Blake Ostler, a prominent Salt Lake City Attorney, and prolific LDS writer commented yesterday:
“After having read the affidavit (based on hearsay) and reviewing as much of the transcripts as I could, it appears fairly evident that there have been massive violations of First, Fourth and Fourteenth Amendment rights. There was no need to search the entire compound. The warrant was so overbroad that it is a travesty.”
The question is: how can they do a blanket seizure on over 400 people without knowing who’s guilty and who isn’t? What about the rights of those who are now in custody (innocent and guilty) against their will?
I hope this can get sorted out soon. It would be nice to see the mothers back with their children and the guilty parties behind bars. We should learn more about the persecutions suffered by the early Mormon polygamists in Illinois and Utah and see what kind of ordeals they had to go through.
It’s interesting to see the reaction of the LDS Church to an event like this. Who knows, maybe the Lord Almighty is trying to see if everyone can practice what they’ve been preaching all these years in a situation where there is no ROI on the time, resources and efforts. Who will defend the defenseless now?
I hope they prosecute the real predators behind the abuse and set the innocent people free.

photo credit: deeAuvil.com
Tags: civil rights, constitutional rights, FLDS, polygamist rights