The Utah Court of Appeals last week overturned 5th District Court Judge James L. Shumate's decision to dismiss eight second-degree felony charges against Colorado City Mayor Terrill C. Johnson.

That means Johnson will be going to court after all on charges he falsified Utah title and vehicle registration documents by indicating he lived in Hildale.

Johnson apparently lives two blocks south of the state border, in Arizona. But he registered his vehicles in Utah and listed his address as being in Hildale.

Hildale, Utah, and Colorado City, Arizona, are home to the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

The appeals court said the state only had to show a reasonable belief that Johnson knowingly made a false statement on the vehicle registration forms, not show that he acted fraudulently or harmed the state of Utah by his acts.

The state met that requirement by showing Johnson had an Arizona drivers license, ''is or at least was'' mayor pro tem of Colorado City and is associated with a dairy in Arizona.

Johnson was able to pay lower taxes and fees by registering his vehicles in Utah, which also created an "inference of knowledge" that what he was doing was wrong, the court said.

At trial, Johnson will be ''free to argue that the statements were not false or were not knowingly false,'' the court said.

Labels: FLDS

A 5th District judge quietly signed off on a request that Elissa Wall's lawsuit against the United Effort Plan Trust be moved to Salt Lake City.

Court-appointed fiduciary Bruce R. Wisan had asked the court to either dismiss her lawsuit or move it to 3rd District Court. Judge G. Michael Westfall agreed the case should be heard in Salt Lake City, since Wall had no real reason to file it in the southern court. But he declined to dismiss it.

Wisan also wanted the case assigned to Judge Denise Lindberg, who is overseeing the UEP Trust litigation. But it landed on Judge Sandra Peuler's desk.

That's probably a good thing, since Wall's lawsuit could prove to be an all-out war between Wisan and her attorneys, Roger and Greg Hoole. As far as I can tell, the gloves are off after Wisan rejected Wall's multimillion dollar settlement offer.

On Tuesdsay, Wall's attorneys had a bailiff hand subpoenas to nine FLDS members who showed up at the sentencing of sect leader Warren S. Jeffs. It was somewhat of a random affair since some of the subpoenas had blank spaces for names -- which were filled in when the attorneys saw who showed up for the hearing.

Among those who were handed subpoenas: Lamar Johnson, Lindsey Barlow, Rodney Holm and Marianne Holm Johnson.

Greg Hoole told me the FLDS nine will be deposed in December, describing it as a ''very gentle, short deposition'' to see what they know about the former UEP trustees. Most of those trustees are in hiding. Warren, of course, is now living at the Utah State Prison in Draper.

You have to wonder whether there will be any one in the community who is not dragged one way or another into court before this is all over.

Labels: Elissa Wall, FLDS, UEP

While watching Oprah's show about polygamy on Friday, I had several ''Aha!'' moments of my own.

The first came as Oprah referred repeatedly to the FLDS' ''1800s'' dresses.

OK, I've used the descriptor ''ankle-to-wrist'' dresses and clothing, too, when writing about the FLDS.

But wait a minute.

Would Oprah make similarly disparaging comments about:

An Islamic woman clothed in a hajib or burqa? Especially a grown woman who made that clothing choice, as many Islamic women do?

A nun wearing a habit?

An Amish young woman wearing a dark, single colored, zipperless dress, apron and cap?

A Mennonite? A Mormon clad in to-the-knee jeans or elbow or wrist length dresses and shirts that covers sacred undergarments?

Religious motivations underlie all of these clothing styles, just as they do for the FLDS. And someone told them, just as someone told the FLDS, that was the preferred way for them to dress.

The FLDS dress style is a uniform that indicates a religiously motivated modesty and sign of membership in a certain faith.

My next ''Aha'' moment came when reporter Lisa Ling made much ado about a vehicle honking its horn as it passed her camera crew while they filmed Carolyn Jessop outside a home in FLDS community.

Actually, the first vehicle to make a noise, apparently scaring the heck out of Ling and her support staff, was a black truck parked just yards away from them. Its windows were tinted so it was impossible to see if anyone was inside it.

But it sure looked to me like the panic alarm had been set off by a cameraman who strayed too close to the truck. The vehicle's hazard lights were flashing as the horn honked rhythmically and then went silent.

Moments later a woman drove by in a van and honked her horn. And Ling said that drivers of other passing vehicles were glaring at them.

My question: What would Oprah do?

What would Oprah do if a news crew showed up about once a week outside her home and rushed her in search of a comment or filmed her desperate attempts to go about her life without the unwanted intrusion?

For that matter, what would Anderson Cooper do? Or Mark Shurtleff, if a crew camped outside his home every week or so and attempted to film or photograph his children as they played?

What would I do? What would you do?

Wait a second. We know what celebrities do. They get restraining orders against the paparazzi and stalkers that bother them. And I know what I would do: Call the police.

Once again, I have to say the Tribune is not without fault. Trent Nelson, the photographer who works with me on most polygamy reports, and I have driven around the twin towns and tried to capture images of the FLDS going about their lives. I have often felt uncomfortable about it and know Trent has, too. But that has not stopped us.

Aha moments are all about examining what you think or feel about something.

My third ''Aha'' moment came as I listened to Carolyn Jessop make an argument to decriminalize polygamy. Carolyn Jessop! Whose book about escaping from the FLDS is on its way to becoming a bestseller! Carolyn Jessop, a leading member of the state's Safety Net committee, which has steadfastly refused to even discuss the issue! Carolyn Jessop, making the same argument defenders of the lifestyle have been making for years.

Carolyn Jessop said that decriminalizing polygamy would be the best way to lessen pressure on those who live the lifestyle and coax them into participating more fully in the wider society. That way, she said, they and their children would be more freely exposed to other opportunities in life and social service and law enforcement might be better able to address unlawful practices, such as a child abuse.

Aha!

Labels: Carolyn Jessop, FLDS, Oprah Winfrey

I still have ''court-lag.'' After two weeks of moving back and forth between a hotel room and a court room, it is taking me some time to get going with a regular work schedule.

So here is something I first started thinking about when I was in St. George covering Warren's trial.

