Tuesday, December 17, 2013

The Effects of US District Judge Clark Waddoups Ruling - Trib Talk: What Now for Utah Polygamous Communities


I've held off publishing about Judge Waddoups ruling - mainly because I wanted the most informative discussion that looked at both sides of the landmark polygamy ruling without being judgmental or one-sided for or against polygamy.

This webcast from the Salt Lake City Tribune moderated by Jennifer Napier-Pearce, met my criteria.

The participants were:
  • Jim Dalrymple, a reporter from the Salt Lake City Tribune
  • Sarah Barringer Gordon, a professor of Law and History
  • Nathan Oman, a law professor from William and Mary Law School
  • Stewart Gollan, a civil rights attorney
It was an interesting and informative discussion of the Brown family lawsuit and Judge Waddoups ruling that some say has decriminalized polygamy in Utah.


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4 comments:

  1. JhirunDecember 20, 2013 at 4:23 AM

    Really interesting discussion. Thanks for finding and sharing it CJ. Do you know if the Browns or Dargers have made a public comment or statement about the ruling?

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    Replies
    1. Cynical JinxDecember 20, 2013 at 12:47 PM

      Hi Jhirun,

      Yes they have made a public statement about the ruling. I'll post the urls today for you!

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    2. JhirunDecember 20, 2013 at 4:05 PM

      Thanks CJ. I did Google to see if the Browns had made a statement but nothing came up. I'm in Australia so I don't know if that is the reason. I'm not on twitter.
      Interestingly however, I did get a news report about the Williams family's reaction and stating they are getting a series now as well.

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    3. Cynical JinxDecember 20, 2013 at 4:33 PM

      Here is Kody Brown's statement:

      "The entire Brown family is humbled and grateful for this historical ruling from the court today. Like thousands of other plural families, we have waited many years for this day. While we know that many people do not approve of plural families, it is our family and based on our beliefs. Just as we respect the personal and religious choices of other families, we hope that in time all of our neighbors and fellow citizens will come to respect our own choices as part of this wonderful country of different faiths and beliefs. There are so many families who have waited for so long for this ruling and, on their behalf, we can only say: thank you, Judge Waddoups, for your courageous decision. We want to particularly thank our lead counsel Professor Jonathan Turley who represented us through the criminal investigation and then led the fight against this law. We also want to thank the team of lawyers and students from George Washington, including our local counsel Adam Alba. We are so honored and blessed to have been able to serve as the vehicle for this milestone ruling. Professor Turley has pledged to defend this decision on appeal and we are equally committed to fight to preserve this great victory. "

      And here are links which includes Joe Darger's response to the ruling:

      Federal judge declares Utah polygamy law unconstitutional

      Judge strikes down key part of Utah bigamy law

      Utah court ruling eases fear among polygamists

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