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John Hollenhorst ReportingAn unprecedented summit starts tomorrow that could lead to a crackdown on polygamy. For the first time ever federal agents will join officials from Arizona, Utah and possibly Canada to figure out what to do about polygamy.
In particular, they're zeroing in on a huge religious community that straddles the Utah Arizona line.
Although we don't know what decisions might come out of tomorrow's meeting, the mere fact that it's happening is a very big deal. It's the first major attempt in decades to coordinate multiple jurisdictions and to grapple with the many social and legal issues entangled with polygamy.
The last couple of years have put polygamists in the public eye and into court, but only a handful so far. Thousands more live the lifestyle, particularly in the big community called Colorado City, Arizona and Hilldale, Utah.
The town is dominated by the Fundamentalist church currently led by Warren Jeffs.
Mark Shurtleff, Utah Attorney General: "We have estimates coming from some people in the community that there are hundreds of child brides."
Utah's Attorney General says the summit meeting will attempt to coordinate law enforcement strategy. It also will deal with the need for social services to provide help for abused children and adults. One strategy is to encourage residents to leave the town and provide evidence.
The last big crackdown on the town was the infamous Short Creek raid in 1953. Many fathers went off to jail, leaving kids and mothers behind in a public relations disaster. The Attorney General says he doesn't envision anything like that. It wouldn't work, he says. But the town's current leaders are clearly on his radar screen.
Mark Shurtleff, Utah Attorney General: "We want the message to be sent that if you are performing or ordering these marriages, you too stand the possibility of being charged with 2nd degree child bigamy."
Attorney Rod Parker represents the town's leaders. He says a crackdown won't work against people who fiercely believe in their polygamist religion.
Rod Parker, Attorney for Fundamentalist Church: "It’s here to stay, and they're going to drive it underground, they're going to drive it out of sight."
He says dialogue is better than a head-on attack.
Rod Parker, Attorney for Fundamentalist Church: "Yeah, if they're going to call this a summit, let’s set up something where they can build some bridges to this community, build some respect back and forth."
Although we don't know what decisions might come out of tomorrow's meeting, the mere fact that it's happening is a very big deal. It's the first major attempt in decades to coordinate multiple jurisdictions and to grapple with the many social and legal issues entangled with polygamy.
