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Kimberly Houk ReportingThreats, plots of murder and bombs, an underworld of crime and secrecy has surrounded the Kingston family's custody hearings. It all started with a man caught several months ago taking pictures of the courthouse and the judge's private parking garage.
His name is Ethan Tucker and he's John Daniel Kingston's half-brother -- a family connection police aren't taking lightly. We caught up with Ethan Tucker to hear what he had to say about being caught twice taking pictures of this courthouse.
John Daniel Kingston, Salt Lake City: "Ethan is one of the accused in the plot to hurt the judge, which is absolutely not true."
True or not, he is related to the Kingston's and he's been caught not once but twice taking pictures in areas that seem to be targeting the judge overseeing the Kingston's custody hearing. And Tucker is back again, this time during daylight hours, wanting to explain.
Ethan Tucker, Kingston's Half Brother: "There's no truth to it at all. I have been down here a couple of times taking pictures for a photography class at the Salt Lake Community College."
We checked with the admissions office for Salt Lake Community College and Tucker was indeed enrolled in a photography class last Fall. He says at the time he was caught breaching security at the court house he was simply completing an assignment for his class.
In November, police caught up to him as he was snapping photos of the judge's private parking garage. In December he was caught again, this time photographing Judge Andrew Valdez's private chambers, leading Valdez to exclaim in open court, "I will not be intimidated."
John Daniel Kingston: "As usual, we have not had the opportunity to present our side."
A side Kingston says is nothing more than innocent picture taking by a half brother, who he says didn't even know his family was involved in legal issues being decided in this court house. The reason for getting caught twice, Tucker says, was nothing more than simply not being told by police the first time that he wasn't allowed to come back. After the second incident, he says police sent him away with a very clear message.
Ethan Tucker, Kingston's Half Brother: "They said, ‘Tell your people we're not going to put up with any threats against any judges.’ and they wouldn't listen to anything I had to say."
No charges have been pressed against Tucker, but police are taking every threat seriously, including beefing up security at the court house and at the judge's home.
