Crown defends reliability of evidence in final day of B.C. polygamy trial
CRANBROOK, B.C. — The trial of two fundamentalist church leaders charged with polygamy wrapped up in B.C. Supreme Court on Friday with the Crown arguing the bulk of marriage and personal records entered as evidence corroborate each other.
Prosecutor Peter Wilson rejected suggestions from the defence that the records were unreliable in the trial of Winston Blackmore and Jim Oler, who are from the fundamentalist community of Bountiful in southeastern British Columbia, where residents are known for practising a religion that condones plural marriage.
Blackmore’s indictment lists 24 alleged marriages between 1990 and 2014, and Oler is accused of having five wives between 1993 and 2009.
Justice Sheri Donegan said she will set a date next week for her decision, but it will be months away.