Update on RFM Request for Unredacted BYU Police Reports

[consiglieri]

Radio Free Mormon put up a brief update yesterday on the progress being made in the requests to the Brigham Young University Police for an unredacted copy of the police reports.

Links to the reports and the letters back and forth with the police department are included in the show notes.

https://mormondiscussionpodcast.org/201 ... on-update/

All the Best!

Consiglieri

[Advocate]

Thanks for your efforts in getting the sun to shine in Provo. Hopefully the BYU police department will remember the 12th Article of Faith when responding to your request.

[FiveFingerMnemonic]

I'm fascinated by this effort and you are uniquely qualified to pursue it. Thanks for all the updates and explaining the legal jargon and requirements so clearly.

[Hagoth]

It appears that the LDS police may have some things in common with the FLDS police. Let your light so shine, Consiglieri!

[consiglieri]

Just got some additional information on those police reports.

Not from the police, but from a different source.

I now know some of the information in some of the redactions. There are parts still redacted that I have not been able to gain access to.

PAGE 6--In the two lines immediately after Joseph Bishop tells the police "the room did not have a bed, TV or VHS tapes," the redacted portion reads: "He said he also gave a backrub to ____ _____ where he rubbed her buttocks. ____ _____ was living in his house at the time." The following two lines remain redacted.

Note this is the sister missionary who tried to kill herself at the MTC. After that, Joseph Bishop took her into his home to help her recuperate. I know the name of this girl, but am not disclosing it.

PAGE 7--The first redacted line at the end of the first paragraph, right after, "He (Bishop) said he didn't remember when ___ confronted him about the rape," states: "A copy of the recording is attached to this report. Refer to the recording for more details."


It appears the police did not want the public to know there was a separate audio recording of their interview with Joseph Bishop that contained "more details."

PAGE 9--The three lines redacted here read: "McKenna Denson sent me a rough draft of her statement through email. However, the case was closed before she was able to send me a completed version." I think the last line of this paragraph is still redacted.

It appears the police didn't want the public to know about McKenna sending in a rough draft of her statement.

If anybody has any additional thoughts on why BYU Police wouldn't want these aspects released to the public, I am all ears.

All the Best!

--Consiglieri

[IT_Veteran]

On the recording referenced on page 7, my interpretation would be that they were referencing the recording that Denson made, would the timelines line up for that? Are they trying to avoid having to release her unredacted audio recording to the public?

[GoodBoy]

Whatever the reason they don't want this information made public, it seems like a clear violation of the law to me.

It is obvious to me from the additional information that you were able to learn that they weren't protecting any victims here. They were protecting the perpetrator, the church, and themselves. It's also clear that they were trying to hide the fact that there was additional evidence... also seems immoral, if not illegal, to me.

I'm sure the audio tape has information on it that they would prefer to not share. It may take a court order to get them to share it.

[consiglieri]

On the recording referenced on page 7, my interpretation would be that they were referencing the recording that Denson made, would the timelines line up for that? Are they trying to avoid having to release her unredacted audio recording to the public?

It is clear from the context it is Joseph Bishop's audio recording that is being referenced.

It occurs right after the end of the interview with Joseph, and the next line after the redacted portion is, "Shortly after our interview with Joseph, ___ called us and said Joseph had called her saying that he told the police everything except the facts of the rape."

[consiglieri]

Whatever the reason they don't want this information made public, it seems like a clear violation of the law to me.

It is obvious to me from the additional information that you were able to learn that they weren't protecting any victims here. They were protecting the perpetrator, the church, and themselves. It's also clear that they were trying to hide the fact that there was additional evidence... also seems immoral, if not illegal, to me.

I'm sure the audio tape has information on it that they would prefer to not share. It may take a court order to get them to share it.

Agreed.

And to be perfectly clear, GRAMA applies to audio recordings as well as police reports.

[IT_Veteran]

On the recording referenced on page 7, my interpretation would be that they were referencing the recording that Denson made, would the timelines line up for that? Are they trying to avoid having to release her unredacted audio recording to the public?

It is clear from the context it is Joseph Bishop's audio recording that is being referenced.

It occurs right after the end of the interview with Joseph, and the next line after the redacted portion is, "Shortly after our interview with Joseph, ___ called us and said Joseph had called her saying that he told the police everything except the facts of the rape."

Got it, thanks for the clarification.

[Just This Guy]

I listened to your update yesterday about this. Interesting stuff.

One question I have is in regard to the redacted portions, is there any possibility that something contained there in would possibly indicate that the BYUPD did not do due diligence in their investigation or that they are favoring one party or another? Something that would not put the department in the best media light? I'm trying to think of why they would be reluctant to reveal some of this stuff.

[consiglieri]

By the way, I have now obtained a copy of the rough draft letter sent by McKenna to the BYU Police Department and which forms part of their investigative file. (Let's just say I have a mole in the BYU Police Department.)


At the top of page four of this letter is an interesting detail related by McKenna, and which I have little doubt serves as at least part of the basis for the BYU Police not wanting the public to know about this letter.

You will recall McKenna was sent on her mission to Washington D.C. where she suffered a mental breakdown.

After that, she was sent back to Utah for rehabilitation and to see if she could still go out and complete her mission.

McKenna saw a mental health counselor and then a church authority before being approved to return on her mission, only this time to Wisconsin.

The church authority McKenna saw was not just her bishop or stake president, as it would have been if you or I were in the same situation.

It was Thomas S. Monson.

Here is the line from her rough draft that the BYU Police doesn't want the public to know they have.

"I had to meet with Elder Thomas S. Monson before I could be released back into the mission field."


And no.

I am not making this up.

[IT_Veteran]

By the way, I have now obtained a copy of the rough draft letter sent by McKenna to the BYU Police Department and which forms part of their investigative file. (Let's just say I have a mole in the BYU Police Department.)


At the top of page four of this letter is an interesting detail related by McKenna, and which I have little doubt serves as at least part of the basis for the BYU Police not wanting the public to know about this letter.

You will recall McKenna was sent on her mission to Washington D.C. where she suffered a mental breakdown.

After that, she was sent back to Utah for rehabilitation and to see if she could still go out and complete her mission.

McKenna saw a mental health counselor and then a church authority before being approved to return on her mission, only this time to Wisconsin.

The church authority McKenna saw was not just her bishop or stake president, as it would have been if you or I were in the same situation.

It was Thomas S. Monson.

Here is the line from her rough draft that the BYU Police doesn't want the public to know they have.

"I had to meet with Elder Thomas S. Monson before I could be released back into the mission field."


And no.

I am not making this up.

My jaw literally dropped. I believe you. I hope beyond hope that this sees the light of day. I hope that McKenna can see this through to trial. I hope she gets a good trial and a great judge that isn't willing to overlook this.

[Red Ryder]

What's the implication of having to meet with Monson?

That the church knew at the highest level (12 apostles as he obviously wasn't the prophet at the time)?

[consiglieri]

I think maybe I better do a new thread on this.

[IT_Veteran]

What's the implication of having to meet with Monson?

That the church knew at the highest level (12 apostles as he obviously wasn't the prophet at the time)?

That's the implication I drew from it. If she had to meet with TM to return to the mission field, the church would have known then. That's assuming that she confided in him about why she had the breakdown in the mission field.

[Advocate]

Consiglieri - I love your podcasts and your work on the Joseph BIshop case has been outstanding. Thank you!

One question - do you worry that you'll get outed by posting copies of your FOIA/GRAMA requests online? I'm sure all of us would be expect the BYU Police Department to happily turn over copies of your requests (which have your real name on them) to the strengthening the members church committee.