The women are free to leave, and they are also free to speak to the media. The cell phones were taken away to prevent the men back at the ranch from giving orders to the women about what lies to tell to investigators so they men’s and women’s lies will match. The men, especially the top leaders, are also likely to be transmitting instructions about what horrible lies the women should tell the children, like about how they’ll burn in hell for eternity if they answer interviewers’ questions honestly or reveal any of the “sacred things” (i.e. rape) that went on in the temple. There is HUGE motivation for witness tampering here.
Yep, the government is doing it for their own good.
FLDS attorney Rod Parker challenged Texas authorities to allow reporters and photographers inside the shelters.From the letter:
"If conditions are as good as they say they are, allow the women to come out and tell their stories and then go back inside," Parker said. "If there is nothing to hide, allow reporters and photographers inside to take pictures."
"We were contacted and told our homes had been raided, our children taken away with no explanation, and because of law enforcement blockade preventing entering or leaving the ranch, we were unable to get to our homes and had no-where to go," it said. "As of Wednesday, April 9, 2008, we have been permitted to return to our empty, ransacked homes, heartsick and lonely."
And I can't imagine why, I mean why would 'Don' not want to give his last name to the nice reporter from the DeseretNews...could it be it 'matched' the surname of a dozen or kids? Hmmmmmmmm
There are many cases where witness tampering might be a big issue in court rooms all over the nation every day- yet I have never heard of a judge ordering cell phones be confiscated from people that are not under arrest. Are these women under arrest? I don’t know, but it doesn’t seem so from media reports. I do think this is a terrible and unusual case; but I don’t want any precedent set there that may haunt the rest of us later. These people have rights, no matter what they have done or might do.
“The women are free to leave, and they are also free to speak to the media. “
which is more freedom than they had at the FLDS compound.
My question is about the central claim of the government that these women and children were virtual prisoners of an evil dominant male hierarchy — then why do these women own cell phones?
Surely, a person free enough to own a cell phone is not a prisoner.
Unless of course you are the guest of the Texas CPS bureaucrats then no Free Speech will be entertained.
Ironic, ain’t it.
ah so why not just take the men’s phones other than for talking to their lawyers.
BTW is anyone actually under arrest?
I see a little bit of what ever showing.
WHAT!?!? You forgot your sarcasm tag, right? Has ANYONE of these women been arrested and charged with a crime? ANY ONE of the men? No? Has ONE iota of evidence been discovered that proves the children are in any kind of danger?
Then please tell me what part of the US Constitution allows for LE to suspend their rights because of what they MIGHT say or hear?
Sheesh! "Government Shrinker", my a$$....
ROFLOL!
Dang, but you are gullible.