A judge has disqualified himself from hearing the case of purported polygamist sect leader Arvin Shreeve, who is charged with multiple counts of sexually abusing children.
In announcing his decision late Monday, 2nd District Judge Stanton M. Taylor said he had a prior relationship with Shreeve, a retired landscaper."I had some personal contacts with Mr. Shreeve when I was in the city attorney's office and he was in charge of maintaining the grounds for the Municipal Gardens," the judge said.
Taylor said their association at that time some 20 years ago was only work-related. "You couldn't say we were ever friends," he added.
But Taylor noted he has maintained a casual relationship in the years since, which he described as saying "hello," although not by name, if he bumped into Shreeve somewhere.
"I'd see him on occasions, on the street . . . but I couldn't even say when it was I last saw him that way," Taylor said.
Still, the judge felt uncomfortable sitting for Shreeve's prosecution, because "the appearance of impartiality is as important as actual impartiality."
The case has been transferred to Taylor's fellow 2nd District judge, David E. Roth.
Shreeve, 61, of Ogden, was arraigned Oct. 21 before Taylor on two counts of first-degree felony child sodomy and two counts of second-degree felony child abuse.
His arraignment had been continued to Nov. 4 while the defendant negotiated a potential plea bargain with prosecutors. That date tentatively has been moved to Nov. 6 before Roth.