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Sister Wives & Polygamy Law

July 14, 2011 by · Comments Off on Sister Wives & Polygamy Law 

'Sister Wives' & Polygamy Law‘Sister Wives’ & Polygamy Law, The polygamous family that stars in “Sister Wives” cable TV show has filed a federal lawsuit challenging Utah’s bigamy law. Kody Brown and his four wives, Meri, Janelle Christine and Robyn, sued the state of Utah on Wednesday in U.S. District Court for the revocation of the prohibition of polygamy. Brown is only legally married to one wife, Meri.

“It’s just a family that is different from other famiiles,” his lawyer, Jonathan Turley, said on the steps of the court on Wednesday.

Turley said his clients are seeking the decriminalization of your lifestyle. The family reality show argued that the state is unfair to prosecute people for their private relations.

“A person can have multiple partners,” said Turley. “They may even have children by multiple partners. They may even have children on adulterous affairs and cannot be prosecuted. But the minute someone as our customers enter and express a spiritual commitment that can be prosecuted for living together.”

The Browns were not present at the presentation of the claim. He moved to Nevada shortly after Lehi police announced they were investigating the family for bigamy after the television series began airing on TLC last year.

Pro-polygamy advocates attended the presentation of the demand. Anne Wilde, the voices of the group was first believed that the best chance so far to the legalization of plural marriage.

“This is half of the family who wants to live like a normal family and do not want the stereotypes and stigma that has joined him in Utah for a hundred years,” he told Fox 13.

Utah abandoned the practice of polygamy as a condition of state. There are an estimated 38,000 people in and around Utah who consider themselves “fundamentalist Mormons,” according to an official census by Voices first.

In recent years, the polygamists have defied the laws of Utah, arguing (like the Browns also be made at your request) for violating their right to practice their religion freely. Polygamous Tom Green and Rodney Holm tried to appeal their convictions for bigamy, but married with children.

The Browns are all consenting adults.

“There are a lot of people affected by this situation,” said Rod Parker, a lawyer who represented Holm, in an interview with Fox 13. “I’m glad to see it finally getting settled up.”

One obstacle facing the Browns or not face any real damage, making them stands in court. Turley said that living under the specter of prosecution by the Utah County Attorney. The prosecutors office said Wednesday that Fox 13 Kody Brown and their wives are still under investigation, has not been charged.

“Kody Brown is surely right to challenge the law, and the general prosecutor’s job is to defend it,” said Paul Murphy, spokesman for Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff. “So far, courts have confirmed that Utah has the right to prohibition of bigamy and regulate marriage.”

In a statement released by his lawyer, Kody Brown said: “We just want to live our private lives, according to our beliefs. While we understand that this may be a long fight in court, which has been a long struggle for my family and other families in the plural to end stereotypes and unfair treatment as consensual polygamy. ”

In an interview with Fox 13 in 2009, Christine Brown said he would be prosecuted if it meant decriminalizing polygamy.

“Bring it on, sort of,” he said. “We have a test case. It is necessary that decriminalized. People need to see that there are families out there who would be a good representation of the community’s eplural? And just live our lives like everyone else and that is the only law breaking”. The audience is not yet scheduled on demand for the Browns.

Bigamy

September 28, 2010 by · Comments Off on Bigamy 

Bigamy, SALT LAKE CITY – An investigation of bigamy has been released in a polygamous family, starring in a reality TV show, police said Tuesday.

Lehi Police Lt. Darren Paul said the investigation was triggered by the reality show “wives, sisters,” with 41-year-old advertising salesman Kody Brown and his four wives, 13 children and three stepchildren. The TLC show premiered on Sunday.

Brown is only legally married to Meri Paul, but also calls for three other women of her spouse: Janelle, Christine and Robyn. All three are stepchildren of Robyn’s previous relationship.

Christine Brown declined to comment Tuesday, although the family issued a statement through TLC he was disappointed.

“… When we decided to do this show, I knew there would be risks,” the family said. “But for the sake of our family, and most importantly, our children, we felt it was a worthwhile risk.”

The Browns have said they expected to watch the spectacle of reality in their lives help broaden public understanding of families in the plural.

Through Utah and parts of western United States, polygamy is a legacy of the early Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Members brought the practice to Utah in 1847, but the Mormon Church disavowed plural marriage in 1890 as part of a campaign for statehood for Utah.

The modern Mormon church excommunicated members who are involved in practice, although it is estimated that 38,000 self-described fundamentalist Mormons still believe and / or practice polygamy, believing it brings exaltation in heaven.

Although rarely prosecuted, bigamy is a third degree felony in Utah punishable by imprisonment up to five years. By law, a person can be convicted of bigamy by cohabitation, not only legal marriage contracts.

Lehi police said the evidence gathered by the probe will be delivered to the office of the Utah County Attorney for possible prosecution. A telephone message left for Paul was not immediately returned Tuesday.

Last trial of a polygamous Utah for bigamy in 2001. Tom Green, who was married to five women and drew the attention of the authorities in Utah after promoting their lifestyle on national TV negotiations, was convicted of nonsupport bigamy, criminal and child rape charges . He spent six years in prison and was released in 2007.

Most polygamists belong to no organized churches, but an advocacy group of polygamy has identified 11 different communities ranging in size from 150 to 10,000.

The attorney general’s office investigated the Utah state secret polygamous communities, but focused its efforts on cases involving allegations of abuse, sexual assault and fraud, not bigamy.

“It was the position of our office does not prosecute cases of bigamy between consenting adults,” said attorney general spokesman Scott Troxel, Tuesday. “We use our resources wisely.”

In the past 10 years, historically insular polygamous community in Utah has worked to educate the public and state agencies about their culture. State agencies and to better understand the unique aspects of culture and plural polygamous families are less reluctant to seek help when necessary, co-founder of Principle Voices of Anne Wilde said.

The Brown family’s decision to make a reality show was a sort of extension of this work of education, said Wilde, who knows the family. Research now fears cast a shadow over all progress and instill fear in plural families.

“If you really go to a court situation, then our people will go right back into isolation,” he said.

Copyright © 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

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