Child Protection Project 
  Letter to Utah State Bar 

October 1998, Child Protection Project sent this certified and notarized letter to the Utah Bar Association asking them to follow their own law and guidelines and disbar these polygamous Kingston men. Then Utah Bar has done nothing in the intervening months and consequently I decided to make this information public. It is nearly impossible in Utah to find any stand up attorneys willing to prosecute the Kingstons for the many crimes they committed and continue to commit against their members.


 

Ethics & Discipline Committee                                                         October 15, 1998
Utah State Bar Association
645 South 200 East
Salt Lake City, Utah 84111


Re: Request for Disciplinary Action against Paul Kingston, Attorney at Law, in regards to his violations of the Rules of Professional Conduct

Dear Persons:

The Rules of Professional Conduct state: “Every lawyer is responsible for observance of the Rules of Professional Conduct.“

“A lawyer's conduct should conform to the requirements of the law, both in professional service to clients and in the lawyer's business and personal affairs.

“Failure to comply with an obligation or prohibition imposed by a Rule is a basis for invoking the disciplinary process.”

It is my opinion, by clear and convincing evidence, that Paul Kingston, Attorney at Law, has in the past and in the present continues to violate the Rules of Professional Conduct for lawyers in the State of Utah for the various reasons set forth herein.

Mr. Paul Kingston, Attorney at Law, is a well-known practicing bigamist. It is reported that he has as many as thirty (30) wives. See the enclosed Salt Lake Tribune newspaper report, dated July 19, 1998.

In Utah, the criminal law states:

“A person is guilty of bigamy when knowing he has a husband or wife, he purports to marry another person or cohabits with another person.” Section 76-7-101(1) and (2), Utah Code Annotated.

Mr. Paul Kingston's wrongful conduct constitutes a serious violation of criminal law. His conduct is punishable by incarceration in the Utah State Prison up to five (5) years.

Mr. Paul Kingston is the undisputed leader of the Kingston plural marriage organization; also known as the Latter Day Church of Christ, The Davis County Cooperative, nicknamed the Order or the Coop for short. It is estimated that there are 1000 to 1500 members of this organization.

As the head of this organization, it is reported that he approves of many of the groups' marriages and likely performs many such marriages himself. See the Salt Lake Tribune report dated August 16, 1998. Ethics & Discipline Committee

The marriage, if performed by Mr. Kingston, and any other such marriages, was done in violation of the Utah law. The marriage was performed without a marriage license as required by Utah law.

“No marriage may be solemnized without a license issued by clerk of county of State of Utah.” Section 30 – 1 - 7, Utah Code Annotated.

Persons who solemnize a marriage without a license are guilty of a Class B Misdemeanor. Section 30-1-13, Utah Code Annotated.

Such marriages are not marriages at all. Such ceremonies are simply fraud and not recognized by the State of Utah.

The Utah Constitution, at Article III, states as follows:

“Religious Toleration – Polygamy Forbidden”

“First: perfect toleration of religious sentiments is guaranteed. No inhabitant of this State shall ever be molested in person or property on account of is or her mode of religious worship, but polygamy or plural marriages are forever prohibited.”

Mr. Kingston signed and took an oath, on becoming a lawyer, that he would support and defend the Constitution of the State of Utah. He has violated this oath by practicing and advocating the outlawed practice of polygamy.

In 1984 Murray City terminated Royston Potter, a police officer, after it was learned that he practiced plural marriage. The basis for the termination from the police force was that, by his plural marriage, Mr. Potter failed to support, obey and defend Article III of the Constitution of the State of Utah.

The Federal Court stated:

“We are in agreement with the District Court that the State of Utah – beyond the declaration of policy and public interest implicit in the prohibition of polygamy under criminal sanction, has established a vast and convoluted network of other laws clearly establishing its compelling state interest in and commitment to a system of domestic relations based exclusively upon the practice of monogamy as opposed to plural marriage.

