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Show Reporter Writing Book on John Singer Saga Singers a certificate of exemption, allowing them to teach their seven children at home. But the school board required that officials be allowed to periodically test the progress of the children. Fleisher said the Singers went along with the wishes of the school board for several months, but they decided they could no longer go along with these requirements because they felt they infrigned on their liberties as citizens of the United States. Consequently, Fleisher continued, the school board referred to the matter to juvenile court, which eventually found the couple guilty of misdemeanor charges of child neglect, contempt of court and failing to comply with Utah compulsory school attendance laws. Singer, the writer continued, refused to turn himself over to authorities because he "ultimately lost faith in the judicial system." When the pressure mounted to arrest the couple, members of the media began to watch the story as it developed. In July 1978, Singer began practicing polygamy, a practice outlawed by the Mormon church in the late 19th century, when he married Shirley Black of Kamas. The second wife and her children moved to the Singer farm after Singer performed his own marriage ceremony. - Black's first husband, Dean Black, asserted pressure on law officials to arrest Singer, and Black was later granted custody of his three children. r: . , ,;-. ' i ' J V ; i - r :. i ! ! '"5 If J ; " y ; r" 'I : vf I if By Carolyn Bower One day during the fall of 1977, David Fleisher, then a reporter for the Park Record, met John and Vickie Singer. The conversation he had with the Marion couple that day is one that he will never forget. The Singers, excommunicated from the Mormon church because of their fundamental beliefs in original Mormon doctrine, unfolded a story to Fleisher which told of their struggle to educate their children according to their religious beliefs, which Fleisher reported in a series of articles. The 33-year-old Park City resident became "fascinated" with the Singers' story and continued writing a number of articles, one of which described how John Singer came to his death. Fleisher, who recently has taken a leave of absence from his news editor position with the Park Record, is currently writing a book about the Singers with David Freedman, an editor of a legal publication from Glenview, 111. In their book's preface, Fleisher and Freeman say the book is a "true story of a man and his family, and their fight for what they believed to be their constitutional rights." The book, Fleisher. said in a recent interview, will tell both sides of the story the Singers fight to educate their children at home, and the plight of the state and local officials who were attempting to uphofd the law. The book begins with the early years of John Singer, who was born in Brooklyn, N.Y. to German-born parents. His mother, Fleisher said, was a Mormon, while his father was a "staunch Nazi." but singer telt it was his duty to protect his second wife's children, and he refused to allow law officials on his property, Fleisher said. One day while Fleisher was interviewing the couple, Vickie Singer advised him that three reporters from the Los Angeles Times newspaper were coming to the farm to interview the couple. .But the reporters turned out to be state law enforcement officials, who were using the disguise to arrest Singer. Singer, though his legs were shackled with chains by the trio of alleged reporters, managed to draw a pistol and ordered the three off his farm. Because of this incident, Fleisher explained, three counts of aggravated assault were filed against Singer. The felony charges against Singer, he said, allowed law officials to use force if necessary on their next arrest attempt. Fleisher said the state agents contemplated the use of tranquilizers, tear gas and drugs to flush the Singers out of their home, but Gov. Scott Matheson disapproved of the methods. Singer told Fleisher it was his obligation to be with his family, and he continued to elude arrest though pressure was building to take him into custody. In January 1979 officials began an 18-day surveillance on the Singer property, at which time they learned John Singer traveled a quarter mile down his driveway to pick up his mail. When Singer went to get his mail on Jan. 18, several state agents on snowmobiles surrounded him. Though Singer drew his pistol and made an David Fleischer attempt to escape, he was tatally shot by one of the officers. Since his death, John and Vickie Singer's story has gained national attention. Vickie Singer has retained flamboyant Wyoming attorney Gerry Spence to represent her in a $1 1 1 million wrongful death suit she has filed against the state and - several of its officials. Book Writing Began "Because I broke the story I feel like I know the story better than any other reporter," Fleisher said of his reason for writing the book. "I feel it is an extremely important story." The story, he said, will be told through the words of the characters, which he has obtained-from obtained-from lengthy interviews. His associate will write about the trial because of his expertise in legal publications. The story, Fleisher said, focuses on the conflict that arose between the Singers and state and local officials. In addition to the preface, the writers have already completed two chapters of the book, which they have submitted to a number of publishers. They expect the book to be complete within six months. Singer and his parents moved to Germany when he was one year old. His father forced him to join a Hitler youth movement during his adolescent years, but he was later expelled from the group for disciplinary reasons. Singer told Fleisher during their many conversations that is when he developed an "intense dislike for authoritarian types of government." When the war ended. Singer, then 15, returned to the U.S. and eventually moved to Utah and . settled on his uncle's farm near Marion. Fleisher said Singer met and later married Vickie Lemon of Kamas, south Summit High School's homecoming queen. The marriage, Fleisher learned from conversations with the couple, upset the Kamas Valley community because John Singer was seen as a "religious fanatic." Singer was also 12 years her senior. In 1973, the couple no longer wished to send their children to public schools, Fleisher said, because of "religious reasons". "Singer felt his children were being subjected to instruction which was contrary to original Mormon doctrine," the writer explained. The school district .at that time eranted the |