This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2012, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
As the reality show "Sister Wives" first geared up two years ago, police in the polygamous Brown family's hometown of Lehi got exactly two complaints about the family's violation of the bigamy law, according to newly released documents.
Lehi police sent me the report after prosecutors closed the investigation, saying they wouldn't be filing charges against the Browns — and have adopted a policy against prosecuting any other consenting adult polygamists who haven't committed some other crime. That announcement came as part of a bid to have the Browns' legal challenge to Utah's bigamy law tossed.
The police investigation started in mid-August 2010 and wrapped up in early October 2010. The officer watched several media interviews given by the Browns, from a 2009 sit-down with the BBC to an appearance on the Today show.
"In interview after interview they discuss in great detail the aspects of their lifestyle and use terms such as polygamy, polygamists and plural marriage," the report states. "It seems clear that they are purporting to be married and co-habitating."
The Browns weren't exactly super-spies: The officer also found the utilities, property taxes and deed on the family's Lehi home were in the names of Janelle, Meri and Kody, and all three of Kody's wives at the time listed the same address on their driver's licenses. (They were also involved in Safety Net and talked to the Utah attorney general before the show launched.)
Read the report here.