British Columbia court quashes polygamy charges

VANCOUVER, British Columbia — A judge has quashed polygamy charges against two leaders of a polygamous community in western Canada.

British Columbia Supreme Court Judge Sunni Stromberg-Stein said Wednesday that the province's attorney general did not have the authority to appoint a second special prosecutor to consider the cases of Winston Blackmore and James Oler after the first special prosecutor had recommended against charging the two men.

The judge said the appointment of the second special prosecutor — and therefore the decision to charge the men — was "unlawful."

Authorities arrested Blackmore and Oler, who lead rival polygamous factions in Bountiful, a town in southeastern British Columbia. Blackmore was charged with marrying 20 women, and Oler was accused of marrying two women.