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FLDS's Barlow says he's wrong guy

Although I do not share the beliefs of the FLDS and adamantly oppose the idea of underage marriages, etc., I find this massive law enforcement operation to raid homes, search religious structures, and remove children from families based on the uncorroborrated claim of one anonymous complainant to be a frightening precedent. Having worked with many law enforcement agents and officers, I am very familiar with the criminal standards of reasonable suspicion and probable cause that are used in affidavits to support search and arrest warrants. I can think of no case I was ever involved with where a judge would have authorized even a search of a computer, let alone a home or religious structure, based on uncorroborated claims of an anonymous complainant. If I call the police anonymously and claim my neighbor has child porn on his computer, would that be probable cause to justify a search warrant of my neighbor's home? No, unless I was willing to identify myself and testify as to how I know about the child porn and offer some corroborrative evidence or other witnesses. Was there any evidence of abuse in any of the families separated in TX justifying a sweeping raid? No.

How typical that the authorities screw things up this badly.

Hey, that's right! O.J. was the wrong guy, too!

Let's get the right men and help these people out of a wretched situation.

How is it polygamy is against the law and yet we turn a blind eye to it?

This situation isn't right. The authorities are a bit too quick to jump and in so doing affirms what the FLDS preach.

What evidence is there that the alleged cell phone call was even made from the YFZ ranch, much less who made it? The advantage of cell phones is that they are mobile; the disadvantage is that the exact location of the phone at the time a particular call is made cannot be precisely determined.
Could this whole thing have been perpetrated by someone outside the compound who had a grudge against the FLDS community? If so, they have succeeded wildly.

Texans don't take too kindly to institutionalized child sexual abuse, assault, and incest etc. The polygamists must be asking themselves, "Why did we ever leave good old Utah?"

I was thinking about freedom in America. Lets see we went after the Mormons in Narvoo. Everyone knew what they were doing and it had to be stoped. We went after the Japanese in California. Someone said they may be spying. We went after the African-Americans because they were getting out of line.
When I look at old glory tears come to my eyes when I think what it stands for. Now we can end the religion in Elderado, Texas.

Whether or not as a society we agree with the FLDS, they do have rights, and this article indicates that they were completely abused.

Re; liberal larry- you are a liberal because you don't believe in the constitution, glad I don't live in Texas, home of the oppressed.

I would be curious to know how many of you posting today are LDS. How can you defend the rape of children under the age of 16? How can you defend the actions of FLDS? Do you truly not think the government should step in to protect children? And look at the comments we get, the government is going after them etc... Pitiful

Wake up people! Read the articles again! Listen to the newspapers. There is evidence of abuse, physical and sexual! There is strict rules that this group live by; and that is to do what ever the man says you do! This is also abuse! What they found in their "temple" just makes me sick. If you don't think there was wrong doing happening there, then take another look!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You are correct. They have rights. Even those 12-16 year-old girls have rights. I'm glad Texas has decided to preserve those rights.

Why don't they track down the phone number and who the cell phone belong to and eventually they can find the girl. I felt bad for the girl regardless what happened. She needs to be protected and authority needs to find out from her the truth.

There is no evidence that the FLDS church did anything wrong. People form texas like to jump to conclusions, like Iraq and George Bush.

The FLDS are weird so they must be doing something wrong, right? Maybe but we can't just take their children away based upon one phone call, that was most likely a prank. Americans have rights so stuff like this shouldn't happen, it is sad when fear is used to take away constitutional rights.

Why go back to the original accusation (If it's wrong) when they've found what the found! My goodness! They went in from a tip and found terrible abuse and took steps to help it. Why would anybody consider the rights of this group when they have taken away so many rights of young people?

Defending FLDS... ?
I just don't get how a society claims to protect children, and then all your posts are about breaking up the family. The church already broke up the family.

Those women and children and babies have constitutional rights too. They have the right to life liberty and the pursuit of happiness. I don't think being raped and beaten and water tortued fits those standards. Those men need to be sitting in prison. Way to go Texas!!! Shame on Utah and Arizona!!!

Honestly, using their informant who told them about the wedding bed, or even past practice as the benefit of a doubt they could have gotten a warrant to go in and inspect the children ensuring that none were abused or pregnant.

Guess what?

They were.

sounds like this Judge Walker needs to learn her real limits and not made up ones.

Who is the "right" 50yo man to be married to a 16yo and breaking her ribs? What are these "religious" rights to force women into sexual slavery like breeding mares? Why are AZ, UT and CO still permitting organized groups of up to 100K people in compounds with armed guards on towers protecting the entrance and egress to grow?