor Allison Palmer complained that during one full day, only half of one box had been inspected by two lawyers. She said attorneys for the church were slowing down the process by spending too much time analyzing the documents instead of simply determining whether the material was privileged.

Switzer insisted he is not trying to slow the process down. "There is no way to go through a box with the equivalent of 10 reams of Xerox paper and do it quickly," he said.

"The problem we have is one page may have just a paragraph or three lines that are protected, but the rest of the page isn't."

Attorney Cynthia Orr argued that she and other attorneys for the church also must review the documents while considering more than just the current case involving the custody of 462 children. Some FLDS members are involved in civil lawsuits and the FBI also seized property from the ranch and may pursue criminal charges.

"I've been so focused on this case I didn't consider other" potential legal cases, Walther said.

The judge said Francis was assessing the evidence Monday and would have a good understanding of what needs to be done. Walther said in past cases, she has conducted similar evidence reviews herself, such as in a case of sexual abuse involving the Catholic Church.

"Judges have some experience doing that and it speeds things up," she said. After this week, another judge has been lined up to replace Francis to sort through the evidence.