Permission has been granted by Kurt Van Gorden to post the article "Losing Freedom in Utah, Part I"
Minister Arrested After Taping Mormon Pageant
The Associated Press
August 12th, 2006
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- An evangelical Christian minister says he was unlawfully arrested while trying to tape a performance of a Mormon-themed pageant in the Clarkston Cemetery near Logan last night.
Joel Kramer says he was arrested and booked for disorderly conduct after telling a Cache County sheriff's deputy he was not violating any laws by videotaping the pageant. The pageant depicts the life of Martin Harris, an early disciple of Joseph Smith, founder of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Kramer says he was within his right to video tape the free pageant from public land.
But Kramer says he was told by a sheriff's deputy the Mormon church requested he turn off his cameras.
Kramer posted $280 bail and was released from jail.
No one from the sheriff's office was available to discuss the incident today.
Mormon church spokesman Mike Otterson says he was unaware of what happened.
It's unclear if prosecutors will formally charge Kramer with a crime.