Back to the beginning
While we wait for the supremes to rule, we might as well go back to the beginning and remember how it all started.
A long, long time ago, a crazy lady in Colorado Springs placed a call -- 16 calls actually -- to the NewBridge Family Shelter in San Angelo. Help! she said.
Rozita Swinton laid out quite a story, according to an April 16 Arrest Warrant issued by the Colorado Springs Police Department. Here is the pertinent section. I have excerpted names of shelter employees who took her calls as well as telephone numbers:
''On April 13, 2008, I was contacted by Sergeant Hugh Velasquez regarding information he had obtained from Sergeant Sean Mandel. Sergeant Mandel told Sergeant Velasquez he had been contacted by Texas Rangers in regard to their investigation into the Yearning for Zion (YFZ) Ranch. Sergeant Mandel related Texas Ranger Brooks Long had advised he had two cellular telephone number listings from Colorado Springs area (numbers deleted by me). Sergeant Mandel was aware that the phone number (deleted by me) that was possibly related to the reporting party for the YFZ Ranch incident in Eldorado, Texas, was also identified in a prior CSPD case report.
''On April 14, 2008, I spoke with Texas Ranger Long and confirmed telephone number (deleted) was in fact a local Colorado Springs telephone number associated with Rozita Swinton. I informed Ranger Long that Rozita Swinton was known to make false reports of sexual abuse to the police and other agencies. The Texas Rangers advised they would be responding to Colorado Springs to conduct further investigation.
''Texas Ranger Philip Kemp, a certified peace officer in the state of Texas, advised he had been provided information by Ranger Long that a series of telephone calls were made to the Newbridge Family Shelter beginning March 29, 2008, by a female who identified herself as Sarah Barlow with a date of birth of January 13, 1992. During the calls from March 29, 2008 and March 30, 2008, Sarah Barlow stated she had a baby that was approximately eight (8) months old and was also currently pregnant with another child.
"Sarah Barlow identified her 'husband,' the father of the baby, as Dale Barlow. Dale Barlow was described as a white male that was forty-nine (49) years of age.
''Sarah Barlow described Dale Barlow as both physically and sexually abusive towards her. Sarah Barlow stated that she and Dale Barlow were currently residing at the Yearn For Zion Ranch located in Schleicher County, Texas, approximately three (3) miles northeast of Eldorado, Texas. Sarah Barlow would occasionally cry during conversations with the Family Shelter Crisis Hotline call takers. Sarah Barlow desired to leave the YFZ Ranch compound, but stated to call takers (names deleted) that if she were caught, she would be locked in her room and not allowed to eat.
''Texas Ranger Kemp was provided a copy of a report by Texas Ranger Long that had been written by Schleicher County (Texas) Deputy Sheriff John Conner, a peace officer certified by the state of Texas. The report indicated that a female caller identified as Sandra Woodward from Monroe, Washington, had contacted the Schleicher County (Texas) Sheriff's Office and advised she had been in telephone contact with a female claiming to be Sarah Barlow, age sixteen (16).
To be continued . . .
A long, long time ago, a crazy lady in Colorado Springs placed a call -- 16 calls actually -- to the NewBridge Family Shelter in San Angelo. Help! she said.
Rozita Swinton laid out quite a story, according to an April 16 Arrest Warrant issued by the Colorado Springs Police Department. Here is the pertinent section. I have excerpted names of shelter employees who took her calls as well as telephone numbers:
''On April 13, 2008, I was contacted by Sergeant Hugh Velasquez regarding information he had obtained from Sergeant Sean Mandel. Sergeant Mandel told Sergeant Velasquez he had been contacted by Texas Rangers in regard to their investigation into the Yearning for Zion (YFZ) Ranch. Sergeant Mandel related Texas Ranger Brooks Long had advised he had two cellular telephone number listings from Colorado Springs area (numbers deleted by me). Sergeant Mandel was aware that the phone number (deleted by me) that was possibly related to the reporting party for the YFZ Ranch incident in Eldorado, Texas, was also identified in a prior CSPD case report.