We heard a lot about ''keep sweet,'' a favorite saying of Rulon Jeffs, Warren's father and the former FLDS prophet.

Here is how Rulon Jeffs described the meaning of keep sweet in a talk on Dec. 6, 1991, in Sandy, Utah:

''I want you all to understand the continual use of the two words ''keep sweet'' means keep the Holy Spirit of the Lord, until you are full of it. Only those who have it will survive the judgments of God which are about to be poured out without let or hindrance upon the earth, beginning at the House of God, where the Mormons are. I mean the Mormon Church, which is now apostate completely, and will never be set in order. We have the true and living Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints under our administration. And we add the word ''Fundamentalist'' in order to distinguish the true Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from the name of the one that now is a complete gentile sectarian church. The Lord has rejected it.''

Well, he went a bit beyond the meaning of ''keep sweet,'' didn't he?

In 1994, again in Sandy, Rulon Jeffs said: ''Keeping sweet no matter what is a matter of life or death as we approach the day of the great judgments that are to go over the earth. . . Let us get it and keep it. You don't turn it off and on. It must be a permanent thing in our very nature, and a part of our character. The attributes of the Holy Spirit of God are what make God what He is. God is Priesthood; Priesthood is God with us, represented by his servant.''

Rulon Jeffs got a litte more focused on Jan. 28, 1996, when he spoke in Colorado City, Ariz., to the FLDS faithful about ''keep sweet.'' He said:

''Dear brothers and sisters, in bringing forth this statement which I borrowed from the Prophet John Y. Barlow: ''Keep sweet no matter what,'' we are here to become like God so that we can stand in His presence. We must be full of the same Spirit that our Father in heaven has, and that governs and directs all of the Gods. The Holy Spirit of God has all the attributes of God. If we have it sufficiently, we are like God, and we will love Him with all of our heart, might, mind, and strength, and our neighbor as ourselves. I pray that we may all have sufficient of that Holy Spirit of God that we may be caught up when the judgments go forth upon the land and the whole earth. Keep sweet! That is the bottom line.''

Labels: FLDS, Rulon Jeffs

Iron bars do not a prison make, nor can they curb a communal yen and habit ingrained from long years in the austere and foreboding red cliffs of northern Arizona.

That is from the Salt Lake Telegram, March 9, 1944.

Now, 63 years later, it is fair to say those words are prophetic.

That was the lede of a story describing how ''fundamentalists'' incarcerated on federal and state charges were sharing duties while housed at the Salt Lake County Jail.

I was looking through this and other old newspaper clips as I worked on today's story about what the incarceration of Warren Jeffs might mean for his community. Based on the past, the answer is: Not much.

In 1944, 46 ''cultists'' entered not guilty pleas on charges related to their practice of polygamy. Vergel Y. Jessop, a ''curly-haired and sharp-chinned farmer from Short Creek, Ariz.,'' was quoted as saying: ''It may cost some of us a term (in jail) but our spirits are high.''

J. Marion Hammon, who was director of a cooperative farm at Short Creek –- now the twin towns of Hildale, Utah, and Colorado City, Ariz., said this as he was booked into jail: ''There is little doubt but that this will work our favorably for us.''

Some 40 years later, Hammon would led a defection from that community and set up Centennial Park, Ariz.

One of the most striking passages I read in the old clips had to do with comments made by women in defense of their lifestyle.

A reporter visited Rhea Kunz in her jail cell, which she shared with plural wife Mary Beth Barlow Cleveland. Kunz was described as a descendant of four generations of plural marriage practitioners.

Here is a bit of that interview, by Cristie Wicker:

Her life has been bound by its teachings and it is her belief that she comprehends to its fullest the core of her religion, which is to 'multiply and replenish the earth.'

Noting that in the particular group of which she is a member, the decision rests entirely with the wives as to whether they are desirous of bearing childen, she explained: ''You may think that plural marriage can be stamped out, but it cannot be, because it is right. Our purpose and fundamental belief in its practice is to have a clean and intellectual, as well as spiritual-minded progeny, and also to provide worthy husbands for good women since regardless of wars and pestilence there have always been a surplus of worthy women.''

I heard pretty much the same thing last week in St. George, when FLDS women testified in the Warren Jeffs' trial.

Labels: FLDS, Warren Jeffs trial

There is an interesting development in the Rodney Holm case today.

Holm, a former Hildale police officer, was supposed to go trial next week in Arizona on three counts of sexual conduct with a minor based on his 1998 spiritual marriage to Ruth Stubbs, who was then 16.

But Arizona authorities have dismissed the case against him because of an extortion plot involving Stubbs.

Stubbs apparently offered to refuse to testify against Holm if an FLDS member paid her brother and another man "excessive money."

She apparently made the offer in a letter to an unnamed FLDS leader.

A description of the letter in a statement released by the Mohave County Attorney's Office is curious. It says Stubbs offer involved "certain defendants."

Stubbs also was going to testify in Arizona's cases against Warren S. Jeffs.

Labels: FLDS, Rodney Holm, Warren Jeffs

In 2002, Sam Barlow, a former Colorado City town marshal, spoke in an FLDS church meeting about the coming court battle with Utah and Arizona authorities over marriage practices.

The talk was taped so it could be shared and listened to repeatedly by faithful FLDS members. I listened to a tape of the talk and posted a transcript of it here on my blog on April 4, 2006, and April 5, 2006. You can find it in the April 2006 archives.

The marriage battle sermon, as I will call it, may be a key piece of evidence in the case against FLDS leader Warren S. Jeffs.

During a court hearing today, 5th District Judge James L. Shumate asked ex-FLDS member Richard Holm whether Jeffs "ratified" Barlow's remarks. That is, did Jeffs second or indicate his agreement with what Barlow said?

Holm, who was in court so Shumate could decide whether his testimony was relevant to the case, said that after Barlow spoke Jeffs and everyone else said, "Amen."

"The Amens were loud and ranged through the congregation,'' Holm said.

But, Shumate wondered, does ''Amen'' meet the legal definition of ratifying someone else's comments? He asked the attorneys to brief him on that issue.

Defense Attorney Wally Bugden asked Holm whether saying ''Amen'' was akin to saying ''Thank you."

