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Bigamy

hoto courtesy of Serah Harrison
Serah Harrison and Victor Hayes on their wedding day Jan. 8, 2011. Shortly after being married, Harrison found out that Hayes was already married to more than one woman.

Riverdale woman wants to stop bigamist from hurting others

Last updated Monday, September 3, 2012 - 6:59am

RIVERDALE — Serah Harrison and Cynthia Hayes hope other women will not fall prey to the man they each thought was their husband.

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Dan Mach, the national American Civil Liberties Union’s director of Freedom of Religion, presents “Polygamy, Peyote and the Pledge of Allegiance” at Weber State University in Ogden on Wednesday. (ERIN HOOLEY/Standard-Examiner)

ACLU speaker: Courts key to freedom of religion, expression

Nancy Van Valkenburg Standard-Examiner

Last updated Thursday, April 5, 2012 - 8:26pm

OGDEN — Americans treasure their freedom of speech and freedom of religion, along with the ability to deny both to people they don’t like.

So Dan Mach, director of Freedom of Religion for the American Civil Liberties Union, told an audience at Weber State University on Wednesday.

ACLU, American Indians, Bigamy, Book of Mormon, Constitution, Courts, Event, First Amendment, Free Speech, Guest speaker, Idaho, Mark Twain, Native Americans, Pledge of Allegiance, Religion, Supreme Court, U.S. Constitution, U.S. Supreme Court, Utah, Utah history, Weber State University, Featured, LDS Church Read more Comments

$4.5M spent on Texas FLDS prosecution

Paul J. Weber The Associated Press

Last updated Tuesday, April 3, 2012 - 5:18pm

SAN ANTONIO -- In the four years since Texas authorities swarmed the polygamist ranch of sect leader Warren Jeffs, state prosecutors have spent more than $4.5 million racking up swift convictions against him and 10 loyal followers on child sex and bigamy charges, according to records obtained by The Associated Press.

Combined with other state agency costs surrounding the April 3, 2008 raid, documents show the price tag is approaching $20 million for what began as a chaotic roundup of nearly 400 children and grew into one of the largest criminal cases in recent Texas history.

Bigamy, Polygamy, Prosecution, Utah, Warren Jeffs, FLDS Church, National Read more Comments

Warren Jeffs follower gets 10 years in prison for bigamy

Dalina Castellanos Los Angeles Times

Last updated Friday, March 30, 2012 - 4:29pm

A West Texas polygamist who authorities said had multiple "celestial marriages" was sentenced Friday to 10 years in prison.

Bigamy, Polygamist, Polygamy, Religion, Sentence, Warren Jeffs, FLDS Church, National Read more Comments

Jury finds ex-polygamist leader guilty of bigamy

Contributed The Associated Press

Last updated Wednesday, March 28, 2012 - 10:38am

MIDLAND, Texas -- A former lieutenant to polygamist sect leader Warren Jeffs was convicted Wednesday of illegally taking three wives besides his own, despite his attorney's argument that "celestial marriages" weren't forbidden by state law.

Bigamy, Court, Polygamy, Utah, Warren Jeffs, FLDS Church, National Read more Comments

Polygamist sect member details 'celestial marriages'

Matthew Waller Standard Times

Last updated Tuesday, March 27, 2012 - 1:49pm

MIDLAND, Texas -- Former polygamist sect member Rebecca Musser said she was the 19th wife of the "prophet" Rulon Jeffs in 1995. That prophet would eventually have 65 wives, she said.

Musser, once a member of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, saw her own records of that marriage during the bigamy trial of former FLDS President Wendell Loy Nielsen this week.

Child Sex Abuse, Crime, Bigamy, Courts, Polygamist, Polygamy, Warren Jeffs, FLDS Church, National Read more Comments

Man's other wife exposed when one 'friends' the other on Facebook

Adam Lynn Tacoma News Tribune

Last updated Friday, March 9, 2012 - 1:10pm

TACOMA, Wash. — Here’s a recipe for trouble:

A woman you left three years ago but remain married to gets a Facebook recommendation to "friend" a woman she doesn’t know. Unbeknown to her, you married the mystery woman after changing your name.