''On April 14, 2008, I spoke with Texas Ranger Long and confirmed telephone number (deleted) was in fact a local Colorado Springs telephone number associated with Rozita Swinton. I informed Ranger Long that Rozita Swinton was known to make false reports of sexual abuse to the police and other agencies. The Texas Rangers advised they would be responding to Colorado Springs to conduct further investigation.
''Texas Ranger Philip Kemp, a certified peace officer in the state of Texas, advised he had been provided information by Ranger Long that a series of telephone calls were made to the Newbridge Family Shelter beginning March 29, 2008, by a female who identified herself as Sarah Barlow with a date of birth of January 13, 1992. During the calls from March 29, 2008 and March 30, 2008, Sarah Barlow stated she had a baby that was approximately eight (8) months old and was also currently pregnant with another child.
"Sarah Barlow identified her 'husband,' the father of the baby, as Dale Barlow. Dale Barlow was described as a white male that was forty-nine (49) years of age.
''Sarah Barlow described Dale Barlow as both physically and sexually abusive towards her. Sarah Barlow stated that she and Dale Barlow were currently residing at the Yearn For Zion Ranch located in Schleicher County, Texas, approximately three (3) miles northeast of Eldorado, Texas. Sarah Barlow would occasionally cry during conversations with the Family Shelter Crisis Hotline call takers. Sarah Barlow desired to leave the YFZ Ranch compound, but stated to call takers (names deleted) that if she were caught, she would be locked in her room and not allowed to eat.
''Texas Ranger Kemp was provided a copy of a report by Texas Ranger Long that had been written by Schleicher County (Texas) Deputy Sheriff John Conner, a peace officer certified by the state of Texas. The report indicated that a female caller identified as Sandra Woodward from Monroe, Washington, had contacted the Schleicher County (Texas) Sheriff's Office and advised she had been in telephone contact with a female claiming to be Sarah Barlow, age sixteen (16).
To be continued . . .
13 Comments:
''Sarah Barlow described Dale Barlow as both physically... abusive towards her... she would be locked in her room and not allowed to eat.
Oh my! That looks like a life threatening situation to both a mother and unborn child that was left unattended for FIVE DAYS!
While things are slow, ask any Tx Attorney you know if it is SOP for a Judge to SIGN placement orders after a verbal custody order given from the bench, but before a written custody order is signed.
If we had a copy of that Temp. Custody order, we might know if it came before or after that Placement order, which we do know was signed April 22nd.
The procedure using that bench order to justify the written Placement order MIGHT be an acceptable procedure, but it was not how the CPS legal crew tried to explain the chronological sequence of those events when they responded to the first Writ request filed by TRLA at the 3rd, nor what the Footnotes in both the TRLA's Amended Writ and the 3rd's Opinion tells us.
Did the Texas Rangers office and the State of Texas KNOW in ADVANCE this call was not coming from the YFZ Ranch?
Did they know in advance that the caller was a false reporter?
"Did the Texas Rangers office and the State of Texas KNOW in ADVANCE this call was not coming from the YFZ Ranch?"
There is mounting evidence that supports this theory. Why did the Texas Rangers have the court record of Rozita Swinton sealed? Who posted her $20,000 bail bond? Where is she now and why aren't these and other answers forthcoming?
The Texas Rangers and their cohorts (Judge Walther, CPS, Sheriff Doran etc.) in Eldorado and San Angelo need to give us answers to thes questions and much more. Their "pending" investigation and "person of interet" excusues are getting old and very suspicious . . .
So in the days of caller ID, call tracing, technology abound, no one could figure out this was a sick lady? Does not give a citizen much faith in our system, does it? Whose next ~ the grocery delivery guy is abusing the little old lady he delivers to? Lock up the whole store and take all the children on a phone call? My heart hurts.