''Yes, it was a very common thing to say Amen,'' Holm said.

So we may be seeing a first: A legal debate on the definition of Amen and whether saying Amen at the end of a church address means ''Thank You'' or ''Yes, I agree with everything you just said.''

In this instance, the preamble may be as noteworthy as the closing. Before Sam Barlow got up to speak, Warren Jeffs introduced him. Here is what Jeffs said:

''Our prophet and the Celestial Law, the principle of revelation, are under attack. There is a combined effort in the state of Utah and the state of Arizona to come against our prophet and this people, trying to stop the work of God. I call on Brother Sam Barlow to give this report and any instructions he feels impressed to get.''

Labels: FLDS, marriage, Sam Barlow, Warren Jeffs

Photographs from the 1953 raid on Short Creek, now the twin towns of Hildale, Utah, and Colorado City, Ariz., show men, women and children dressed like anyone else of that era.

So how did women's style of dressing evolve to the single colored, mostly pastel frocks of today? The photo above by Tribune photographer Trent Nelson shows a group of school-age girls a year or so ago in Colorado City. Adult women dress identically.

I learned a little bit about dress styles during a visit to southern Utah a few weeks ago, when I went to dinner with a group of women from Centennial Park, Ariz.

While no longer part of the FLDS community, they were able to explain how dress styles changed. Here is what they told me.

Every community has its fashion trendsetters. Decades ago, it was the Steeds and Johnson families in the twin cities.

One woman said that women in the family of Leroy Johnson, a former leader, first began wearing dresses that hit mid-calf. Lengths kept falling as leaders emphasized a conservative ethic, particularly through the turbulent 1960s and 1970s.

Women were also encouraged to make their own clothes and many became -- and still are -- fine seamstresses. There were several fabric shops in the towns, including Sew-Rite, owned by Margaret Fischer, and Zion Design. Floral prints and patterns were OK at first.

Women began adorning their dresses with ruffles, pleats, lace and bead work. It got out of hand, one woman said. Certain women would brag about the amount of fabric that went into the ruffles on their dresses.

The women in Newell Steed's family were the trendsetters in the 1960s and 1970s. At community dances, they would arrive in matching dresses layered with ruffles and flounces.

A dance didn't start until the Steeds came in, I was told.

''All you saw was legs and slips as they ran across the floor to pick dance partners,'' one woman said.

Florals and flounces were the fashion until the end of the 1990s, when Warren S. Jeffs began playing a more pivotal leadership role in the community.

He advised the FLDS to avoid wearing store-bought clothes and called for a return to more modest, humble styles. He emphasized the need to be covered up from ankle to wrist.

He pushed use of a certain fabric -- polyester suiting -- as the preferred dress material. Women were to avoid printed material in favor of solid colors, particularly pastels.

''The next thing you knew, everybody was wearing solid colors,'' one woman told me.

And overnight, the bolts of floral and print fabrics at Sew-Rite were worthless.

Jeffs also, according to these women, gave his female followers permission to wear pants under their dresses. Many do, even in the heat of summer.

The FLDS are not the only people to have a peculiar, symbolic way of dressing. So do some sects of Old Order Amish. Clothing is handmade and use of zippers is avoided. Men and women wear clothing that, like the FLDS, covers their bodies. Boys begin wearing straw hats at a certain age, while girls wear aprons over their dresses.

Women also wear head coverings and the cut and position of the head covering is an indicator of how "fast" a particular woman is, according to one expert.

Not all women in the FLDS community adhere to the dress style. I have noticed several women in long skirts and blouses. And as the photograph above shows, some are still wearing floral prints. But most do. And it is one of the most notable characteristics of the community.

Can anyone add to this information?

Labels: Amish, dress styles, FLDS

When I came to work on Thursday, I had a voice message from a reader who was very unhappy.

She said she had read my story about the Colorado City Town Marshal's Office and was disgusted by it.

It was so poorly written, she said. She had to read the first paragraph two times to figure out what I was trying to say. Just terrible, she added.

Ow. That's a nice way to start the day. I remember when my daughter played soccer and an old man used to attend some of her high school games. He'd sit on the sideline and yell at her during the game: ''You suck Number 4."

That's what it felt like.

Fortunately, I haven't had many phone calls like that. I returned her call and asked what bothered her about the first paragraph, which is called a "lede" in the business. Just read it, she said. And she did. I thanked her for sharing her opinion and hung up.

And I looked at the paragraph. Reread it. It wasn't the greatest, that's true. Here it is. Decide for yourself.

''A letter a town marshal wrote then-fugitive polygamous sect leader Warren S. Jeffs for advice warrants the marshal's removal from office, a judge ruled Wednesday.''

The story got better after that. At least, I think so.

The report on the judge's findings was 70 pages long. It was dense. I got it about 2 p.m. Thursday and tried to digest it quickly. I had a story online about 5 p.m. or so, with some context and quotes.

At the same time, I was working on a story about reaction from miners' families in other parts of the country about the Emery mine collapse. Here's that story .

Sometimes you just don't get a story off to a good start. And I appreciate -- really! -- hearing the criticism as well as the praise when I get it right.

So thanks, dear reader.

Labels: Colorado City, FLDS, Fred Barlow

I sat in on a very interesting discussion today at the annual Sunstone conference about schisms in the Mormon church. According to scholar Newell Bringhurst there are currently 80 active groups that trace their religious roots to the faith founded by Joseph Smith.

Of course, fundamentalist Mormons are one of those branches -- a branch with schisms of its own.

Anne Wilde, a co-founder of Principle Voices, was on the panel and spoke about fundamentalist Mormons. She gave the latest estimate of numbers, which shows nothing has changed since her last count in 2005. There are currently 37,000 fundamentalist Mormons today, she said.

According to Wilde, there are about 15,000 independent fundamentalists. Independents follow no leader, belong to no group and instead consider the husband/father the patriarch of the family. About half of the independents are in plural families, Wilde said. That is the same count she gave in 2005.

The Apostolic United Brethren hasn't added or lost members, either. Wilde said they have 7,500 members. Centennial Park is static at 1,500 members. So is the Davis County Cooperative Society, which still has 1,500 members. She estimates there are about 1,500 people in various smaller groups.

