The lawyer for a British Columbia man found guilty of marrying two dozen women says his client believed he could not be prosecuted for polygamy.

Winston Blackmore含羞草研究社檚 attorney, Blaire Suffredine, was in B.C. Supreme Court in Cranbrook on Wednesday, arguing that a provincial attorney general in the early 1990s issued a statement that said charging an individual with polygamy would breach their charter rights.

含羞草研究社淗is statement, that this is the law and this is what we will enforce and this is what we won含羞草研究社檛 enforce 含羞草研究社� is a clear statement that everyone in British Columbia, including Mr. Blackmore, can rely on,含羞草研究社� Suffredine said.

The statement followed an RCMP investigation in Bountiful, B.C., where the court has heard residents follow the tenants of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, a sect that condones plural or 含羞草研究社渃elestial含羞草研究社� marriage.

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Blackmore, a leader in the small community, was found guilty earlier this year of one count of polygamy after the court heard he had married 24 women, including three who were 15 years old at the time.

His co-accused, James Oler, was found guilty of having five wives.

Blackmore is asking for a stay of the proceedings and an exemption from prosecution based on his religious beliefs. If he is convicted, Blackmore is asking for an absolute discharge.

The convictions have not be entered pending the outcome of the constitutional arguments.

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Suffredine argued on Wednesday that Blackmore含羞草研究社檚 unions were never legal marriages, but common-law relationships sanctioned by Blackmore含羞草研究社檚 religious beliefs, which carry no legal weight.

含羞草研究社淢r. Blackmore believes his actions were lawful, so he can含羞草研究社檛 possibly have the intent to commit a crime,含羞草研究社� Suffredine said. 含羞草研究社淗e testified to this, that the ceremonies were common-law unions, and he understood that to be legal.含羞草研究社�

Closing arguments in the case are expected to be heard on Thursday.

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