Judge issues gag order in Alamo custody hearings
By The Associated Press
This article was published January 12, 2009 at 1:56 p.m.
TEXARKANA, Ark. — The judge in Texarkana overseeing custody cases involving 23 children associated with the Tony Alamo Christian Ministries has issued a gag order in the case.
Circuit Judge Joe Griffen told reporters Monday that lawyers representing the state of Arkansas requested the gag order. Griffen acknowledged concerns over leaks of videotaped interviews with seized children spurred the order.
Video of interviews with six of the children have been posted on the Internet. Last week, a judge ordered a set of parents who released one of the videos to try to get it back. After that initial posting, five other videos were posted.
Griffen said former followers of the jailed evangelist likely will provide testimony during the hearings, which he hopes to finish within two weeks. However Griffen said the hearings may last longer.
In all, 36 children associated with the Alamo ministry have been taken into state protective custody.
