XPost: ba.politics, dc.media, soc.penpals   
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   From: davevale@outlook.com   
      
   ody Brown and his four wives are best known for starring on   
   TLC’s Sister Wives, but the family has also been battling a long-   
   standing legal case. Yesterday, the Browns’ attorney, Jonathan   
   Turley, announced that the final decision of United States   
   District Court Judge Clarke Waddoups came down in favor of the   
   Brown family.   
      
   As Turley wrote on his blog, “Previously, Judge Waddoups handed   
   down an historic ruling striking down key portions of the Utah   
   polygamy law as unconstitutional.   
      
   Only one count remained: the Section 1983 claim that state   
   officials (notably prosecutor Jeffrey R. Buhman) violated the   
   constitutional rights of the Brown family in years of criminal   
   investigation and public accusations. He has now ruled for the   
   Browns in what is now a clear sweep on all counts.”   
      
   Essentially, the Browns, who had previously had to leave their   
   home in Utah, can now be both plural and legal in the state.   
   “The Court struck down the provision as violating both the free   
   exercise clause of the first amendment as well as the due   
   process clause,” Turley wrote. “The court specifically struck   
   down language criminalizing cohabitation—the provision that is   
   used to prosecute polygamists.”   
      
   And in regards to the Attorney General potentially appealing the   
   case, Turley said, “We are prepared to defend this and the prior   
   ruling in Denver, Colorado before the United States Court of   
   Appeals for the Tenth Circuit.”   
      
   Kody Brown issued the following statement on behalf of his   
   family:   
      
   “The entire Brown family is gratified and thankful for this   
   final ruling from Judge Waddoups. The decision brings closure   
   for our family and further reaffirms the right of all families   
   to be free from government abuse. While we know that many people   
   do not approve of plural families, it is our family and based on   
   our religious beliefs.   
      
   Just as we respect the personal and religious choices of other   
   families, we hope that in time all of our neighbors and fellow   
   citizens will come to respect our own choices as part of this   
   wonderful country of different faiths and beliefs. We hope that   
   Attorney General Reyes will see this as a victory of us all in   
   defending the freedom of religion and other rights in our   
   precious Constitution.   
      
   We want to particularly thank our lead counsel Professor   
   Jonathan Turley who represented us through the criminal   
   investigation and then led the fight against this law to reach   
   this historic decision. We also want to thank the team of   
   lawyers and students from George Washington, including our local   
   counsel Adam Alba.   
      
   We are so honored and blessed to have been able to serve as the   
   vehicle for this milestone ruling. Professor Turley has pledged   
   to defend this decision on appeal and we are equally committed   
   to fight to preserve this now final and complete victory.”   
      
   http://news-briefs.ew.com/2014/08/28/sister-wives-utah-   
   polygamy/?xid=outbrain   
      
       
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)