Show 8A The Salt Lake Tribune January Saturday 24 1987 o 0 Dedicated Investigators Broke Hofmann Case By Mike Carter Tribune Staff Writer The photo taken in 1980 shows the late President Spencer W Kimball of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-daSaints peering through a magnifying glass at the document before him He is surrounded by his counselors — President N Eldon Tanner President Marion G Romney Elder Boyd K Packer Elder Gordon B and Mark W Hofmann Hinckley The accompanying article publish in the LDS Church Sews proclaims "Utahn finds 1828 writing by Prophet" the Anthon Transcript That document is a fake As are dozens of others sold by confessed bomber Mark Hofmann to the church and other innocent victims And there likely are more than investigators now know about And the discovery of the forgeries is attributable to a few dedicated police officers and prosecutors And Thursday after 15 months of silence police and prosecutors took some of the credit for breaking the case "1 think we've accomplished something quite significant" said Deputy Salt Lake County Attorney Robert L Stott in a press conference "You look at this particular case when it first went down it seemed to be one of the most bizarre murder cases "For a time not only did some of you people think we didn't have a case but you thought we had the wrong person For nine years Mark Hofmann was putting something over on people who should have known better — historians scholars forensic scientists and collectors "And this learn that is assembled here saw through that and made the y - - d d — Mark Hofmann walks with attorney Ronald Yengich right and father Bill to 3rd District courtroom where he con- - fessed to tfiDune Stall Photo Ov Peu' murder and felony theft by deception Hofmann later said he is “sorry for what’s happened" second-degre- e Court Drops 26 Other Felonies Hofmann Imprisoned for Murders Continued From l ulars of what he said but I assure you that he is solely responsible for these ei lines" All df those involved — the judge the defense and the prosecution -were critical of the media coverage of the case particularly in the past weeks during the fragile plea negotiations "1 don't think you understand how the press can affect the rights of the accused" he said "It was very frus- A-- Mr Slult said those discussions also revealed that the theory advanced by the state in the prelimi- that Hofnary hearing last year mann killed Mr Christensen in order to prevent his being exposed as a forger and then killed Mrs Sheets as a diversion — are supported by the confessed killer The prosecution considered the initial discussions a "test" to determine how willing Mr Hofmann was to discuss his crimes Defense attorney Ronald Yengich said he was pleased with the plea lie added ho does not believe anyone wanted vengeance against lus client and said those who called for Holmann's blood were trating" In open court Judge ftiglrup chastised the "omnipresent" media as being "very disruptive and disconcertto the fair and even handling ing and distribution of justice" Mr Stott also noted that sometimes police and prosecutors make a reporter's job more difficult "But let me tell you that you've really made mir job tough" He also defended the agreement noting that the prosecution consulted with the families of the murder victims before entering into the deal 'Sometimes when we hear the word plea bargain we maybe gel the impression that were down in some basement trying to make a sale" he said Mr Stott said the state achieved more important goals by apprehending and convicting the man who com mitted the crimes There were almost 10U people jammed into Judge Rigtrups courtroom as Mr Hofmann answered the senes of questions as he methodically waived his constitutional rights to a fair and speedy trial Mr Yengich who along with partner Brad Rich flanked Hofmann throughout the ordeal said he questioned his client in a prolonged and even profound manner" regarding Ins plea-bargai- wrong "There's been enough "There already are People who want don't belong in the geance tem " said killing” he two bodies more justice ven- sys- Mr 'Yengich said his client who is soft spoken and "not very effusive" has expressed his regret "in his own " way He added that he as Hofmann's lawyer has expressed condolences to the patriarchs of the families of the two nturder victims The families of those victims said Salt Lake ity Police Chief Bud aeeepied the plea arrangeI ment have Irom lime to time talked to the families ol the victims "f this hideous episode and can assure you they are completely satisfied with what Mr Stott has worked out ' C A guilty plea and "given the circumstances and the evidence in the case presented to counsel both through discovery and preliminary hearing I can see no reason as to why he should do other than he intended to do " Is it your desire to enter guilty pleas to these matters because you feel that you are in fact guilty''" asked Judge Rigtrup "Yes" Mr Hofmann said The change of plea came more than 15 months alter the Mr Christensen 30 a successful businessman family man and Mormon bishop died in the early morning hours of Oct 15 1985 when a concealed in a cardboard box exploded into his chest as he stooped to pick it up outside his Judge Building office Hours later Mrs Sheets 50 returning from a trip to the bank was killed when a similar bomb exploded outside her Holladay home At first investigators believed the murders were related to CFS Inc a floundering business owned by J Gary Sheets Mrs Sheets' husband Mr Christensen was a former vice president of that company But there also was some suspicion at the time the killings may have involved Mr Christensen's and Gary Sheets involvement in the purchase of a controversial