Kids may be cheaper to raise by the dozen, but when they start suing by the dozen over dad's death, damage claims can be phenomenal.
Dorothy Solomon and her mother, Myrtle Allred, are suing author Rena Chynoweth for $130 million for the 1977 murder of Dr. Rulon Allred.Since then, 14 of Dorothy's siblings have joined her in the suit. A 15th asked to join the suit Thursday during a federal court hearing. U.S. District Judge Aldon Anderson then added five additional siblings to the suit for a total of 21 Allred children.
A polygamist, Allred fathered a total of 48 children. Six have since died.
Solomon's attorney, Jim McConkie, said he isn't sure yet what the claims of 20 additional children robbed of their father's association will do to the $130 million price tag on Allred's death.
"The more people who are suing, the greater the damages because each child is suing for the loss of their personal relationship with Rulon Allred. So it does increase the value of the suit," McConkie said.
"We will ask for more damages, but we haven't decided finally what that amount will be," he said.
But since the family is suing for the royalties on Chynoweth's book, "The Blood Covenant," the size of the award would depend on how well the book sells. McConkie said he doesn't know yet how much money the book has made.
In her book, Chynoweth admitted gunning down Allred in his Murray naturopath office. A jury acquitted her of the killing in 1979.
The new family package may also increase the length of the four-day trial scheduled to start Feb. 10. "We haven't taken that up with the judge yet," McConkie said. He may need additional time to outline for the jury each child's relationship with Allred in order to help jurors determine damages, he said.
Chynoweth's attorney wanted all of Solomon's 41 living siblings added to Solomon's suit now so they couldn't sue Chynoweth a few at a time for years to come.
McConkie and attorney Buz Cutler contacted Solomon's 41 surviving siblings and asked them if they wanted to join the suit. Nineteen siblings chose not to join. Six did not respond.
Thursday's hearing was to decide the fate of the unresponsive six. One of the six - Paul Rulon Allred - showed up at the hearing with his family and asked to join the suit, McConkie said. Anderson added the other five to the suit without their consent, preventing them from deciding to sue at a later date.
Allred's polygamous wives could not join as plaintiffs in the suit because they do not have a legally recognized relationship with Allred, McConkie said. Myrtle Allred's marriage to Allred is recognized by the state because he had no other wives at the time, McConkie said.
Chynoweth was polygamist Ervil LeBaron's 13th wife when she killed Allred. She said LeBaron ordered her to kill Allred. She later fled LeBaron, eventually divorcing him.State witnesses testified at LeBaron's trial that he ordered Allred's death to draw his brother, Verlan LeBaron, out of hiding. Allred's niece was married to Verlan LeBaron.
A jury sentenced LeBaron to life in prison for Allred's murder. He died in the Utah State Prison in 1982.
Chynoweth is currently in hiding, claiming her name is on a list of those LeBaron wanted killed. Chynoweth's two brothers and 8-year-old niece were gunned down in Texas three years ago. One of the brothers also was charged in Allred's killing and later acquitted with Chynoweth.