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Utah man found guilty of illegal polygamy
PROVO, Utah, May 19 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) - While many men across the world are finding it hard to marry one wife due to financial problems, a Utah man, who is married to five wives was found guilty late Friday for his public adherence to the practice of polygamy, news agencies reported.
Tom Green, 52, was found guilty on four counts of polygamy and one count of criminal non-support for failing to provide financial support to nine of the children he fathered, among as many as 29 children he is believed to be their father.
News agencies said that among an estimated 30,000 a Utah resident, some still practice polygamy despite it's illegal in most Western countries. The case became even more famous because of his very openly talks in television and newspaper about his polygamist lifestyle.
Utah only became a state in 1886 after the Mormon Church officially banned polygamy, but many of its residents believe the Mormon Church changed its beliefs only out of suitability.
Although Utah banned polygamy in its Constitution, it has no specific anti-polygamy law on the books. The state of Utah is also looking to prosecute Green, who is believed to be married to two sets of sisters, on rape charges as he is accused of marrying one of his wives when she was only 13, which is illegal. Four of Green's wives are currently pregnant. The jury discussed all charges brought against Green, but sentencing has been set for June 29.
Green faces up to 25 years in prison and $25,000 in fines for his convictions in the first high-profile polygamy case in 50 years.
Green earlier explained that he was not able to support his family adding that they had been forced out of a trailer park in Salt Lake City suburb. A three-year-old son was killed and others were injured in a fire that started in the family's desert trailer.
He said he had not been able to recover financially and that his wives received state assistance. The state says Green has not paid 100,000 dollars in child support.
In the courtroom, some of Green's family members could be heard crying, news agencies reported.
"There was a lot of sensational evidence and a lot of pressure on the jury,'' said John Bucher, Green's attorney, news agencies reported.
Green seemed to be defending what he called a lifestyle, which was shown on television and published in newspapers. "You stick your head out of the hole, the government will shoot it off," Green said.
He wiped in tears in front of the jury in court when he was explaining his hard circumstances. Moreover, the defense tried to show that Green had never considered himself married to his wives under state law and, therefore, did not fear prosecution.
"He didn't believe he was married in the eyes of the state," said William Morrison, one of Green's former lawyers. Green, he added, "was very perplexed how in the world he could be charged with polygamy."
On the other hand, Green expressed his regret that he had been forced to accept money from the government amounting to US$100,000.
"I was not happy to have accepted that," Green said. "I was willing to pay back every penny. If we could live in Salt Lake like everybody else, we wouldn't have had all these problems", he added.
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