Tense relations lead to violent threat in FLDS communities
 
By Emiley Morgan
Deseret News
 
HILDALE, Washington County — An ongoing rift between those who live in the twin polygamist communities of Hildale and Colorado City, Ariz. and those who have been court-appointed to oversee their assets has escalated to the point that the Arizona Attorney General's Office is asking for a emergency court hearing to address the issues.

The "emergency report" was filed last week and outlined conflicts over grain silos, fields, basic utilities and homes and allegations that local law enforcement has failed to abide by arrangements made by accountant Bruce Wisan who oversees the Fundamentalist LDS Church's United Effort Plan Trust.

The trust was created by the FLDS Church in 1942 on the concept of a "united order," allowing followers to share in its assets. Utah courts took control of the trust in 2005 following allegations that it had been mismanaged by church leader Warren Jeffs.

Members of the sect have long held that 3rd District Judge Denise Lindberg's decision to reform the trust, which is valued at more than $110 million and holds most of the property in Hildale, Colorado City, Ariz. and Bountiful, British Columbia, was a violation of their First Amendment rights to practice their religion freely. Lindberg appointed Wisan as the special fiduciary of the trust and later authorized the sale of Berry Knoll, a 438-acre parcel of land church members claim was consecrated for a temple, to repay the trust's $3 million in debt.

One exhibit attached to the filing includes a tape recorded threat allegedly made by frustrated Trust Advisory Board member Seth Cooke. In the recording, he tells a law enforcement officer that if a plowing issue on Berry Knoll wasn't resolved, he would "go get my .270 and come out here and start shooting people."

Cooke resigned from the board following a recommendation from the Arizona Attorney General's Office.

The filing also asserts that the local government has refused to provide Cooke's brother, Ron — a disabled former FLDS member who was leased a home by Wisan — with basic utilities.

Relations have declined to that point that the attorney general is asking for a court hearing to discuss "events and conditions involving administration of the trust that display growing tension among local residents in Colorado City and Hildale and either confusion about or outright disregard for the authority of this court by law enforcement officers."

The filing asks specifically for a hearing "on or after July 27," but no date has been scheduled.

e-mail: emorgan@desnews.com
 
DeseretNews.com
Originally published Wednesday, July 14, 2010
 
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