The only group that she believes has shifted its numbers is the FLDS. She put the number at 8,000, down from 10,000 in 2005. But she still counts those lost 2,000 in her overall count, saying many probably still hold their fundamentalist beliefs. That group would include teens who've left the community as well as families who no longer follow Warren Jeffs.

I think the FLDS numbers are lower. The Census puts the count at about 6,500 in the twin towns of Hildale, Utah, and Colorado City, Ariz. The twin towns are the homebase of the FLDS, though many have now spread out to South Dakota, Nevada, Texas and other outposts.

Some of the 6,500 counted in the two towns actually belong to the Centennial Park community and some are apostates from the FLDS group.

So when I write about the FLDS I use the figure ''6,000 or so.''

Labels: Anne Wilde, AUB, Davis County Cooperative Society, FLDS, Kingston, Sunstone

Nine years ago, former Utah Attorney General Jan Graham laid out the blueprint for what is now the state's approach for dealing with Utah's polygamous communities. She described a five-point program, much of which is now the foundation of Utah's Safe Passage Program.

Graham proposed:

-- A toll-free victims 24-hour hot line for those within polygamist groups.

-- A victims' shelter designed for women and children leaving polygamous relationships.

-- A detailed review of child-endangerment laws and policy headed by the Children's Justice Advisory Board.

-- An educational neglect task force to examine truancy and withdrawals of minors living in polygamous families who are removed from school against their will.

-- Domestic-violence training in polygamist groups.

''Claims of religious freedom are no defense to the crimes of statutory rape, incest, sexual misconduct with a minor and child abuse,'' Graham said. ''We know that for potential victims of domestic violence or child abuse, knowledge is power. Our program informs people they have a legal right to be free of abuse, and how to get help if it happens.''

Several notable items on this list are still lacking, such as an educational task force that would investigate whether children are being properly educated -- particularly within the FLDS community.

My question: What's the hang up? Is there a problem or not?

Labels: education, FLDS, Jan Graham, Safe Passage Grant, Safety Net Committee

Carolyn Jessop, who left the FLDS sect in 2003, and co-author Laura Palmer have finished a book about Jessop's life as a plural wife.

Titled ''Escape,'' the book will be out in October. It is being published by Broadway Books, a RandomHouse imprint. One book blurb has already been posted on the publisher's Web site announcing the book:

"Escape provides an astonishing look behind the tightly drawn curtains of the FLDS Church, one of the most secretive religious groups in the United States. The story Carolyn Jessop tells is so weird and shocking that one hesitates to believe a sect like this, with 10,000 polygamous followers, could really exist in 21st-century America. But Jessop's courageous, heart-wrenching account is absolutely factual. This riveting book reminds us that truth can indeed be much, much stranger than fiction."
-- Jon Krakauer, Author of "Under the Banner of Heaven," "Into Thin Air," and "Into the Wild"

Labels: Carolyn Jessop, FLDS, Jon Krakauer

In April, I bumped into Ivan Nielsen at author Carmen Hardy's lecture at Benchmark Books. Ivan had a request: Did I know anyone within the FLDS that I might ask about the health of his sister, Norene Jeffs.

He said she had been sick but the family had been unable to get any information about her in a couple years.

I said I had a few resources and would try. I did but the best I could come up with was that someone had last seen her a year ago. She was sick with Alzheimer's, the person said, but was being well cared for.

I passed that along to Ivan. Then, one Saturday in late June I received a little bit more information from my source: Norene had died and been buried.

I called Ivan on Monday to tell him. The family had heard, he said, and were overwhelmed with sadness that they had been denied the opportunity to show their love and admiration for Norene at her funeral.

But they had an idea, Ivan told me. You can read their story online today; it will be published tomorrow in the faith section.

Labels: FLDS, Ivan Nielsen, Norene Jeffs

Several FLDS members let me know they took exception to a blog I posted a while ago in which I used the term "lightyears" to describe the differences between them and independent fundamentalist Mormons.

Yes, some FLDS are online. Yes, they do follow the news. And yes, a few actually dare let me know what they think.

The post was about a story I recently wrote profiling a suburban polygamous family who identify themselves as independent fundamentalist Mormons.

What independents and groups such as the FLDS have in common is a belief in early doctrines laid down by Joseph Smith, particularly that plural marriage is a requirement to reach the highest degree of heaven. They use many of the same scriptures: The Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants and Pearl of Great Price.

But beyond that, the two types of fundamentalist Mormons are, well, lightyears apart in the way they practice their beliefs.

Independents do not follow any particular leader. They do not separate themselves from society. They don't wear clothing that covers them from ankle-to-wrist. They don't tithe to any one. They don't participate in communal living or belong to a cooperative. Free agency governs marriage, education and decisions about whether or not to follow the lifestyle.

There are no outward clues to an independent's fundamental beliefs.

That's not true of the FLDS, who follow completely different guidelines regarding practice and behavior.

They dress a particular way. They follow one leader and consider him to speak for God. They limit interaction with outsiders. They practice arranged marriages. They are joined in a communal endeavor. They tithe. Those who do not stick with the faith are ostracized. Educational opportunities are limited.

Free agency, from what I can tell, comes second to doing what you are told to do. Can doing what you are told to do be a choice? I suppose. But the consequences are so dire for choosing some thing else entirely, as many of those cut off from their FLDS families will tell you.

One critic wrote this to me: ''Are FLDS so different that we are not 'normal families' living in a somewhat unique relationship? So many people do not realize that we are people. We laugh. We cry. There are times where we are scared spitless. And we love. We are not uninformed about life, and we choose to live our lives in polygamy.

There are as many different ways to live polygamy as there are to live monogamy. There are couples in monogamy who fight, who divorce, who participate in criminal abuse, and who just put up with each other. It is so with polygamists. There are monogamists who love, who are happy, forever-after couples. There are also polygamists who are this way. Life is about choices. What I choose today will shape my tomorrow. It is so with you and every other being on this earth.

Is it not possible that there are FLDS who are happy? Is it not possible that there are those in my culture who love? Who choose freely their life?"

