Thursday, January 19, 2012

New B.C. Special Prosecutor Will Look At Charges Other Than Polygamy Against FLDS Members

As previously reported, last November a British Columbia trial court, in an advisory opinion, upheld most applications of Canada's anti-polygamy law, and that decision is not being appealed. (Globe and Mail, 12/21). Earlier this month, Richard Peck who in 2007 had been appointed special prosecutor in the polygamy case involving members of the FLDS church and had recommended against filing charges, said he did not want to be involved with the case any longer. (Globe and Mail, 1/9). Now according to yesterday's Globe and Mail, Vancouver lawyer Peter Wilson has been named new special prosecutor by the British Columbia Criminal Justice Branch to look into sexual offenses against minors in the FLDS town of Bountiful. However his mandate does not include looking into polygamy charges.