Brigham Young was not only the prophet of his church in 1857 into the 1870s, but also territorial gov. How many Lds were convicted of this crime? One. John D. Lee.
After the massacre (in 1857), John D. Lee remained an active leader in Mormon affairs in southern Utah. However, by the late 1860s, questions about the massacre became more and more difficult to avoid, and in October 1870 Brigham Young excommunicated Lee from the Mormon Church for his role in the affair. Lee was the only one so punished and would later maintain that he became a scapegoat to take the public pressure off the more responsible Mormon leaders.
And so Lee remained a leader in the Church for THIRTEEN years before he was cut-off. Did you also know in April 1961, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints posthumously reinstated Lee's membership in the church.?
Who were among these key Mormons who led the slaughter?
* Lds Stake President Isaac Haight. Convicted? (Not on your life; it even took the Lds church 11 yrs to ex-communicate him!)
* Counselor to Lds Stake President Haight, John Mount Higbee. Convicted? (Not on your life)
* Parowan Stake President William Horne Dame. Convicted? (Not on your life; in fact, his stake presidency came after the massacre!)
* Lds bishop Philip Klingensmith. Convicted? (Not on your life)
* Future Lds bishop William Edwards. Convicted? (Not on your life; in fact, his bishop role came after the massacre!)
* Lds bishop John D. Lee. Convicted? (Yes...and the ONLY man so convicted -- and hung)
The Mormons covered it up so that NONE -- minus Lee decades later -- would be held responsible.
Excerpts from Sally Denton's 2003 book entitled: American Massacre: The Tragedy at Mountain Meadows, September 1857 (Vintage Books, division from Random House):
George Smith, less than three weeks before the massacre, arrived in Southern Utah in late August, 1857. Smith was both an “apostle” and militia leader in the Lds church. Rachel Lee, one of John D. Lee's wives, recorded messages at the time in her diary that Smith's messages were “full of hostility and virulence.” (Denton, p. 116)
Lee's first trial resulted in a hung jury: "...the eight Mormons and one Jack Mormon favoring acquittal, the three non-Mormons leaning toward conviction" (Denton, p. 226)
Mormon leaders stonewalled witnesses. Brigham Young and George Smith both were conveniently ill...and "Of more than one hundred called, fewer than half would surface, and many of those came under duress." (Denton, p. 225)
Essentially the entirety of the Mormon church of the 1850s, the 1860s, & the 1870s covered it all up. If you had neighbors who wouldn't dare hurt a fly, but would cover up mass murder...would that somehow make you feel better 'bout them?
Never heard about that. Here is some more ugly history... This one got John Smith killed over the Mississippi near Alton IL. The MO GOV signs an extermination order.
Missouri Executive Order Number 44, read as follows:
“
Headquarters of the Militia, City of Jefferson, Oct. 27, 1838.
Gen. John B. Clark:
Sir: Since the order of this morning to you, directing you to cause four hundred mounted men to be raised within your division, I have received by Amos Reese, Esq., of Ray county, and Wiley C. Williams, Esq., one of my aids [sic], information of the most appalling character, which entirely changes the face of things, and places the Mormons in the attitude of an open and avowed defiance of the laws, and of having made war upon the people of this state. Your orders are, therefore, to hasten your operation with all possible speed. The Mormons must be treated as enemies, and must be exterminated or driven from the state if necessary for the public peace—their outrages are beyond all description. If you can increase your force, you are authorized to do so to any extent you may consider necessary. I have just issued orders to Maj. Gen. Willock, of Marion county, to raise five hundred men, and to march them to the northern part of Daviess, and there unite with Gen. Doniphan, of Clay, who has been ordered with five hundred men to proceed to the same point for the purpose of intercepting the retreat of the Mormons to the north. They have been directed to communicate with you by express, you can also communicate with them if you find it necessary. Instead therefore of proceeding as at first directed to reinstate the citizens of Daviess in their homes, you will proceed immediately to Richmond and then operate against the Mormons. Brig. Gen. Parks of Ray, has been ordered to have four hundred of his brigade in readiness to join you at Richmond. The whole force will be placed under your command.
I am very respectfully, yr obt st [your obedient servant],
L. W. Boggs, Commander-in-Chief.[2]
People should understand the total circumstances of the massacre before using it to judge modern day Mormons.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_hysteria_preceding_the_Mountain_Meadows_massacre
"I am a true believer in the gospel of Jesus Christ, I do not believe everything that is now being taught and practiced by Brigham Young.
I do not care who hears it. It is my last word - it is so.
I believe he is leading the people astray, downward to destruction.
But I believe in the gospel that was taught in its purity by Joseph Smith, in former days.
I have my reasons for it.
"I studied to make this man's [Brigham Young] will my pleasure for thirty years.
See, now, what I have come to this day!
"I have been sacrificed in a cowardly, dastardly manner." (Lee enunciated this sentence with marked emphasis.)
Excerpted from --> http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/mountainmeadows/leeexecution.html