I find this show really interesting, esp. since I live in Salt Lake. The culture here is very different, but I hadn't seen anything like this until the show.
According to our new's channels, they are now being investigated for bigamy, which is a third-degree felony. So, if they relly are all married, then the women couldn't apply for welfare, I would think. But they could be charged with bigany. If the second and third wives aren't legally married to him then I guess they could apply for welfare. I'll be interested in what the investigation shows.
I will say the thought of someone else cleaning my house and cooking sounds good! Not the rest of it though.
Girly #1 5.12.05 Girly #2 9.24.06
Baby Boy 12.17.08
I haven't had a chance to watch yet but I must remember to record it.
About the bigamy investigation- here is what I have always wondered. Legally, he really couldn't be married to all three, could he? I mean, even if they went through a marriage ceremony with #s 2 & 3 it is not legal because he was already married, right? So how is this any different from Hugh Hefner and his Girls Next Door? Same situation, one man living with several women. Why isn't Hef ever accused of bigamy?
Well, just like in Big Love on HBO (I know - it's fictional) - I would assume that he's only legally married to one wife (the first one). The other 2 would have been just religious marriage ceremonies, but not lawful marriages. In that case - how could they be accused of bigamy?!
My mom had a friend whose husband married another woman while they were still married and when she told the police/courts they said there was nothing they would do about it because they had too much other stuff to worry about. That was in CA about 5 years ago I think. So, I guess it is possible to commit bigamy.
Here's a link to the current news article: http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=12608738
Girly #1 5.12.05 Girly #2 9.24.06
Baby Boy 12.17.08
Well, just like in Big Love on HBO (I know - it's fictional) - I would assume that he's only legally married to one wife (the first one). The other 2 would have been just religious marriage ceremonies, but not lawful marriages. In that case - how could they be accused of bigamy?!
Utah's bigamy law states that "A person is guilty of bigamy when, knowing he has a husband or wife, the person purports to marry another person or cohabits with another person." Not all states are that specific, or only define bigamy as an attempt to enter into another legal marriage. (In many other states, polygamists are prosecuted for other crimes - like welfare fraud, statutory rape, etc. because a bigamy charge won't stick since subsequent marriages are spiritual and not done within the legal system.)
Utah's bigamy law states that "A person is guilty of bigamy when, knowing he has a husband or wife, the person purports to marry another person or cohabits with another person." Not all states are that specific, or only define bigamy as an attempt to enter into another legal marriage. (In many other states, polygamists are prosecuted for other crimes - like welfare fraud, statutory rape, etc. because a bigamy charge won't stick since subsequent marriages are spiritual and not done within the legal system.)
Oh wow - I had no idea... I always thought that bigamy charges can only be applied to those involved in lawful marriages with more than one person. Thanks for the explanation!
In that case, I really don't understand how on earth these people (or TLC) would think they weren't opening themselves up to a lawsuit by doing this show? I mean that just fundamentally doesn't make sense to me? I missed the episode - do they address that at all?
In that case, I really don't understand how on earth these people (or TLC) would think they weren't opening themselves up to a lawsuit by doing this show? I mean that just fundamentally doesn't make sense to me? I missed the episode - do they address that at all?
They do not address it and I'm wondering about the same thing now - why would they knowingly expose themselves and risk a lawsuit?!
Looks like TLC did contact the Utah AG's office before the show. Here's the answer:
"Producers of the show apparently feared the Browns could come under legal scrutiny. They contacted the Utah Attorney General's Office months before airing the program.
"They called us and said, ‘Hey, are you going to shut us down?'" said Scott Troxel, spokesman for the attorney general.
Troxel said the Utah Attorney General's Office doesn't have the resources to go after polygamists unless it suspects crimes such as child abuse or child trafficking.
"Right now, it's not in our hands, but we're not closing the door," he said
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Originally Posted by zhannushka