Crime, Bigamy, Facebook, Social media, National Read more Comments

Reality TV polygamous family launches challenge of Utah law

Jennifer Dobner The Associated Press

Last updated Monday, December 19, 2011 - 5:14pm

SALT LAKE CITY -- Reality TV stars Kody Brown and his four wives say they just want one thing: to be left alone.

As authorities investigate them for bigamy, the TLC "Sister Wives" family is asking a federal judge to overturn part of Utah's bigamy law because it bans them from living together and criminalizes sexual relationships between unmarried consenting adults.

Features, Bigamy, Courts, Polygamy, Reality TV, Sister Wives, television, Utah Read more Comments

FILE - In this publicity file image provided by TLC, Kody Brown, center, poses with his wives, from left, Robyn, Christine, Meri and Janelle in a promotional photo for the reality series, "Sister Wives." The polygamous family made famous on the TLC show is asking a U.S. judge not to block their challenge of Utah's bigamy law. Kody Brown and wives Meri, Janelle, Christine and Robyn filed a lawsuit in Salt Lake City's U.S. District Court in July 2011. The stars say the law is unconstitutional because it prohibits them from living together and criminalizes their private sexual relationships. (AP Photo/TLC, George Lange, File)

Judge to consider 'Sister Wives' challenge of Utah bigamy law

Jennifer Dobner The Associated Press

Last updated Friday, December 16, 2011 - 2:47pm

SALT LAKE CITY — Attorneys for a polygamous family made famous on a reality television show on Friday asked a Utah federal judge not to block their challenge of the state’s bigamy law.

Bigamy, Cable Television, Courts, Polygamy, Reality series, Reality TV, Sister Wives, TLC, Utah Read more Comments

Ex-FLDS president takes plea deal on bigamy charge

Contributed The Associated Press

Last updated Wednesday, October 26, 2011 - 11:25am

SAN ANGELO, Texas -- A former leader in the polygamist church run by Warren Jeffs has pleaded no contest to charges of bigamy in exchange for probation.

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(ERIC GAY/The Associated Press) Texas Parks and Wildlife Capt. Marco Alvizo, seen here near Lake Amistad, in Del Rio, Texas, earlier this month, pulled over a man in 2004 who led him to a secretive compound of the FLDS Church.

Texas game warden got peek inside FLDS compound

Will Weissert The Associated Press

Last updated Monday, July 25, 2011 - 6:30pm

ELDORADO, Texas -- Before the SWAT team raid, before 439 children were seized from mothers in frontier-style dresses and 19th-century hairdos, and before the tales of underage sex and bigamy, there was a man from Utah with blood in the back of his pickup.

Bigamy, Child safety, Children, Court, FLDS, fundamentalist, Polygamy, SWAT, Utah, Warren Jeffs, Featured, FLDS Church Read more Comments

'Sister Wives' stars file lawsuit challenging Utah bigamy law

Jennifer Dobner The Associated Press

Last updated Wednesday, July 13, 2011 - 3:30pm

SALT LAKE CITY -- An attorney for cable television star Kody Brown and his four wives has filed a federal lawsuit challenging the Utah bigamy law that makes their family structure illegal.

Bigamy, Courts, Lawsuit, Polygamy, Reality TV, Sister Wives, Utah Read more Comments

FILE - In this undated file photo provided by TLC, Kody Brown, center, poses with his wives, from left, Janelle, Christine, Meri, and Robyn in a promotional photo for TLC's reality TV show, "Sister Wives." The Browns' attorney, Jonathan Turley, says he will file a lawsuit in Salt Lake City's U.S. District Court on Wednesday, July 12, 2011, challenging the Utah bigamy law that makes their lifestyle illegal. (AP Photo/TLC, Bryant Livingston, File)

'Sister Wives' family to challenge Utah bigamy law

Jennifer Dobner The Associated Press

Last updated Tuesday, July 12, 2011 - 10:04am

SALT LAKE CITY -- A polygamous family made famous by the reality TV show "Sister Wives" plans to challenge the Utah bigamy law that makes their lifestyle illegal, a Washington-based attorney said Tuesday.

Bigamy, Courts, Lawsuit, Reality TV, Sister Wives, Utah Read more Comments