Bogus. The technology has existed.
I am now TOTALLY convinced they knew of this person, who she was and where she was calling from.
I am a communications engineer and have set up 911 centers and worked with law enforcement needs in communications.
The data is right in front of their eyes AND THEY KNOW IT. The only way this information would not be used in advance is if it is INTENTIONALLY. That is they KNEW this.
Smacks of a bigoted CONSPIRACY.
WHERE IS THE 'FREE' PRESS TO NAIL THEM ON THIS? ARE THEY ALREADY 'OWNED' BY LAW ENFORCEMENT?
"WHERE IS THE 'FREE' PRESS TO NAIL THEM ON THIS?"
Well Brooke, it looks like you have a new assignment. File a "Freedom of Information Act" lawsuit to unseal the Rozita case file. Find out who posted bail and why. Investigate the Rozita-Flora connection and the Texas Ranger cover-up.
You can do it Brooke--go get that Pulitzer . . .
Brooke, I whole heartedly agree with Socrates. I would like to see you do this. I would like you to unearth the truth about what happened.
I also agree with Socrates in that it could be Pulitzer material.
Polygamy IS the NEXT CIVIL RIGHTS BATTLE.
The state of Texas will pay heavily with lawsuits but where is the TRUTH? Where is the truth of what actually happened? Why is the record sealed?
What was the involvement was Flora Jessop or Carolyn Jessop? Are there civil suits heading their way too?
PLEASE DO NOT LET THEM COVER THIS UP AND SWEEP IT UNDER THE CARPET.
It is no longer 1953. We live in an age of knowledge and information. The average American needs to KNOW what happened. So do we.
Brooke, please go visit Rozita Swinton and get her backstory!!! You might also consider filing open records requests with Schleicher County and Texas authorities about their pre-raid planning and investigation.
The SL Trib is the only paper out there with the resources and skill to get that story. If y'all don't tell it, I doubt anybody will - at least not until some future criminal prosecution when the search warrant is challenged in court.
Also, re: the question from ramblings - They did know the calls came from pre-paid cell phones with Colorado Springs area codes. Combined with having spoken to Dale Barlow in Arizona, that sounds like they had at least clues the caller wasn't at the ranch. FWIW, Brooke figured it out nearly immediately, which is why IMO she should be the one to follow up the story.
Plural Man,
What does a 911 center have to do with being able to trace the call?
The calls did not come into 911 - they came into shelter centers, many of which intentionally do not want caller ID or traceback information available for caller anonymity.
Law enforcement got the numbers from the center - and a prepaid Colorado Springs number would not necessarily arouse much suspicion, especially since it was known in 2004 that the FLDS had purchased land in Colorado. Even looking at a map wouldn't have meant much - the area code boundary is just to the east of the Colorado FLDS compound.
Finally, the records were sealed in accordance with the law - and are being unsealed in the same manner.
For pete's sake, stop being so hysterical - we're only going after the ones that are breaking the law...
Oh, would that include you too?
When people, like you, trample the constitution, I get upset.
You are good at excuses for those who trample rights.
So who will go after Walther for defying the Texas Supreme Court ruling?
I KNOW it would not be you.
LOL at Felony Man.
There is nothing to go after her for...
Until she is presented with a signed (by all 38) copy of the order vacating the ERO/TCO, mandamus won't attach.
She is still in compliance with both the SCOT and the 3COA.
Remember, pissing on the bench may feel good for a minute or two, 'til the gavel hits you...
The TRLA lawyers should have had there stuff together.
"Until she is presented with a signed (by all 38) copy of the order vacating the ERO/TCO, mandamus won't attach."
The 3rdCoA directed her to vacate the order because she abused her discretion in failing to make findings according to statute. They didn't tell her to modify the order and keep it in force until the 38 mothers comply with her conditions. If that's what they'd meant they would have said so.
Mandamus will attach when Balovich secures the writ Monday.
When is Rozita's next court date?
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