My response: Of course that is possible. Not just possible, but is the case. My observation of the differences has nothing to do with the how happy or unhappy either camp is. It has to do with how differently they are living their faith.

Labels: FLDS, independent fundamentalist Mormon, marriage, polygamy

I came across this tidbit in the United Effort Plan Trust court file:

07-25-06 Filed return: Summons on Return
Party Served: ZITTING, JAMES K (sub/female)
Service Type: Personal
Service Date: June 02, 2006
08-02-06 Notice - NOTICE for Case 060908716 ID 6696019
We are unable to enter the default judgment/certificate in this
case for the following reasons:

See reason below

Notes: Mr. Zittings weather damaged summons and complaint were
returned to the Court by the female person who indicates that she
did NOT accept service, but left the documents on the ground after
they were dropped at her feet.

Labels: Colorado City, FLDS, Hildale, UEP

Here is a fascinating story by AP writer Jennifer Dobner, which I am posting here in full since I don't think it will make the newspaper. . . .


Books of collected sermons, writings from polygamous sect leaders is rare find
By JENNIFER DOBNER
Associated Press Writer
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) It's a book collector's dream -- rifling through the shelves of a secondhand store with the hope of finding a valuable volume for a bargain basement price and stumbling onto a gold mine.
It happened January 31 to a St. George man, who plunked down $40 and took home eight books of sermons and writings from elders of the secretive, polygamous Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
Adding interest to the find -- the books are inked in red with a property stamp from Purgatory Correctional Facility, which is the Washington County jail in Hurricane where FLDS church president Warren Jeffs is awaiting trial on charges of rape by accomplice.
The volumes are rare and likely worth much more than the St. George man paid, said booksellers who trade in early writings from leaders of the mainstream Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the religion to which the FLDS church traces its roots.
''Those books are unbelievably scarce,'' said Tom Kimball, an American Fork collector and seller. ''They could be worth thousands. It's every Mormon book nerd’s fantasy.''
The FLDS live intensely private lives and shun most interaction with outsiders, including members of their own families who leave the faith. For decades members have lived in the remote twins towns of Hildale, Utah, and Colorado City, Ariz., dressing in 19th century-style clothes, rejecting the trappings of modernity and striving for perfect obedience to God.
Drawing on the early theology of the Mormon church, the sect continues to practice polygamy, believing that plural marriage brings exaltation in heaven. They consider church president Jeffs a prophet who communicates with God.
While some fundamentalist works are available, the ''cultish'' nature of the various polygamous clans usually means printed materials circulate only internally, said Ken Sanders, owner of a rare books store in Salt Lake City.
A check of Utah's college and university libraries found that while some had copies of fundamentalist books, magazines and pamphlets published in the early 20th century by Joseph Musser and Ogden Kraut, none knew of, or had seen, any collected works from the FLDS.
Brigham Young University, which is owned by the Mormon church, had a few books about FLDS elders in its library archives, but only a single FLDS-written manuscript, curator John Murphy said.
''It's very, very rare,'' said Stan Larson, curator of manuscripts at the University of Utah's Marriott Library. ''We would be very glad to have them.''
The volumes were produced between 1994 and 2006 by the Twin City Courier Press, of Hildale, a company owned and operated by a member of the fundamentalist church.
Each of the 8-by-11 books is hard-bound in a black cover with its title printed in gold leaf. Depending on the volume, publishing credits are either awarded to Jeffs or his predecessor and father, Rulon Jeffs.
Six of the books are the collected sermons of former FLDS President Leroy S. Johnson, who led the fundamentalist church from 1955 until his death at age 98 on Nov. 25, 1986. The sermons begin in 1950 and each reflects the occasion or location where it was delivered, including the southern Utah communities originally called Short Creek, Salt Lake City and a small FLDS enclave in Canada.
Some of the writings appear to be from Johnson's own hand, imparting his personal stories, reflections or anecdotes. Others draw primarily on scriptural references from either the Bible or the Book of Mormon, citing sermons or speeches from early leaders including Joseph Smith, Brigham Young and John Taylor.
Two of the books are collections of ''Zion's Light Shining,'' a monthly FLDS newsletter that originated with Rulon Jeffs, who assumed leadership of the church in the 1980s. The newsletters, each about 40 pages, date back to February 1999 and contain similar material, along with writings from various FLDS elders.
''With Every Breath, Keep Sweet, No Matter What'' and ''Perfect Obedience Produces Perfect Faith,'' the newsletter masthead reads, reinforcing two deeply touted FLDS philosophies.
Ben Bistline, a former FLDS church member and a historian who has written two books about the FLDS, said the volumes are likely reprints of books first published about 1980. Then the collected works of Johnson were churned out in paperback for church members' personal use.
''But you had to get permission of the prophet to buy one,'' recalled Bistline, of Cane Beds, Ariz. ''They published the books to promote polygamy and their way of thinking.''
Bistline questions whether the volumes are a complete record. If memory serves, he said, FLDS leaders selected the teachings they thought would be most useful to members.
Although some of the writings tout the practice of plural marriage and others warn of government persecution from the states of Utah and Arizona, there's not much fire and brimstone, nor fodder for a sex-driven episode of the HBO TV series about a polygamous family, ''Big Love.''
The St. George collector, a fundamentalist who asked that his name not be published to protect his privacy, said he bought the volumes because of his interest in early Mormonism and fundamentalist beliefs. He told The Associated Press he had no immediate interest in selling or donating the books.
''An interesting find for me,'' he wrote in an e-mail about the books.
It's unclear when or how the books made their way to the jail, said Washington County sheriff's Lt. Jake Adams said.
Jeffs, 51, is charged with two felony counts of rape as an accomplice for having forced a religious marriage between a 14-year-old follower and her 19-year-old cousin in 2001. He's been at the jail since September 2006.
The jail accepts book donations from publishers, businesses, libraries and individuals, but there is no record of receiving the books or when they might have been sent to the Mormon church-owned Deseret Industries thrift store.
''I'm not surprised we have FLDS literature,'' said Adams, adding that the jail often has inmates with ties to the FLDS communities. ''I am surprised that we would get rid of them.''
It's unlikely the decision was tied to the incarceration of Jeffs, Adams said.
The books are hardbacks and the jail only allows softcover volumes, because a soft book can't be used as a weapon, he said.
Kimball hopes the books eventually end up in the rare books collection of an Utah library for research use by historians.
''It's really where they belong,'' Kimball said.

