Free Exercise Challenge To Polygamy Ban Avoided

Article 20, Sec. 2 of the Arizona Constitution prohibits polygamy. An accused Colorado City member of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints was planning to challenge the validity of that provision by asserting his religious freedom rights under the U.S. Constitution. However, the Provo, Utah Daily Herald reported on Saturday that his attempt to do this has been stymied as prosecutors dropped an underage sex charge against Randolph J. Barlow, and proceeded only on charges of sexual assault where the defense would not be relevant.