• Salt Lake City: Partly Cloudy 49°
partlycloudy
Deseret News
Home
  • Login/Register
    • Mobile
    • Mobile Site
    • Text Version
    • Mobile Apps
Powered by YAHOO! SEARCH
  • News
  • Sports
  • Moneywise
  • Opinion
  • Faith
  • Family
  • Obituaries
    • Classifieds
    • Cars
    • Jobs
    • Deals
powered by ksl.com
  • Utah
  • World & Nation
  • Politics
  • Business
  • More News
    • Education
    • Salt Lake County
    • Utah County
    • Davis County
    • Police/Courts
    • Legislature
    • Weather
    • Immigration
    • News Wire
Advertise with usReport this ad

Leach family, relatives of Josh Powell, release statement

  • Print
  • Font [+] [-]
  • 8 Comments »

Published: Wednesday, Feb. 8 2012 8:54 a.m. MST

More Coverage
  • Powell call:'I'm afraid for their lives'

Statement from Maurice and Patti Leach, February 7, 2012:

We are grievously saddened at the loss that the Cox and Powell families have suffered. There is no justification for the loss of two innocent children, Charles and Braden.

Josh had asked us to step in and offer our support in helping him as the next patriarchs of the family with the absence of Steve, his father. We were also asked by Josh if we would offer a safe haven for his sons should the need arise; our answer was absolutely yes.

We felt that Josh represented himself using a great deal of restraint with patience and dignity at his children's custody hearing, even though it did not work out in his favor. Our family's suggestions to Josh both before and after the hearing were that if he had any credible facts, no matter how disturbing, he should present it so that due process would be possible. We believe that Josh continued to use this restraint because of the fear of losing his sons and the love he had for all of his family members that he so desperately tried to protect.

When we arrived in the state of Washington we believed in America's legal system. After witnessing how broken the system was and the events that took place before our eyes, both inside the court room and outside, we left for home in disillusionment of the legal system and concern for our family's posterity.

In our hearts and minds we feel that this family tragedy was set into motion from the beginning due in part to the various questionable government agencies' practices, religious bias, the internet kangaroo courts, and sensationalized news media, all of whom have circumvented the laws that protect all of our rights to due process. We believe that the stewardship of the responsibilities that have been entrusted to those organizations and individuals has been completely compromised.

America, this is not only a tragedy, Sunday was a dark day for all of our families.

Uncle Maurice, Aunt Patti

P.S. Josh, Susan, Charles, and Braden, you will always remain in our hearts.

Related Stories
  • Powell call:'I'm afraid for their lives'

Featured Comments

See all 8 comments »
geedub
Santee, CA

I certainly wouldn't admit that I was related to Josh Powell, let alone defend him. At the very least he murdered two innocent children. How and why could you defend that person.

  • 12:09 p.m. Feb. 8, 2012
  • Top comment
MrsH
Altamont, UT

This whole family has a really skewed perspective.

  • 10:15 a.m. Feb. 8, 2012
  • Top comment
Lady Caroline Lamb
Provo, UT

While media witch hunts are a very real and devastating thing, this was not the case of Josh Powell. We can only be grateful that here, journalism did what it does best-reports disturbing events so that we don't become complacent with the evil in our More..

  • 12:05 p.m. Feb. 8, 2012
  • Top comment
Comments
Leave a comment »

DeseretNews.com encourages a civil dialogue among its readers. We welcome your thoughtful comments.
— About comments

Advertise with usReport this ad
What You May Have Missed
  • No kid is an island: homeschool co-ops give social opportunities to children who learn at home
  • Life of prayer: Attitudes and beliefs about prayer evolve in old age
  • Watch a video tribute to Sister Frances J. Monson
Sample morning edition email
Advertise with usReport this ad
Most Popular
Across Site
In Utah
  • Davis County honor student arrested in deaths...
  • Letters to family show Steven Powell still...
  • Police locate West Point teen called 'person...
  • Josh Powell made 'admission of guilt' in...
  • Stump the Smith: Can you answer the questions...
  • Chaffetz not willing to take impeachment off...
  • Steven Powell can't go back to his home,...
  • ESPN trivia guru: University of Utah graduate...
  • Sister Frances J. Monson's legacy of love...
  • LDS Church responds to Boy Scouts of...
  • Davis County honor student arrested in deaths...
  • Letters to family show Steven Powell still...
  • Police locate West Point teen called 'person...
  • Live streaming: Frances J. Monson funeral
  • Abercrombie & Fitch CEO posts statement on...
  • Woman uses public punishment to teach a...
Get The Deseret News Everywhere

Subscribe

Mobile

Facebook

Twitter

RSS

Email

Most Commented
Across Site
In Utah
  • Chaffetz not willing to take... 60
  • Mia Love announces she's officially... 43
  • S.L. draws up airport plans 33
  • Couples registry gets preliminary nod... 29
  • XanGo co-founder accuses partners of... 24
  • 'We're here to serve all boys,' Utah... 23
  • Search for Susan Cox Powell is over,... 21
  • Gov. Gary Herbert tells Washington... 17
  • Letters: No welfare, ever 77
  • Mitt Romney talks IRS, AP records,... 67
  • Chaffetz not willing to take... 60
  • High school baseball: 5A, 4A state... 56
  • Defending the Faith: A case for the... 44
  • Mia Love announces she's officially... 43
  • BYU baseball: Cougars upset No. 13... 42
  • 'Tattooed Mormon' Al Fox shares her... 40
Advertise with usReport this ad
Advertise with usReport this ad
  • Home
  • News
  • Sports
  • Moneywise
  • Opinion
  • Faith
  • Family
  • Obituaries
Home »
  • Blogs
  • Topics
  • Lists
  • Movies
  • Columnists
  • Watch It
News »
  • Utah news
  • World & Nation
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Education
  • Salt Lake County
  • Utah County
  • Davis County
  • Police/Courts
  • Legislature
  • Weather
  • Immigration
  • News Wire
Sports »
  • Utah Jazz
  • Sports Picks
  • BYU Cougars
  • Utah Utes
  • Utah State Aggies
  • Real Salt Lake
  • Salt Lake Bees
  • High school sports
  • Rock
  • Harmon
  • Watch It
  • Scores and Stats
  • On TV
  • NFL
  • MLB
  • Weber State Wildcats
  • Grizzlies
  • Utah Valley Wolverines
  • Southern Utah University
  • Sports Wire
Opinion »
  • Editorials
  • Op-Eds
  • Letters
  • Political Cartoons
Faith »
  • Featured Faiths
  • Mormon Times
  • LDS Church News
  • Mission Reunions
  • Faith Wire
Family »
  • Marriage & Parenting
  • Family Media
  • Movie Guide
  • Calendar
  • TV Listings
  • Family Life Wire
Special Sections »
  • Education Week
  • LDS General Conference
  • Mormons in America
  • Olympics
  • Outdoor Retailer
  • Rugby
  • Sports Picks
  • Sundance Film Festival
  • Utah Blaze
  • Utah Grizzlies
  • Print Subscription
  • About us
  • Contact us
  • FAQ
  • Feedback
  • Jobs
  • RSS
  • E-Edition
  • Privacy policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Legal notices
  • Advertise with us
Advertise with usReport this ad