Wednesday, January 6, 2016

Family of ranchers who inspired Ore. militia takeover accused of abusing teen relative, family behind the Oregon militia cites Mormon beliefs for armed conflicts with government, Mormon leaders to Oregon militia: Your religion isn’t with you, Bill Cosby won't be charged in two sexual assault cases in Los Angeles, U.N. Peacekeeping in Crisis as Fresh Child Abuse Allegations Emerge in CAR

Family of ranchers who inspired Ore. militia takeover accused of abusing teen relative; grandmother denies claims, calling boy 'disturbed' BY Laura Bult, Nicole Hensley NEW YORK DAILY NEWS Tuesday, January 5, 2016

A family of embattled ranchers whose beef with the government inspired the armed takeover of a wildlife refuge in Oregon were once accused of repeatedly abusing a 16-year-old relative — including scraping his chest raw with sandpaper.

OREGON MILITIA FAMILY CITES MORMONISM FOR ARMED CONFLICTS

Dusty Hammond was punched to the ground, forced to hike 10 miles to a family ranch and ordered to eat chewing tobacco, according to a 2004 police report against uncle Steven Hammond and grandfather Dwight Hammond Jr., who surrendered to federal authorities Monday on a 2012 arson conviction....

Steven Hammond used sandpaper to erase a homebrew tattoo from Dusty’s chest. The coarse abrasive left the rancher’s nephew with twin scabs.

Dusty refused to cry during the 10 minutes his uncle spent scraping away the initials “J” and “S,” which the teen had carved using a paperclip. If he had shed a tear, Steven Hammond would have kept going, he told a Harney County deputy at the time of the inquiry.

Dusty’s punishment was requested by his grandparents, Dwight and Susan Hammond, who witnessed the abuse. Steven Hammond later defended it as an attempt “to teach Dusty to respect his body.”

When it was over, Dusty’s grandmother, Susan Hammond, told him to clean his bleeding wounds with alcohol and “not to have a pity party.”....
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/ranchers-inspired-ore-takeover-accused-abusing-teen-article-1.2485648 

The family behind the Oregon militia cites Mormon beliefs for armed conflicts with the government

BY Jason Silverstein NEW YORK DAILY NEWS  Monday, January 4, 2016

The menacing militia that has taken over a federal building in Oregon for three days (and counting) appears to be under an unlikely influence: Mormonism.

The Bundy family — a rancher clan with two brothers leading the Oregon siege and a history of flare-ups with the feds — have been known to cite their Mormon beliefs as justification for firearm-filled feuds with the government....

The Bundy brothers have not cited Mormonism during their siege, and Cliven — despite his public support for the Hammonds — has distanced himself from the armed takeover....

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/oregon-militia-family-cites-mormonism-armed-conflicts-article-1.2484657 

Mormon leaders to Oregon militia: Your religion isn’t with you
By PEGGY FLETCHER STACK   The Salt Lake Tribune Jan 05 2016

If Ammon Bundy and other Mormons involved in taking over a federal wildlife refuge in Oregon believe their religion is backing them, they should reconsider.

Leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints "strongly condemn the armed seizure of the facility," spokesman Eric Hawkins said in a news release Monday, "and are deeply troubled by the reports that those who have seized the facility suggest that they are doing so based on scriptural principles."

The release further states that "this armed occupation can in no way be justified on a scriptural basis."

Americans "are privileged to live in a nation where conflicts with government or private groups can — and should — be settled using peaceful means, according to the laws of the land."...,
http://www.sltrib.com/news/lds/3377742-155/mormon-authorities-strongly-condemn-oregon-militia

Bill Cosby won't be charged in two sexual assault cases in Los Angeles
By Jean Casarez and Steve Almasy, CNN  Wed January 6, 2016
CNN)Bill Cosby won't be charged in two cases investigated by the Los Angeles County District Attorney's office, the DA announced Wednesday.

According to a charge evaluation sheet, prosecutors think neither of the two allegations could have resulted in charges within the statute of limitations.

The accusers, listed as Jane Does No. 1 and No. 2, had accused Cosby of sexual assault.

"We are satisfied that the Los Angeles DA's office fully and fairly evaluated all the facts and evidence, and came to the right conclusion," said Chris Tayback, a lawyer for Cosby.

Jane Doe No. 2 was identified by her lawyer as Chloe Goins, who accused the 78-year-old comedian of drugging her and sexually assaulting her at the Playboy Mansion in August 2008.

Prosecutors in District Attorney Jackie Lacey's office said the two potential criminal offenses described by Jane Doe No. 2 would be misdemeanors, and they were barred by the statute of limitations from prosecuting.

The office looked at possible felonies, such as sexual battery by restraint, but said the evidence was insufficient to prove a crime was committed....
http://www.cnn.com/2016/01/06/us/bill-cosby-no-charges-los-angeles/

U.N. Peacekeeping in Crisis as Fresh Child Abuse Allegations Emerge in CAR
By Conor Gaffey On 1/6/16
United Nations (U.N.) peacekeeping personnel must lose their status as “a privileged class,” according to a former senior U.N. official, after fresh allegations of sexual abuse of minors by peacekeepers in Central African Republic (CAR) emerged.

The U.N. peacekeeping mission in CAR—known as MINUSCA— said on Tuesday that it was investigating allegations concerning sexual exploitation and abuse of minors, as well as other misconduct, by peacekeepers and international forces. The U.N. launched an investigation into its mission in CAR in June 2015 after allegations a peacekeeper sexually abused a young girl. Former colonial power France has also investigated claims of child abuse by its soldiers stationed in CAR .

MINUSCA said that staff from the U.N. Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in the capital Bangui had paid four visits to four alleged child victims of abuse, who have been provided with medical treatment and psychosocial assessments. MINUSCA declined to specify which countries the accused peacekeepers came from or how many were involved in the allegations. Unnamed sources told AFP that the peacekeepers came from Gabon, Egypt and Morocco, and AFP reported that the allegations brings the total number of sexual abuse cases against U.N. peacekeepers in CAR to 26....
http://www.newsweek.com/un-peacekeeping-crisis-fresh-child-abuse-allegations-emerge-car-412302

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