Evidence from a process determining admissibility was rolled into the formal trial of a man charged with the alleged removal of a child from Canada that began on Thursday in Cranbrook Supreme Court.
Three former members of a fundamentalist Mormon sect testified for Crown prosecutors in the case against James Marion Oler, who is accused of taking his underage daughter from Canada into the United States to marry a member of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (FLDS).
In his opening statement, Special Prosecutor Peter Wilson said the Crown含羞草研究社檚 case relies on evidence proving that Oler should have reasonably expected his daughter to be placed in a relationship that would facilitate sexual offences.
含羞草研究社淓stablishing that Mr. Oler intended his daughter to be the object of sexual exploitation requires proof that he acted with what is sometimes described as an ulterior intent,含羞草研究社� said Wilson. 含羞草研究社淚n the circumstances of this case, that requires proof that he did anything for the purpose of facilitating an act outside Canada that would be an offence under Section 153 of the Criminal Code, if it happened in Canada.含羞草研究社�
Oler is associated with the polygamous community of Bountiful, south of Creston in the B.C. Interior.
A former FLDS member, whose identity is protected by a publication ban, said she drove with her parents in a van across the Porthill U.S.A border on June 24, 2004. Shortly after crossing the border, the van turned into a highway pullout and she left the vehicle to go into the woods to relieve herself.
After returning from the forest, she said another van had pulled up, which contained 含羞草研究社� among others 含羞草研究社� Jim Oler and his daughter. The whole group, except for one member, piled into the newly arrived van and continued to Cedar City, Utah.
Staying overnight, the group headed to Mesquite, Nevada, the next day, where the Crown witness and Oler含羞草研究社檚 daughter were married in separate FLDS ceremonies, according to her testimony as documentation from an FLDS church record that listed 18 weddings that day.
Another church record, consisting of an audio recording by Warren Jeffs 含羞草研究社� the FLDS president and prophet 含羞草研究社� described a phone call that the church leader had with Oler, instructing him to bring his daughter to be married.
FLDS members, particularly women, are taught from birth about the importance of obedience to fathers and husbands for heavenly salvation purposes, according to testimony from another witness 含羞草研究社� Warren Jeffs含羞草研究社� own daughter, Rachel.
Rachel Jeffs left the FLDS four years ago, but grew up in the fundamentalist Mormon faith in Sandy Hill, Utah. She said she attended an academy led by her father that included at least two hours a day of training in FLDS religious doctrine.
含羞草研究社淲e were taught that obedience is the first law of heaven,含羞草研究社� said Jeffs. 含羞草研究社淭o get into heaven, we were taught that we had to obey our priesthood head. The priesthood head consists of the father in the home or the husband, depending what station of life you were in.含羞草研究社�
Rachel Jeffs said she was placed in an arranged marriage when she was 18 years old, and was her husband含羞草研究社檚 third wife.
含羞草研究社淚 knew I didn含羞草研究社檛 really have a choice,含羞草研究社� said Rachel Jeffs. 含羞草研究社淭hey told me I had a choice, but I knew that if I said no, then they would kick me out of the church or含羞草研究社 wouldn含羞草研究社檛 have any blessings. And I was told that if I didn含羞草研究社檛 obey, I would lose my place in Heaven.含羞草研究社�
含羞草研究社満卟菅芯可绂I was taught that I should submit to my husband in obedience, that he was my leader and my priesthood head and as a wife, I should cook and clean and sew and have children and take care of the children.含羞草研究社�
A third Crown witness, Brandon Seth Blackmore, testified that he last saw Oler and his daughter at a FLDS church gathering roughly a week before the wedding of Oler含羞草研究社檚 daughter on June 25, 2004.
Brandon Seth Blackmore testified that Oler含羞草研究社檚 daughter sang an old Mormon ballad 含羞草研究社� This is Our Last Farewell 含羞草研究社� on the guitar.
含羞草研究社淚 remember he [Oler] was extremely emotional while she was singing the song,含羞草研究社� said Brandon Seth Blackmore. 含羞草研究社淭he atmosphere of the whole meeting was quite sad and emotional. He was crying.含羞草研究社�
Brandon Seth Blackmore left the FLDS church in 2012.
During his upbringing, Brandon Seth Blackmore was taught that plural marriage, or celestial marriage, was a required religious doctrine in order to get into heaven.
含羞草研究社淚 was taught that a woman含羞草研究社檚 role was to sustain and support her husband and to conceive, bear and bring children forth through a celestial marriage,含羞草研究社� he said.
The trial will continue on Friday in Cranbrook, with Crown prosecutors hoping to present closing arguments by next week.
trevor.crawley@cranbrooktownsman.com
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