Legal News

Arizona Attorney General Investigating Marshals and Polygamous Group
Download PDF
1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars (No Ratings Yet)
Loading...

On Tuesday, Attorney General Tom Horne announced a probe of Arizona marshals who operate in a town that is considered to be home to one of the country’s largest polygamous sects. The marshals are being investigated for preventing women from leaving the church that is led by Warren Jeffs, who is in prison, according to The Associated Press.

The town at the center of the probe is Colorado, City, Arizona, which is near the border with Utah. The city is the headquarters of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

  
What
Where


“Women who wanted to escape have been forcibly held by the marshals against their will,” Horne said.

Horne did not offer much information about the investigation or the Marshal’s Office, which is a police force for Colorado City and Hildale, Utah.

“I can’t speak for the FLDS but the bottom line is the Marshal’s Office absolutely does not hold people against their will,” said lawyer Blake Hamilton. “The Arizona attorney general, as the highest ranking law enforcement official in Arizona, ought not be making those statements unless he has evidence of it. It’s just absolutely not true.”

Get JD Journal in Your Mail

Subscribe to our FREE daily news alerts and get the latest updates on the most happening events in the legal, business, and celebrity world. You also get your daily dose of humor and entertainment!!




Jeffs is serving a life sentence in prison in the state of Texas for convictions of child sex and bigamy charges. When authorities received a complaint about child abuse, they raided the Yearning for Zion Ranch of the church in 2008. Close to 400 children were rounded up by authorities. All of the children were returned by the government, but 11 men were arrested for sexual assault or bigamy and then convicted. Of those 11 men, Jeffs was one of them.

Last year Horne argued for a bill in the Arizona Legislature that would have abolished the Marshal’s Office in Colorado City, replacing them with deputies from the Mohave County Sheriff’s Office. The legislation failed, but Horne put aside funds for limited patrols by deputies. Horne noted that the money will be gone soon and is once again asking the Legislature to vote on the bill.



At Horne’s news conference, Flora Jessop was in attendance with him. Jessop is a critic of the church after fleeing in 1986. Also in attendance was her sister Ruby Jessop and her six children. Flora said that her sister was held captive by the church for years. She was subjected to sexual and mental abuse by her husband and was not allowed to leave the church with her children.

Ruby fled last year and won temporary custody of her children who were held ‘hostage’ by the sect, according to Flora. “It’s a good day for freedom,” she said of the investigation.



 

RELEVANT JOBS

Associate Attorney

USA-PA-Exton

ASSOCIATE ATTORNEY McKenna Snyder LLC, a law firm in Exton, PA has an immediate opening for an ex...

Apply now

Attorney

USA-MI-Sturgis

Qualifications: HaasCaywood is seeking associate attorneys for our Coldwater and Sturgis, Michiga...

Apply now

Attorney

USA-MI-Coldwater

Qualifications: HaasCaywood is seeking associate attorneys for our Coldwater and Sturgis, Michiga...

Apply now

Insurance Defense Trial Attorney/ Senior Counsel

USA-CA-San Francisco

Job description Trial Attorney - Personal Injury Defense Full Job Description Hickey Smith ...

Apply now

BCG FEATURED JOB

Locations:

Keyword:



Search Now

Education Law Attorney

USA-CA-El Segundo

El Segundo office of a BCG Attorney Search Top Ranked Law Firm seeks an education law attorney with ...

Apply Now

Education Law Attorney

USA-CA-Carlsbad

Carlsbad office of a BCG Attorney Search Top Ranked Law Firm seeks an education law attorney with 4-...

Apply Now

Education Law and Public Entity Attorney

USA-CA-El Segundo

El Segundo office of a BCG Attorney Search Top Ranked Law Firm seeks an education law and public ent...

Apply Now

Most Popular

SEARCH IN ARCHIVE

To Top