Saturday, April 10, 2010
"When LDS Home Teachers Go Bad: BYU Student Stetson Hallam In Jail For Stunning And Cuffing 19-Year-Old Coed; It Was Just An April Fool's Joke
When men are called to become home teachers in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, they are encouraged to do more than fill a square. Church leaders encourage them to take a sincere interest in the families to which they're assigned, but to show respect for their time. More information on the LDS home teaching program is available on the LDS website and on MormonWiki. The separate Visiting Teaching program is run by the Relief Society and two sisters come each month to visit the women of a given home.
But one home teacher at Brigham Young University took his interest just a little too far. Stetson Hallam, a 20-year-old sophomore at BYU, was visiting an unidentified 19-year-old coed. It is unclear whether it was an official "home teaching" visit or a social visit. He had allegedly pursued the woman romantically, but she had no interest in him, considering him to be "creepy". In any event, Hallam allegedly pinned the woman to the ground and tried to handcuff her after incapacitating her with a stun gun on Tuesday April 6th at an apartment complex where both live. The victim reportedly bit down on Hallam's finger until he let her go and apologized, claiming it was all an April Fool's joke.
But the victim failed to find humor in the joke, and contacted police on April 8th. As a result, Hallam has now been persuaded to "accept a mission call" to preach the Gospel to the inmates of the Utah County Jail. He's been booked on third-degree felony charges of aggravated assault and attempted kidnapping and is being held on $5,000 bond. It is NOT an April Fool's joke.
What may really be concerning police is that, during Hallam's encounter with his victim, he repeatedly tried to get her to open a bin which was five feet long by two feet wide and three feet tall, with a lockable lid and handles. The victim finally opened the bin and found it empty. It was immediately afterward that Hallam produced the stun gun, so police are trying to find out if Hallam intended to stun her, put her into the bin, and kidnap her.
Carri Jenkins, spokeswoman for BYU, said she had little information about the incident Friday. However, she confirmed that Hallam is a sophomore at the university. She said the university's Honor Code Office will now begin its own review of the incident to determine what actions should be taken. If it is determined that a person is a danger to the community, he or she may be banned from campus, but Jenkins said she does not know what decision will be made in this case.
It is hoped that this character will quickly see reason and make his manners, so the charges can be busted down to a misdemeanor. He cannot be allowed to get off the hook altogether, since he actually assaulted this woman, but it would be a shame to have a felony conviction following him around his entire life."
http://mormonism-unveiled.blogspot.com/2010/04/when-lds-home-teachers-go-bad-byu.html
............................Why would it be a shame for him to have a felony conviction following him?