Bountiful leaders in court on polygamy charges

Two fundamentalist Mormon leaders from Bountiful, B.C., are scheduled to appear in court Wednesday on polygamy charges.

Winston Blackmore and James Oler have yet to enter a plea.

Blackmore, 52, is the former bishop of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Bountiful. Oler, 44, is the current bishop, who replaced Blackmore.

Blackmore's indictment lists 19 women with whom he is said to have "practised a form of polygamy or practised a kind of conjugal union" between May 1, 2005 and Dec. 8, 2006.

Oler's indictment lists only two names: Renae Oler, his legal wife, and Amelia Steed.

Blackmore and Oler each lead a faction within the Bountiful community of about 1,000, which has been bitterly divided since 2002.

Source/Full Story: vancouversun.com