Labels: FLDS, Leroy S. Johnson, Rulon Jeffs, Warren Jeffs

The July issue of ''Glamour'' magazine includes a very interesting first-person story by a woman raised in the FLDS community. Kathy Jo Nicholson describes attending Alta Academy, where Warren Jeffs served as principal, and the troubles that began when boys noticed her.

The story includes numerous pictures of Kathy Jo, including one of her holding the wedding gown she began to sew at age 14, and a photo of her wedding to an outsider that was attended by her three mothers.

Check it out.

Labels: Alta Academy, FLDS, Warren Jeffs

As Bill Hendrickson might say, ''Good Lord! It's back!''

HBO's ''Big Love'' show kicked off its second season last night, picking up with Barb having a meltdown after being tossed out of the Beehive Mother of the Year awards banquet.

The first episode of the fictional show, about a polygamous family in Utah, wove plenty of real-life threads into the story line.

Among them:

A television playing in the background can be heard describing the third Safety Net Meeting held at the University of Utah. Yes, there is a Utah Safety Net Committee and it's second town hall forum was held at the University of Utah.

Another television report features a story about a fugitive polygamist sect leader wanted by the FBI. The anchor adds that the sect's UEP has been taken over by the state. Roman Grant, the shady leader of Juniper Creek, watches the piece and then comments, ''stupid, greedy pervets. They are going to ruin it for the rest of us.''

Well, the Warren Jeffs and FLDS saga finally makes an overt appearance in the show.

As for Roman's comment, I've heard much the same from many polygamists about Jeffs, head of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

Another television episode features a SWAT team search of a home in Cedar City, where the fugitive prophet is believed to be hiding.

That really happened, too. Last summer authorities swarmed a home in Cedar City after getting a tip that Jeffs might be there or have visited there.

But what was most interesting to me was the take on marriage that was showcased in this episode. I'll tackle that in the next post.

Labels: Big Love, FLDS, UEP, Warren Jeffs

That is what I caught on my two-week vacation. A one-pounder here, a one pounder there as I roamed the state's campgrounds, from Otter Creek to Yuba to Scofield and then Strawberry, where last week's wicked weather scared me out of my tent and into the lodge.

It was fun.

But just to show there is no escaping ''work,'' I saw a different FLDS family at Otter Creek on each of my three days there. They were doing the same thing I was: Enjoying the fine fishing and the beautiful setting along the edge of one of Utah's finest reservoirs. One little girl caught a big fish on my first day at Otter Creek. As she and her family headed to the fish cleaning station, they asked if they could measure it on my cooler. Sure, I said. It was a 17-incher.

So. Back to work, where there are bigger fish to fry, I suppose.

I just finished reading the amended decorum order Judge James L. Shumate issued while I was gone. Here's the new part:

''Any enhancement, publication, or dissemination of any document, conversation or writing at counsel table for either party that is not officially part of the record of the Court's proceedings is prohibited. There will be no disclosure by any member of the media of any conversations or writings at counsel table while the Court is in session. The media will respect attorney-client and attorney work product priviledges.''

Any media person who violates the order could be banned from court, Shumate said.

Okay, but what if someone happens to shout out in court? Or burst out in song, such as Brian David Mitchell has done from time to time, while seated at the counsel table. Can we report it?

Labels: FLDS, Warren Jeffs

Samuel Fischer said he would be putting "every thing on the line" in making a move from Hildale to Lockney, Texas.

''It is a sink or swim proposition for me,'' Fischer said last Friday night during a public meeting in Lockney. He had closed that morning on three homes in Plainview, about 30 miles west. Nothing against Lockney, he said, but he was able to find a home that better fit the needs of his family in Plainview. The other two homes will be for workers who are likely to relocate with him.

In making the move, Fischer said he'd be ''walking away'' from his home in Hildale. Fischer said that an insurer told him last year the home is worth $1 million. ''I won't be getting a $1 for it,'' he said.

The ''dollar'' comment was misleading, since all the homes in the FLDS towns of Hildale, Utah, and Colorado City, Ariz., are owned by the United Effort Plan Trust, which is now under court oversight.

I checked with several ex-FLDS members in Hildale and was told, yes, Fischer's home is probably worth that much. It is a very nice home, one said.

Some in the audience were confused about why he would walk away from a home, why he wouldn't get any money out of it.

Others had obviously heard about the court takeover of the trust.

''Are you leaving because of the trust takeover?'' someone asked Fischer.

''That's a tender area,'' he said. ''I would say the answer is yes.''

Fischer said the state had taken over the trust, once overseen by FLDS president Warren S. Jeffs and other FLDS trustees, because its assets were being funneled off by the church.

''When you look at what they're doing, they're selling off 10 times the assets,'' he said.

He mentioned that a ''good friend" who had a farm that had been in the family since 1953 also was walking away, after the UEP Trust, now run by fiduciary Bruce R. Wisan, has seized its assets to pay a $8.8 million judgement against the former trustees.

''We are not a reactionary people. We are not a warring people,'' he said.

Of course, no one is making Fischer leave. He could stay, but like many FLDS people, that would apparently be untenable.

Labels: FLDS, Lockney, polygamy, Samuel Fischer, Texas

Samuel Fischer had obviously done his homework on Lockney and its main characters.

During last Friday's town meeting, Fischer complimented the town on its schools, praised its 4-doctor hospital and said nice things about its people.

As he read through the questions residents submitted, he came across one from Warren Mathis. ''I've heard a lot about Mr. Mathis from other people,'' Fischer said. And then he added this: ''The people I've never met and never seen know the most about me.''

Warren Mathis, sitting in the audience, didn't appear fazed by Fischer a bit. He didn't flinched -- or change his opinion.

