Bountiful Polygamist Blackmore Wants British Columbia Government to Fund Defence Fees

In the latest development in ongoing legal proceedings against Bountiful, British Columbia polygamists Winston Blackmore and James Oler, defence lawyer Joe Arvay is now arguing the British Columbia provincial government should help fund Blackmore’s defence costs since the province is using the prosecution as a test case. Having been denied legal aid by British Columbia’s Legal Services Society, Blackmore, along with rival Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints Oler appeared in provincial court in Cranbrook, yesterday, forcing the national debate on multiple marriage back to the front pages of newspapers across the country. Both Blackmore, 52, and Oler, 44, have yet to enter a plea. Crown prosecutor Terry Robertson agreed to adjourn the case against Wednesday, until Friday, May 22. Blackmore has already indicated he plans to invoke Canada’s same-sex marriage laws, arguing Canada’s redefinition of marriage to include same-sex couples should also include multiple partners. Defenders of traditional marriage argued in the debate on same-sex marriage in 2005 that a redefinition of marriage would lead to other unions, including polygamous arrangements, leaving nothing left of marriage to preserve.

Public date: April 23rd, 2009
Categories: News
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