A decades-long legal battle involving two bountiful men charged with polygamy is now being played out in BC Supreme Court in Cranbrook.
Winston Blackmore entered a not guilty plea to a charge of practicing polygamy after roughly two dozen names, who are all said to be his wives, were read out in a courtroom Tuesday morning.
James Oler also pleaded not guilty to an identical charge for allegedly having four wives.
The two are subjects of the first trial of its kind in Canada, after a police investigation initially started in the 1990s.
The defense is expected to argue Blackmore and Oler participated in multiple marriages under the Mormon church to bring them closer to God and their beliefs should be protected by Canada’s Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
The Crown will suggest the actions of the co-accused broke the criminal code.
Crown’s evidence is expected to last 10 to 12 days and will include marriage records, and testimony from experts, Canadian and American law enforcement and one of the wives of Winston Blackmore.
On Wednesday, witnesses will include Texas Ranger Nick Hanna who who was involved with collecting marriage documents from the FLDS ranch in Texas.
Josh Hoffman of Drive FM in Cranbrook provided this report.