So who is Samuel Fischer? For one thing, his brother is Dan Fischer, founder of Ultradent and the benefactor who has reached out to help teens who have fled or been kicked out of the FLDS community. Their father was Erwin Fischer. I guess I have to say Erwin Fischer did a pretty good job, at least with these two sons, because they are both quite successful.

Samuel Fischer has operated at least five different businesses in Utah. With one of his two wives, he owned the Sew-Rite fabric store in Hildale. It was closed last summer.

Fischer ran a bicycle manufacturing business and, of course, Westwood Products, the cabinet-making business he plans to move to Lockney. His cabinet business caters to contractors working on high-end homeowners. One recently job for a Las Vegas home was worth $300,000, he said. Fischer also said the biggest concern of one customer was that her cabinets be valued at more than $80,000 -- the sum her neighbor had spent on cabinets.

''For the most part, Sam is a real go-getter and all-around nice guy,'' said Ezra Draper, an ex-FLDS member who recently moved back to the twin towns of Hildale, Utah, and Colorado City, Ariz.

That's the same thing I heard from several other people.

Fischer said that he and his first wife lost their first two children at birth and were afraid they might never have a family. They adopted two children from a family of nine children and then proceeded to successfully have 11 children of their own.

Fischer said that after that adoption experience, he decided he would never split up siblings if he were presented with the chance to adopt again.

''That always stuck with me, seeing that family torn apart,'' he said. After he and his first wife had their family, ''another family of nine children came up for adoption,'' Fischer said. ''I adopted their mother also. She also needed a home.''

That threw the audience for a loop. ''What does that mean? You adopted her?'' one woman asked.

Fischer explained that the woman's husband had been exiled from the FLDS church for adultery. ''In the media you hear wives are taken away and given to others. This is why,'' he said. ''If a man breaks his vows, in our beliefs, he stands a chance of losing his family.''

It's divorce, FLDS style, and it is something that early leaders in the mainstream Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints taught, too.

More questions came from the audience about why the woman couldn't just fend for herself. Fischer said it would be tough for any woman with nine children to get along by herself in today's society.

Fischer said he couldn't very well abandoned his families now.

At one point, as residents kept questioning why he has two wives, Fischer responded simply with, ''I appreciate your beliefs.''

Residents also asked if Fischer's children would interact with their children. He said: ''I hope my children are decent and polite.''

''No, will they mingle?'' the woman persisted.

Fischer let the question slide. The FLDS don't ''mingle.'' But they are not unique in that regard; neither do the Amish or Mennonites.

Another woman jumped up and down trying to get Fischer's attention. ''Mr. Fischer, will you be attending church in Lockney, Plainview or Lubbock,'' she asked.

Of all the questions asked, this was the most disingenous. She knew the answer. Everyone in the room did.

''Probably in my front room,'' Fischer said. The FLDS haven't held group services in a couple years; instead, each family meets individually -- much as other independent polygamists in Utah do.

Besides, what are the options? It's a long way to Eldorado, Texas, where there are other FLDS members.

But she kept on: ''Who will lead your services?" she asked.

''Well, I can't very well have the baby do it. Probably be me, ma'am,'' Fischer said.

Fischer deflected other questions that were designed to provoke.

One woman asked if it was true that FLDS church leader Warren Jeffs was driving a red Cadillac when he was arrested last August.

''I don't know. I wasn't there,'' Fischer said.

''Where is Mr. Jeffs?'' another woman asked.

''He's in prison,'' Fischer said.

''What for?''

''For his religious beliefs,'' Fischer said.

''Is he your boss?''

''I guess you'd have to ask my wife that,'' Fischer said. And then: ''He is my spiritual leader, yes.''

Labels: FLDS, Lockney, polygamy, Samuel Fischer

One of the frustrations of being a reporter is having more in your notebook than you can fit in the newspaper.

The original story I wrote about Samuel Fischer and his move to Lockney, Texas, was twice as long as what appeared in print and online. I got home Saturday about 2 p.m., went straight to the office, finished writing the story about 7 p.m. and then spent hours paring it back down.

I thought I would share some observations drawn from material that ended up being cut. First, about Lockney itself.

I love small towns like Lockney, though it is depressing to see them hanging on by their fingernails.

Lockney's heyday came in the 1980s, when it reached a peak population of 2,334 and, according to locals, had four grocery stores, three tractor dealerships, three or four movie houses and several car dealerships.

Of those, only a single grocery store remains. The population is down to 1,878. The primary industry is farming -- cotton, wheat and, east in Floydada, pumpkins. Floydada is the Pumpkin Capital of the U.S.A.; farmers grow ornamental pumpkins that make their way across the nation. But mostly, cotton is king.

The store fronts along Lockney's Main Street are mostly shuttered, a fact somewhat masked by fake dispays in some window fronts. The shops hanging on: Kay's Kuts, Kaleidoscope, Rudy's Barber Shop, Heart's Desire and Tastee Burger.

''We want business to come, we want jobs,'' Lennie Gilroy, a Floyd County commissioner told me. ''In the rest of the country the economy has been pretty good, but we're not seeing it.''

That's why Samuel Fischer's arrival, and his pitch that he hopes some day to have about 100 workers at this cabinet-making shop, triggered so much excitement.

I was in the Lockney Public Library Friday, where I met Neta Marble and listened as the children coming to use the computer called her ''Ma'am'' and thanked her for the favor. Now, that is small town living at its best.

I was having a hard time finding people who wanted to talk about Samuel Fischer until an employee at Kaleidoscope told me to go over to the D&J Gin, where I would find Warren Mathis and his buddies.

Five minutes later, I was pulling up to the gin office. A bunch of trucks were parked outside. I took a deep breath, unsure who or what I would find inside, and opened the door.

Immediately inside was a folding table, where four men were sitted. I had hardly shut the door when Warren boomed up: ''You must be the reporter.''

Word travels fast in small towns.

I loved this moment, sitting down at a table with four farmers and asking them questions and answering just as many.

Of the four men, two were outspokenly against Fischer, one didn't care and the fourth never said a word other than his name.

Eddie Foster told me: ''This is a pretty strong church community and beliefs are -- well, let's just put it bluntly. Everyone around them is not lily white but by the same token, we don't have two or three wives. Or let me put it another way, no more than one.''