historical document purportedly written in 1834 by Martin Harris a scribe to Church ol Saints Josys Christ of Latter-daknown as "The White Salamander pipe-bom- y Letter” That theory was unified the next 2 p m w hen a third bomb detonated in a car two blocks north of Temple Square Hofmann was critically injured in that blast He was day at Pipe ed would challenge Smith s ac uni early Mot muns Hofmann purportn ol how the prophet first saw God The 'iitain journals of early Mormon apostle i papers also were supposed P to Smith William McLellin a bitter c Coin dealer Al Rust adv ced Hofmann $159 09U to buy the collection Mormon official Hugh Finn k First Quorum of the Seventy also arranged u Hofmann could make the purchase Church a First Security bank loar affinals asked mission p esulent David Sorensen to buy and donate the collect inn to the church Hofmann now admits the collection duesn't exist Last year The VnNuuc iuiatcd documents belonging to II Otis Traughber Houston who owns ilouimenis written by McLellin Family members said Hofmann never i ont acted them about tlu: historical papers Solomon Spaulding-SidneHigdon land deed - Controversial be cause it would link the two men Spaulding wrote a book about aboriginal Book ol Americans some critics charge is similar to the Mormon Hofmann represented this document to Mormon leader Finnock as part of the McLellin collection Experts say Hofmann altered dates and names on an authentic deed Egyptian papyrus — Hofmann purchased on consignment a piece of am lent papyrus cut it into pieces and claimed it was part of the papyri Joseph Smith used to translate the Book of hraham Hofmann claimed u w is pa of the McLellin collection Charles Anthon manuscript — A document upposedly containing dial a ters Joseph Smith copied Itnm golden plates the prophet used to translate the Book of Mormon ( 'fun ch officials gave Hofmann about $29 099 worth ol items from church archives in exchange tor tin- document dated 1828 and an old Bible the manuscript u:i Mipposed to have came trt Joseph Smith III Blessing — A dm mnem dated 1844 in which Joseph Smith supposedly blesses (ns Mn to become pi esulent ol the Mormon Church Mot motis believe God rho-i- - Brigham Young to lead the church alter Smith's murder LDS officials gave Hofmann $29 oou wmih of materials from church art hives for the document and then traded the blessing to the Reorganized RIDS officials conducted some ( liurch for a rare Book ol Commandment forensic and hand" riling tests and until more ev idenee is provided HLDS Uln-m g 'v t ultM laN won t sav the blessing experts testified it is a y later-writte- -- i the prosecutors investigators and members of the victims’ families has been the apprehension conviction and appropriate punishment of the perpetrator of these crimes" Mr Yocom said "With the entry of Mark Hofmann's guilty pleas today all of these goals will soon be achieved" Among those praised by Mr Yocom were: Salt Lake City Police Salt Lake Chief Bud Willoughby County Sheriff Pete Hayward Sheriff's Capt Robert Jack and Lt Ben Forbes: County attorneys investigators Mike George Richard Forbes questioned documents analyst George Throckmorton and specialist Jenny Glover and Mr Stott Deputy Salt Lake County Deputy County Attorney David Biggs former Deputy County Attorney Gerry D'Elia chief Deputy County Attorney Bud Ellett and former Salt Lake County Attorney Ted Cannon Especially praised though were Salt Lake City Police Detectives Ken Farnsworth JFG "Jim" Bell and Special Agent Throckmorton who discovered the key to the forgeries "I don't know what I could say about Ken Farnsworth and Jim Bell two of the most dccicated criminal investigators that I’ve met in my lifetime" said city police Chief Bud Documents found in his house amd a jacket that matched the description of the coat worn by the man w'ho left that deadly package outside Steve Christensen's door the previous morning led police on a labyrinthine investigation that has no comparison in Utah crime history Investigators found that Hofmann was a secretive returned LDS missionary who built a formidable reputation both personally and financial- 'Mi ly selling documents involving Mormon western American and American history He was considered the prime expert in the field so much so that many historians looked to him for authentication of the very documents he was selling They were forgeries police f? now-kno- One of the prime victims of Hofmann's greed was the Mormon Church Hofmann sold or traded numerous documents to LDS authori- ties many of them controversial At the time of the murders he was involved in a sale of the McLellin Collection supposedly a series of diaries and other documents collected by an excommunicated Mormon apostle in the 19th century He had with the help of LDS Elder Hugh Pinnock then a member of the Quorum ol the Seventy and also a vice president at First Interstate Bank obtained a nun secured $185090 loan W hat he didn't tell Elder Pinnock or Christensen was that he had already taken more than $130090 from I 'tali coin dealer Alvin Rust for the same collection - T'iDul'0 btdfl PflOlO Dv Ml' Mark Hofmann signs in at Utah State Prison where he will spend the rest of his life if the sentencing judge gets his way ‘ Heart IV 1 1 S iiipallm-- to I amities" LDS Church Hoping Pleas Will Hasten the Healing 1 — Salt Lake County Attorney David Yocom said that the prosecutions need to learn the "hows and whys" of the crimes — both the homicides and the forgeries — overrode the desire to take the case to trial and push for an unlikely death penalty "From the beginning the goal of lung Although admitted forger Mark W Hofmann dealt in western and Amett-cahistorical documents for many years papers dealing with Mornumism have had the greatest