“Monogamy inextricable woven into the fabric of our society. It is the bedrock upon which out culture is built.”

Potter's termination as a police officer was upheld. Potter v Murray City, 585 F. Supp. 1126 (D. Utah 1984)

If a police officer can be terminated from his employment for practicing plural marriage, an attorney can lose his State of Utah, regulated license to practice law if he is practicing and advocating plural marriage. There is no articulable distinction.

Mr. Kingston is the leader of this extremely large plural marriage organization. This is a purported religious group whose purpose and intent is to promote, encourage and advocate plural marriages. Many such fraudulent marriages within this association, in keeping with their beliefs, are notoriously incestuous and often lead to unlawful sexual intercourse including child rape, child endangerment, battery or wrongful death.

The crimes committed by the leaders of this group may qualify as the most serious human and civil rights violations in the country. This is organized crime masquerading as a 'religious organization' and perpetrating a fraud upon its members. The group regularly uses forced child labor, denies some children a right to an education, denies medical care causing death, serious illness and unnecessary suffering.

Child Protection Project is documenting the genetic tragedy occurring within the group as a result of the extensive incest advocated and practiced by the Kingston hereditary brotherhood, or The Latter Day Church of Christ. Children born within suffer a catastrophic genetic load including lissencephaly, tourette syndrome, short stature, kidney failure, heart failure, and a host of other inherited disorder because of this institutionalized incest, all ignored by Utah officials.

It is often said by Utah officials when confronted by questions about why nothing is done about these illegal practices that they cannot find people to testify. This is false. Many people with first hand experience are willing to testify about their knowledge regarding these crimes. Many of these same people have been turning evidence into the proper legal authorities for years.

It is abundantly clear, that these incestuous relationships are known to and encouraged by Mr. Kingston. If Mr. Kingston is participating in acts of bigamy, illegal marriages and participates in an organization which advocates incestuous relationships, even if such acts are an integral part of his so called religious beliefs, he is committing serious criminal conduct in the State of Utah.

The Rules of Lawyer Discipline and Disability state as follows:

“Rule 8.4 Misconduct:

“It is professional misconduct for a lawyer to:

“(a) Violate the rules of professional conduct, knowingly assist or induce another to do so, or do so through the acts of another.

“(b) Commit a criminal act that reflects adversely on the lawyer's honesty, trustworthiness or fitness as a lawyer in other respects;

“(c ) Engage in conduct involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit or misrepresentation…”

It is my opinion that the Utah State Bar Association must take action against Mr. Kingston. Felonious conduct of this nature, and its inherent abuses, violates critical community standards and state laws, as well as the Rules of Professional Conduct for a lawyer. Felonious conduct is grounds for disbarment in the State of Utah. (Section 78-51-37, U.C.A.)

No lawyer can participate in serious criminal acts, or encourage others to commit serious criminal acts, and still “conform to the requirements of the law”. The two behaviors are mutually exclusive under anyone's standards. Such criminal conduct is fraudulent, deceitful and reflects adversely on the lawyer's honesty, trustworthiness and fitness as a lawyer.

In Section 76-2-202, Utah code Annotated, it states:

Criminal responsibility for Direct Commission of Offense or For Conduct of Another.

“Every person, acting with the mental state required for the commission of an offense who directly commits the offense, who solicits, requests, commands, encourages, or intentionally aids another person to engage in conduct which constitutes an offense shall be criminally liable as a party for such conduct.”

Lastly, Mr. Kingston is involved in ongoing felonious conduct he should not be licensed to practice law in Utah at all. Therefore, I am requesting that the Utah State Bar Association make a meaningful and genuine investigation into the professional and personal conduct of Paul Kingston and take appropriate action.

Sincerely,



Linda Walker
Child Protection Project

On the 14th day of October 1998, personally appeared before me, Linda Walker, the signer of the above instrument, who duly acknowledged to me that she executed the same. Subscribed and sworn to before me on the date above written.