True enough, given the front page story in that week's edition of the Floyd County Hesperian-Beacon about Michelle Araujo, the justice of the peace. She had just been indicted for allegedly shooting her husband three times in the stomach.

But polygamy? That's something all together quite different.

Polygamy may be accepted elsewhere, but ''Not in Lockney, Texas,'' Foster said.

Said Mathis: ''It's hard for us to realize something like that goes on.''

Eddie also told me that he thought the three-page letter Samuel Fischer sent to the local papers, in which he praised by name all the nice people he'd met in the area, was ''almost too sweet.''

Eddie didn't know it, and I didn't say anything, but I thought that was a hilarous choice of words given the FLDS' mantra of ''Keep sweet.''

Labels: FLDS, Lockney, Samuel Fischer, Texas

Five days have passed since the story broke of Wendell Musser and his search for his wife Vivian and son Levi. He has heard nothing.

So Musser is pressing ahead with his search. He'll be on Channel 2 and on Fox News tonight telling his story.

Musser is asking that Vivian or anyone who has information about her call the office of Roger Hoole, his attorney, at 801-277-1989. Hoole will pass information or contacts along.

Musser and his attorney sent a letter today to Merrill Jessop, the presiding elder of the YFZ Ranch in Eldorado, Texas, asking him for information about Vivian and Levi.

Hoole said they are ready to play hardball with FLDS church leaders in their search for information on Musser's family. ''If we can't get information we're going to sue more and more church leaders,'' Hoole said.''It's a small thing to ask.''

Labels: FLDS, Merrill Jessop, Texas, Wendell Musser

For more than a year, I'd written stories that hinted at how Warren Jeffs might be traveling around and eluding capture. It was amazing to be able to hear a first-hand account from Wendell Musser, who spent months in hiding as a courier and caretaker for Jeffs' family.

You can access the story here: http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_577817

Wendell is just one of dozens of men who've been separated from their families. Only a few have stepped forward to fight for the right to be a father to their children. Actually, I am aware of only one: Richard Holm, a former polygamist who was kicked out in 2004 by Jeffs. Richard went to court to ensure he had visitation and some say in his children's upbringing.

Some men have been able to negotiate access to their children with their former wives, who remain in the FLDS community. But many more have walked away.

I am a little surprised by the reaction of some to the story about Wendell's marriage to Vivian. It was an appointed marriage, but Wendell describes it as a happy one. Perhaps Vivian has a different take; hopefully, some day I'll be able to report on the conclusion of their story. For now, Wendell has put the credibility of his version of their relationship on the line in a lawsuit and news report.

One reader wondered how happy Vivian might be when her husband took other wives. Many men in the FLDS community are monogamists. Some of those who have plural wives never had a say about the matter. And some, men and women alike, embrace the lifestyle.

What I know is Wendell, who has left the FLDS faith, wants a chance to reunite with and prove his love to one woman: Vivian.

One other tidbit from my interview with Wendell. Nine months have passed since Jeffs' arrest, but the fact he was wearing shorts when captured still surprises even former supporters.

While Jeffs wore regular clothes while in hiding, he apparently wore -- and stressed the importance of wearing -- sacred undergarments. Wendell asked me during our interview if Jeffs was wearing his garments under his shorts.

When I said no, that wasn't possible, he shook his head in amazement.

Labels: FLDS, marriage, Warren Jeffs, Wendell Musser

Attorneys for FLDS leader Warren S. Jeffs have enlisted Alvin S. Barlow, the former superintendent of the Colorado City Unified School District, to help explain the history of the church and its leadership in a battle over items found with Jeffs when he was arrested last August.

Barlow's "declaration" filed in federal court is a remarkable document for several reasons. For one thing, he is the first FLDS member to be called on to help out the beleagured Jeffs. It also is remarkable to hear, at last, an active FLDS member's view of his religion.

I met several Barlow several years ago while working on a story about the school district, which was under fire from the Arizona Attorney General's Office because of alleged mismanagement. He stepped down from his post in 2005 after Arizona officials placed the district in receivership.

So ended Barlow's 40+ year career as an educator. Since then, he has disappeared into the FLDS fold, no doubt playing a role in the home- and family schools that the community now uses to educate children.

You can read his "declaration" here.

Labels: Alvin Barlow, FLDS, trial, Warren Jeffs

A spring thaw is under way in Hildale and Colorado City. Everybody is smiling, waving hello, flying kites, etc.

Or so they say.

I haven't had any one smile and wave at me yet, but I am looking forward to it.

I like the way Brent Hunsaker of KTVX put it: Glasnost has come to Short Creek.

One sign things are changing: Dogs are every where.

I talked yesterday to Isaac Wyler, an ex-FLDS member who still lives in Colorado City, and he told me there are ''more dogs in this town than you can shake a stick at. They are coming in in droves.''

You may remember that several years ago, former FLDS president Rulon Jeffs ordered the FLDS faithful to get rid of their dogs after a toddler was killed in a dog attack. The obedient followers did so.

Wyler also said kids are out playing -- which I did notice last week while visiting the town. But is that due to the warm spring weather after a long hard winter, or something more?

Maybe some of the stalwarts will even show up at the Easter Festival set for Saturday in Cottonwood Park in Hildale.

Wyler and others say there appears to have been a change in philosophy. A year ago when Wyler went around town posting tax collection notices on doors he could hear taped sermons of FLDS leader Warren S. Jeffs being played in most of those homes.

That's not true this year, Wyler said. He has heard tapes of Wendell Nielsen, whom many think is in line to become the next FLDS leader, playing in some homes.

Labels: FLDS, Hildale

The Amish have an interesting tradition called "rumspringa," during which teens get a one-year free pass to explore the outside world and its wild side before making a commitment to the religion. It turns out that most do join the religion after the period of exploration.

I first learned of this in a documentary called "The Devil's Playground." It made me think about the teens in Hildale and Colorado City, who like teens anywhere go through a testy period -- but experience much harsher consequences for doing so.

The link below will take you to a new story about this Amish phenomenon:


http://www.clevescene.com/2007-03-14/news/amish-girls-gone-wild/1

Labels: Amish, FLDS, Lost Boys