impact on historians Here are some of the most talked-abou- t documents prosecutors say Hofmann will admit to nr has admitted to have forged salamander letter Martin Harris to M' IF Phelps — The describes how a magical white salamander prevented church founder Joseph Smith from getting golden plates Hofmann sold the letter dated 1839 to Steven Christensen and J Gary Sheets for $40990 Christensen donated it to the Mormon Church as a tax writ off Hofmann admits he forged this McLellin Collection case" rushed to LDS Hospital with a shattered knee and a piece of pipe in his List of Alleged Forgeries letter investigation that turned it around and uncovered it We feel that justice has been performed well in this Joseph Smith 1825 letter — Contains controversial information because Smith supposedly talks of clever spirits guarding buried treasurer to find Hofmann sold the letter to Mormon leader Gordon B Hinck-lethen second counselor in the First Presidency for $15009 Lucy Mack Smith letter — From Joseph Smith's mother supposedly-talkinof events from the Book of Mormon before the translation had been completed Hofmann sold the letter dated 1829 to Provo document collector Brent Ashworth for items valued al $33009 Traded materi iN included letters from Ben Franklin Andrew Jackson and John Brown E B Grandin contract — Supposedly between Joseph Smith Martin Harris and a publisher for printing the Book of Mormon llolmann sold the document dated 1829 to Mormon officials for $25000 Lawrence letter — Joseph Smith supposedly wrote to his plural wives in 1844 asking for a rendezvous and informing them to destroy the letter Hofmann traded or donated the letter to the Mormon Church The Dunham letter — Supposedly the last letter Joseph Smith wrote before his murder Smiih calls for the commander of the Nauvoo Legion to ieseue him from jail Mormons cite the Doctrine and Covenants to show Smith went to his death peacefully Hofmann sold the letter to collector s Ashworth for $69999 letter — Joseph Smith supposedly writes to his brother telling him of a great treasure that could be found in the earth Hofmann sold or traded the letter to the Mormon Church Oath of a freeman — Purported to be the oldest printed document in America None are known to exist Hofmann tried to sell one ol two oaths he once claimed he found to the Library of Congress for $1 5 million He sold the second copy to a group of investors represented by Thomas Wilding for more tit tn $7:t(iiiu Betsy Boss letter — None an- known to exist Hotmann sold interest in the letter to Wilford Cordon lor $6999 Mr ('union former mission president to Hofmann's associate Shannon Fly nn loaned Mr Flynn inoitier $69U(i so Mr Flyn could purchase an interest in the letter Haunted Man papers — A purported Charles Dickens manuscript llolmann used to scenic $15(Hion from Mr Wildings investment group llolmann never lold Mr Wilding that others already had invested similar Money Digging in 1838 - one-thir- some document — Beating the signature X of mountain man Jim sold several to investors for as much as $5UU(i each llolmann Bndger amounts Richard P Lindsav managing director of Public Con municat ions of The Church of Jesus Christ nf Latter day Saints Friday issued the follow ing statement: "On behalf of The Church of Jesus Saints its leadChrist of Latter-da- y ers and members we extend again our heartfelt sympathies to the families and associates of all whose lives have been so deeply affected by the bombings and related events of the past months It is our hope that the healing process may now be hastened for those who have suffered from these tragedies "Church leaders were not involved and were not consulted in the plea bargaining that culminated judicial proceeding tn today's "The Church its early leaders its doctrine and its members have been abused by much of the commentary about the meaning and impact of the questioned documents which are at the center of these tragic events Like other document collectors throughout the nation the Church has relied on competent authorities in document acquisition and with the others has been a victim of the fraudulent activities which have now boon acknowledged in the courtroom As earlier announced the Church ac quired 48 documents directly from Mark W Hofmann seven documents for a total cash purchase price ut $57100 and 41 others less valuable bv donation or trade for (lie Promissory notes The events of this day confirm the statements made by Church leaders throughout this regrettable episiide For example when the Church ac cepted the gift of the purported letter from Martin Harris to W W Phelps the ‘salamander letter President Gordon B Hinckley then the second counselor in the First Presidency cautioned " No one of course can be certain that Martin Harris wrote the document However at this point vve accept the judgment of the examiner that there is no indication that it is a forgery This docs not preclude the possibility that it may have been forged at a time when the Church had many enemies It is however an in teresting document of the times " 'Actually the letter has nothing to do with the authenticity of Unchurch The real test of the faith which both Martin Harris and W W Phelps had in Joseph Smith and Ins work is found in their lives in the sacrifice they made for their membership in the Church and in the lesti monies which they bore to the end ol the lives "Martin Harris died in 1875 m Clarkston Ctah in full fellowship in the Church and bearing a fervent testimony of the divine authenticity ol the Book of Mormon W W Phelps passed away in Salt Lake City in 1872 as an active high priest w ith a distin guiShed career Church service ' ' ' At Ik1 r UUND thE DA’ vVAMLC DION t EVEN LEAVE HuMI WHAT Cl YOU WANT ASSIHID trtNO 1 |