Officials Tell How Sect in West Texas Was Raided

The New York Times ^ | April 11, 2008 | GRETEL C. KOVACH and KIRK JOHNSON

[Gondring]

SAN ANGELO, Tex. — For years, the veiled world behind the doors of a fundamentalist Mormon polygamist temple tantalized local imaginations in the Hill Country south of here.

On Thursday, a Texas ranger described in detail what occurred last week when law enforcement officers, responding to a call for help from a 16-year-old who said she was being sexually abused in the compound, sought entry.

[...]

“They opted not to do that because they would be aiding or assisting us in the desecration of their worship place,” Captain Caver said.

[...]

Finally, a SWAT team was called to apply brute force. As the team broke down the doors, about 57 men from the church stood in a circle around the building to bear witness, Captain Caver said.

The sect members sank to their knees in prayer, some sobbing, and one young man rushed to intervene. He was arrested on a misdemeanor charge of interfering with a public servant but has been released on bond.

[...]

[Marie2]

To those who object to this raid, what would you have law enforcement do? Nothing? What would have to happen before a raid such as this is justified?

[UCANSEE2]

For what conceivable reason would a church ‘shred’ documents?

Or is this more ‘misinformation’?

[matthew fuller]

"said he had never met the girl and had not been in Texas in more than 30 years. "

I think that there is a great amount of confusion on similar/identical surnames in this situation. I have read that many people involved have the same surnames.

[Gondring]

Contrary to rumors, there’s more to the world than Texas.

[Spktyr]

And I should care about it... why?

[SwedishConservative]

Pedophilia, polygamism...sounds an awful lot like Islam to me...

[Gondring]

Let me start out by saying that I am not condoning the marriage--forced or otherwise--of 12- or 13-year-olds. My comments are intended to point out that the issue isn't as simple as it might look at first.

Pedophilia, polygamism...sounds an awful lot like Islam to me...

For Islam, yes...but for this case, there aren't any accusations of pedophelia that I know of. I'm not sure that it's even ephebophilia, as I don't believe the relations are exclusively with the teen brides.

But since the marriages weren't Texas-legal, it opens up a bunch of charges that wouldn't be possible if the girls were actual spouses. (Note, though...IANAL).

I think of my genealogy research and realize that there are many ancestors and their neighbors who would have required court orders to get married if they had tried to do so nowdays!

[Gondring]

Pedophilia, polygamism...sounds an awful lot like Islam to me...

To expand on above...the whole question of cultural norms is very important. At what point is it appropriate for society or the government to step in and enforce something that is against a relgion?

For example, as a hypothetical....what about genital mutilation? How many FReepers think that the government should have raided this place if it had been found out that the girls in there were having surgery to remove 240 feet of nerves, thousands of nerve endings, in their genital regions, before they had any say in the matter? Would it be protected by cultural or religious reasons, or is it a cruel practice that the State has a right and duty to prevent?

[Iron Munro]

As soon as the government prosecutes all the Mormon polygamists for siring children with multiple females they are going to raid the NBA.

[agere_contra]

Ephebophilia. A new word, thank you.

[weegee]

For what conceivable reason would a church charge “auditing” for doctrine and copyright the texts? < /scientology >

[Revelation 911]

...and I'm hoping (and betting) that they have an airtight justification in this case, else they would get a lot of heat.

I'd bet money on it - thats an awful bold move to be made without provocation...particularly since they appear to be so well financed

[snowman1]

You had better rethink that one, what about that ILLEGAL who resided in a church for years and they wouldn’t even try to oust her.

[Fishrrman]

“Behaving as they do, hiding it behind a “religion” doesn’t strike me as “religious freedom.””

Not to hijack the thread, but how long before the West finally wakes up and decides that this applies to the Mohammedans, as well?

- John

[takenoprisoner]

“Not to hijack the thread, but how long before the West finally wakes up and decides that this applies to the Mohammedans, as well?”

And should apply to govt sponsored “hoods” as well. Lots of raids need to be conducted in the “hood” where child abuse, pre-teen, and teenage pregnancies are rampant.

[Revelation 911]

what to rethink - everyone apologist is treating the flds as a soveriegn territory - my point is - if they are on US territory - and a warrant is issue - dont be surprised if you get searched when it is executed

[nomorelurker]

I understand that the state has the right to obtain and execute a search warrant. That warrant however is only supposed to be issued after probable cause is established. I and others are simply questioning the probable cause here, which as best I can gather was no more than anonymous phone calls to a third party (not law enforcement). Subsequent events are not improving the probable cause situation. So far the supposed complainant/victim has not been found. The alleged perpetrator seems not to have been in Texas during the relevant time frame much less at the the ranch. I am not impressed with comments about messy beds with hair on them or shredded documents (many people routinely shred things out of privacy or ID thefts concerns).
Obviously pregnant underage girls are a big concern, I for one would hate to see a criminal charge defeated because someone got the warrant screwed up.

[weegee]

If our government was concerned about statutory rape and early teen pregnancies, they would not shield Planned Parenthood from reporting pregnant minors to Child Protective Services.

[Revelation 911]

ok - I understand where you are coming from now - Im of the same mind - Can the subsequent finding be thrown out?

This had to meet some level of judicial scrutiny before it was issued and determined valid enough to act upon

[swampdweller]

Thanks for the info on the informant (#20). The story can change so much in just a matter of hours.