Attorney General's Office: "Ritual Crime in the State of Utah" (1992 or 1995)
The document can be retrieved here:
https://www.scribd.com/document/1059684 ... -Utah-1992But I think the date may be wrong. it looks to me like the investigation began in 1992, lasted for 2 years and that the Attorney General Report was submitted in 1995. I don't see an obvious date on the AG report itself.
Here's a pdf of the Attorney General Report on Google Drive:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B7kaN0 ... sp=sharingThe Attorney General's Office chose to use the definition of ritual crime as cited by the Utah State Task Force on Ritual Abuse, dated April 1992 (refer to page 7 for that definition). During an exhaustive two year search, the Unit has investigated over 125 cases of alleged ritual crime. In some cases, these investigations involved hundreds of hours of investigation and evaluation. In addition, the Unit investigators have met with hundreds of citizens who claim to be victims of Satanic, religious, physical or sexually motivated ritual crimes. Many of those interviews were not assigned case numbers because they did not appear to have significant information to proceed. None of the allegations presented to investigators have resulted in prosecutions except for the case of the Zion Society in Ogden.
In the Zion Society case, approximately 100 people claimed membership in a "secret society" governed by self proclaimed prophet Arvin Shreeve. Shreeve taught that women should be involved sexually with each other and with Shreeve who was considered by them to be their eternal companion. Shreeve further taught that the children living in the group were to be sexually involved as well. Shreeve taught that he received daily revelation regarding the group's physical, spiritual and sexual needs. The group lived in ten neighboring homes. They home taught their children and operated in a "survivalist attitude" regarding food storage, etc. Eventually, 12 adults were charged with felony crimes regarding the sexual abuse of children. All 12 were convicted and sentenced. The most serious offenders, Arvin Shreeve and Sharon Kapp are respectively serving 20 years and 10 years to life sentences in the Utah State Prison.
In another case, three adult female children recalled memories of Satanic sexual abuse that occurred while they were very young. The victims, in separate interviews discussed robed ceremonies, alters, candles, animal sacrifices and extreme physical and sexual abuse. Since their recollections appeared to show some consistency, an in-depth investigation was launched. At the conclusion of the investigation, the suspects were interviewed. Both the mother and the father admitted to serious sexual and physical crimes against the children and named several other individuals who were also involved. The case, however could not be prosecuted because the statute of limitations had run. The crimes occurred over 25 years ago, but this case does indicate that serious sexual and physical abuse can happen and that it is perpetuated by those who cloak their crimes in ritualistic activity.
Across the state there is increasing evidence of ritual activity. There are parents concerned about their children listening to "heavy metal" music, drawing Satanic markings and talking of suicide and death as a way to gain power. Law enforcement officers statewide report finding ritual sites with occult signage, alters, burnt candles and even sacrificed animals. Animal mutilations appear to be occurring in all parts of the state on an irregular basis, although many sites appear to involve a natural cause of animal depredation, such as coyote or mountain lion attacks.
Across the state, the investigative team has contacted legislators, law enforcement heads, therapists, religious leaders, school counselors and civic leaders regarding ritual crime. The majority of those interviewed indicated that they believe that ritual crime is possible and probably is occurring. This same group of leaders could not produce any clear evidence to support their beliefs, and state that they just, "feel that it's possible."
The media and the general public often look to criminal prosecution as a barometer of what is happening in society, what is a problem and what isn't. Unfortunately, there are aa number of reasons why it is not possible to gauge the occurrence of ritual abuse through the number of successful prosecutions. First, many reports are made many years after the original even or accusal. Often statues of limitations prohibit prosecution, and even if there is an exception to the statute of limitations, there may be no way to obtain corroborative evidence that abuse did take place when so many years have elapsed. Second, often the reports of victims are based on "recovered memories", which were blocked at an early age and are only recalled after some intensive therapeutic intervention. This therapy often involves hypnosis. The Utah Supreme Court has stated unequivocally that a prosecution cannot be based upon testimony that is hypnotically-refreshed or enhanced, due to the unreliability and suggestibility of that process. State v. Tuttle, 780 P.2d 1203 (Utah 1989), cert denied 494 U.S. 1018, (1990). Most courts throughout the country which have addressed the issue have ruled that the outcome of hypnotherapy is not reliable enough to be admissible in court proceedings. (A copy of the brief on this subject is available from the AG's Office.)
Even when hypnosis is not directly involved, there is enough controversy about the entire issue of "recovered memories" in the field of psychology, that the courts are unlikely to admit such evidence without showing that the memory of the victim is reliable. What that means to those who prosecute cases is that the investigator must focus on whether there is corroborative evidence that supports an assertion by a victim. When a victim recalls details of an event that are capable of being checked out, it is the duty of the investigator to attempt to do so. Only when there is independent evidence establishing the accuracy of the victim's account of a crime can a prosecution be pursued. It is that type of evidence that has proved to be so elusive to law enforcement and prosecutors' offices throughout the country who have devoted resources to investigating these reports.
Evidence has shown that there are many isolated instances of ritual abuse of children perpetrated by individuals or small groups, and sometimes those people have used at least the trappings of Satanism or other religious or "magic" orders in the course of the abuse. What hasn't been corroborated is the multitude of reports by abuse "survivors" claiming to have been party to human sacrifices, sexual abuse of young children, torture, and other atrocities committed by well-organized groups which pervade every level of government, every social status and every state in the country. The lack of prosecution of such reports does not mean that the reports are fictitious.
This report will attempt to outline in detail the problems associated with the investigation, evaluation and disposition of ritual crime cases. The helpful assistance by law enforcement heads, legislators, therapists, religious and civic leaders is deeply appreciated.
