The information pertained to members of the sect in the United States and Canada.ĭoyle said important events related to Oler were missing, such as his client’s elevation to presiding elder in the community in June 2004. Oler was self-represented in the trial but had the services of Joe Doyle, a so-called friend of the court appointed to ensure a fair trial, though he could not offer any legal advice.īoth men’s representation argued against the credibility of evidence related to marriage and personal records seized by police in 2008 from the Yearning for Zion Ranch, an FLDS church compound in Texas. It heard from mainstream Mormon experts, law enforcement officers who worked on the investigation, and Jane Blackmore, a former wife of Winston Blackmore who left the community in 2003. For us I imagine it will be (that) this is entrenched in our faith and I would have been hugely disappointed if I would have been found not guilty of living my religion.”Ī decades-long legal fight launched by the provincial government led to a 12-day trial earlier this year. “Those people all successfully launched constitutional challenges on the basic right to freely associate. Twenty-seven years ago when they started with us, same-sex marriage was criminal,” he said. “Twenty-seven years ago, adultery was a criminal act. A hearing date is expected to be set next Monday.īlackmore said it’s not religious persecution that bothers him, but that it’s political persecution and he hopes the challenge will bring about change. Blackmore confirmed that all of his marriages were celestial marriages in accordance with FLDS rules and practices.”īlackmore’s lawyer Blair Suffredine told the court he would launch a constitutional challenge of Canada’s polygamy laws. He spoke openly about his practice of polygamy.”īlackmore was shown a list of his alleged wives and made two corrections to the details, Donegan said. Blackmore … would not deny his faith in his 2009 statement to police. But he was kicked out, or ex-communicated, in 2002 by the group’s leader, Warren Jeffs, who is now serving a life prison sentence in Texas for sexually assaulting underage girls he considered brides.“Mr. The government seized some of his assets in 2017 to collect the debt.īlackmore used to be the bishop of the Canadian enclave of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, a Mormon offshoot sect that believes in plural marriage. Winston Blackmore at one point owed the Canada Revenue Agency nearly $2.4 million in unpaid taxes. My dad has a lot of friends and has helped a tremendous amount of people.” “He calls his adult children to check up on us and I always look forward to his phone calls and try to visit as often as I can. “He has been strapped financially, especially with his house arrest, and has a lot of people relying on him for support,” she said. She has helped to raise $4,500 to help her father pay the legal fees, she said. She said she still talks with her father, who is done with house arrest and visits when possible. The sale will “destroy the community,” Hanna Blackmore said. There about 100 families living in the community, she said. One of the buildings on the property is a community center, she said. Hanna Blackmore, one of Blackmore’s daughters, said she was surprised and disgusted about the auction. “I’m sure it will impact the community (in Bountiful), hopefully not in an adverse way,” Sandstorm said. He says some people are still living on the properties. and Church of Jesus Christ (Original Doctrine) Inc.īlackmore, 62 was found guilty last year of having 24 wives and sentenced to six months house arrest and one year probation.Ĭourt bailiff Michael Sandstorm of the company auctioning the properties says the new owner will get the land and any buildings on them. They are part of two companies owned by Blackmore: Blackmore Farms Ltd. ![]() One property is listed at $536,000 and the other at $280,000. Winston Blackmore will auction off two different sets of large properties located near the small community of Bountiful in southeastern British Columbia where he leads a polygamous group, the Calgary Herald newspaper in Canada reports. CALGARY, Alberta: A Canadian man who was convicted last year of polygamy is selling property he owns in British Columbia, Canada, to repay creditors.
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