Incident Report 10LE12479 Page 4 of 10 SUPPLEMENTAL NARRATIVE: Name: Larsen B Date: 11:46:48 10/03/10 11:46:48 10/03/2010 - Larsen B SYNOPSIS I was assigned to investigate allegations of Bigamy- information and filed this report. I gathered the INITIAL INFORMATION In mid August 2010, I was asked to look into issues involving Polygamy/Bisany- Tt was learned that the Learning Channel (TLC), had produced a series of shows chronicling a man with 3 wives, and numerous children while courting a 4th wife. These episodes were scheduled to begin airing September 2¢th with an hour long premier followed by approximately 6 more 1/2 hour episodes to air each week. The family was identified as the Brown family which consisted of Kody Brown, Neri Brown, Janelle Brown and Christine Brow. The show was also said to be chronicling the courting of Robyn Sullivan. The Browns were found to be residing at 951 west 1220 north Lehi Utah. And Robyn was found to be residing north 500 west Lehi Utah. at 5 INFORMATION ON THE BROWNS ‘A records check indicated that the utilities for the address of 951 west 1220 north were in the names of Kody Brown, Meri Brown, and Janelle Brown. Additionally, driver license records for Kody Brown, Meri Brown, Janelle Brown, and Christine Brown showed an address of 951 west 1220 north. It should be noted that at some point Janelle, Meri, and Christine all legally changed there names to Brown. A check of property tax information for the residence located at 951 west 1220 north showed Kody, Meri and Janelle as owners. It also listed the residence as a single family dwelling. I located a deed of trust showing Janelle Brown, Kody Brown, and Meri Brown as joint tenants. This deed listed the address of 951 west 1220 north, and was signed by all three parties. I also located other financial documents that listed Janelle Brown, Kody Brown, and Meri Brown as joint tenant: From interviews done by the Browns, as well as other news media articles I was able to determine the family dynamic as follows. Kody met Meri through mutual friends and they were married on April 21st 1990. Kody and Meri have one child, Kody met Janelle through Meri and her friends. ‘They were married in 1993. Kody and Janelie have 6 children, ‘ a 2 Kody met Christine 1 they were married on March 25th, 1994. Kody and Christine It is ‘marriage date of Kody and Robyn Sullivan. She brings Applicable sources of with this report. ‘TLCs web site contained photos 1 photos of Kody and Meri, Kody and Janelle, and are commonly associated with a marriace osnen2Incident Report 10LE12479 Page 5 of 10 cHIEpRsN ‘As noted previously in this report, there are 16 children involved in this Assue. Kody is believed to be the father of 13 of the children. 3 of the childzen are Robyns from a pervious marriage. The first child born to Meri was born after Kody had been warried to Meri, Janelle, and Christine. Through out the interviews and video clips there is nothing that suggests that the 13 children mentioned earlier are not Kodys. HOUSING ARRANGEMENTS Kody, Meri, Janelle, and Christine, along with there children live at the residence located at 951 west 1220 north Lehi, Utah Currently Robyn and her children reside at 54@ north 500 west in Lehi, Utah. However, there are plans to build an addition so that Robyn and her children can move into the residence lat 951 west 1220 north. The layout of the home is reported to show Meri and her child occupying the middle and right side of the residence, Janelle and her children occupying the left side of the residence, and Christine and her children occupying the bottom portion of the residence. Kody is reported to have a schedule where he rotates staying with each spouse on a daily basis. A copy of images of the housing arrangements obtained from still shots of video footage will be included with this report. It should be noted that although ‘residence is somewhat separated, all the areas are attached and accessible each other. Additionally, a lot of time is spent in the interviews telling how they live as a family unit, and how integrated the family is. AoE tion on the matter, I found a video clip of an Hawksley, a correspondent of the British at the Utah ee, a Polygamous advocacy group, was for fundamentalist Mormon families. I inciplevoices.org/archives/156. At this slative education day. & copy of the attached to this report. At this tly after meeting, Havkeley along with polygamous lifestyle. This terview includes scenes filmed at a ‘The video starts with Kody Tt also includes clips of at have 3 moms and 1 dad. in living in a pluralIncident Report 10LE12479 Page 6 of 10 marriage when they were older. One child said that she was not interested, one said she wasn't sure, and one said that right now she was. Also during this interview, Christine makes a statement that infers that she is aware that their lifestyle is illegal. She is recorded saying "We don't teach them that we are living an illegal lifestyle, we don't want to raise the family with the fear that I was raised with". Kody is recorded making the statement "Some people in thie lifestyle tend to live like separate families, almost like cousins, but we have always integrated simply as an entire family". A copy of a news article related to this video clip, as well as the video clip itself will be included with this report. INTERVIEW WITH BROOKE ADAMS In July of 2009 the Browns were interviewed by Brooke Adams. During the interview Adams asks about the BBC interview. Kody explains that he and Christine were at the State Capital and met Hawksley. Hawksley asked if he could see them with the family. Adams also asked why his two other wives were not there. Kody listed scheduling conflicts as well as the other wives cautiousness about public exposures as the reason, The majority of the interview revolves around questions regarding the issues of plural marriage as well as its legality. A copy of this interview will be included with this report for reference. SISTER WIVES ANNOUNCED In the early part of August, Sister Wives was announced. 1 obtained a press release that was dated August 6th, 2010. This press release identifies the individuals involved, and details the basic premise of the show. The opening paragraph states TLC brings viewers inside the rarely seen world of plural families with the premier of Sister Wives, an engrossing seven part series following Kedy Brown, his three soon to be four wives and their many children. Premiering on Sunday, September 26, Sister Wives explores the complex daily life of a Polygamist Family. A copy of this release will be included with this report. MEDIA INTERVIEWS After the announcement of the show, and before its premiere, there were numerous news articles and some video interviews of the Browns. After the premier, there were even more. In these interviews, Kody, Meri, Janelle, Christine, and Robyn speak of issues of polygamy and plural marriage. It seems clear from these interviews that all of them are quite aware of the legal implications, and do not try to imply that their lifestyle is legal. In fact, their stated goal is to bring the issues into the open. They are also quite clear on the fact that they are living as one family that consists of 1 dad, 4 moms and 16 children. tt should be noted, that although the shows premise is ene man with three wives who is courting another, that the episodes were filmed some time ago and they are currently living as one man with 4 wives. After the show was aired, and it was announced that the Lehi Police department was Meo. ge ‘Tho Criminal Jivate en Lindsay Whitehurst oes Sale Lake Tribune ownaia