Posted on 04/10/2010 11:18:35 AM PDT by greyfoxx39
PROVO-A Brigham Young University student was arrested on attempted kidnapping and assault charges Thursday after he allegedly used a stun gun on a woman and tried to handcuff her.
Police say Stetson Hallam, 20, was the 19-year-old woman's home teacher in their LDS ward, and the two lived in the same apartment complex south of BYU. Provo police Sgt. Mark Crosby said Hallam had pursued the woman romantically, but she did not have any interest in him. He was persistent in trying to date her, Crosby said, to the point where she felt "creeped out" by Hallam.
"He kind of set her off, that he was just a little weird," Crosby said.
According to a police affidavit, Hallam repeatedly contacted the woman, telling her he had a gift for her. She put off meeting with Hallam until she could have a roommate present, police say, and she was successful until Tuesday.
Around 3 p.m. that day, Hallam contacted the woman and asked to meet with her, according to the affidavit. She reportedly told him she could not because she would be working until 9:30 p.m., and she said he could leave the gift at her apartment. However, when she arrived at her apartment complex, she saw Hallam standing outside and felt he was waiting for her, according to the affidavit. She went to her apartment through a side entrance, but allegedly found Hallam waiting for her at her door.
Hallam allegedly convinced the woman to come with him to a common laundry room in the basement of the complex, where he told her one of his roommates had helped him set up a scavenger hunt for the woman's gift. The woman reportedly told police she could see no signs of other people present and became suspicious.
According to the affidavit, Hallam told the woman the gift was "junk art" and was located in a bin underneath a table in the room. The woman reportedly described the bin to police as five feet long by two feet wide and three feet tall, with a lockable lid and handles. Hallam reportedly told the woman some of her gift was Easter candy, which he had left in his car. He then allegedly left the room, during which time the woman did not approach the bin, believing it may be part of a practical joke, according to police.
When Hallam returned, he allegedly encouraged the woman to open the bin and pulled it out from under the table to alleviate her fear, according to the affidavit. The woman then reportedly opened the bin and found it to be empty.
At this point, Hallam allegedly produced a stun gun, a handheld rectangular device with two metal prongs on the end. He allegedly pressed the device against the woman's arm and she felt a surge pass through her body, according to the affidavit. Police say the surge incapacitated the woman and caused her to collapse to the floor, at which point Hallam pinned her to the ground.
The woman reportedly became frightened for her life and did not know what Hallam's true intentions were, according to the affidavit. She allegedly began screaming and fighting Hallam, who police say placed his hand over her mouth. He also allegedly produced a pair of handcuffs and put one of the rings on the woman's left hand. While he was applying the handcuffs, police say, Hallam's hand slipped and his finger went into the woman's mouth. She allegedly bit down on his finger until he let her go and apologized, claiming it was all an April Fool's joke.
The woman was able to get away and reported the incident to police April 8, according to police. Crosby said he did not know why the report was delayed, but a delay is common with this type of allegations. When she reported the incident, burn marks were still visible on her arm, as was bruising on her wrist, Crosby said.
"Several days later, we're still able to have signs," he said.
Police conducted a search on Hallam's room and car late Thursday night, but Crosby said he does not know what was found. Crosby said police were interested in finding the bin the girl described, which was not an item usually found in the laundry room. Although Crosby said Hallam never tried to force the woman into the bin or trick her into getting inside, he said it is still an important piece of evidence given the circumstances.
"His whole premise was wanting her to open that box," he said.
Hallam was arrested Thursday night and booked into the Utah County Jail, where he is being held on a $5,000 bond on third-degree felony charges of aggravated assault and attempted kidnapping. According to the affidavit, police found a bite mark on the middle finger of Hallam's left hand.
Crosby said police are interviewing Hallam's roommates, but are uncertain which roommate he may have been referring to with the scavenger hunt because Hallam would not speak with police.
"He's not cooperating with us," Crosby said.
Crosby said Hallam does not appear to have any criminal history, and police have found no evidence so far of any history of mental illness.
"That's something that we're going to follow up on," he said.
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.
"Every case is handled on an individual basis," she said.
Inman ping.
She obviously thought the guy was creepy yet fell for the “scavenger hunt” thing. I think it needs to be repeated over and over again. IF YOU THINK THE GUY’S A CREEP, DON’T ACCEPT GIFTS FROM SAID CREEP. RUN, DON’T WALK AWAY!
If he persisted, she should have gone to the police.
No doubt this young fella' saw that TV news and got all excited with the technique and was motivated to attack a young woman he knew.
Some on this particular thread will say this is so typical of (this kind of religious person), but I think it comes from watching constant reruns of Jodie Evans on MSNBC ~ and THAT, BTW, ought to be evidence enough of mental illness to just lock him up now.
BTW, OPEN DISCLOSURE: The bomb that almost blew me up out in Provo was sent by one Mormon man to another Mormon man concerning a sort of alienation of affection situation. Being a dutiful, lawabiding, God-fearing man he conveniently put his name and return address on the outside of the package and was easily caught.
Now that's my kind of Mormon, not this guy with the Taser!
Gad!
Dates aren't that hard to find.
Wouldn’t have hurt if she had a handgun and could have shot the lunatic.
This young woman, being mormon, had been taught all her life that the men of the sect who "hold the priesthood" deserve respect. As he was her "home teacher" she had a duty to allow him into her home to bring her the word of the mormon "gospel".
That being said, even though she found him "creepy", her conditioning resulted in an automatic trust of him.
Her confusion over his motives is perfectly understandable, and had she gone to the bishop chances are he would have brushed her off because the dude had a "calling" likely given to him by this same bishop.
One has to understand that these "home teachers", whether the men of the "elder's quorum" or the women of the "relief society" are, by the nature of their callings, given the right by the members to come into their homes at any time, often without prior notice.
I don't know of any Christian religion that demands this.
duty to allow him in her home..home teacher
Nope- not true. Plus the fact home teachers as well as visiting teachers (women visiting women) go in pairs. If not, something is wrong. And nobody ever has to allow any one in if they do not want to.
That being said, even though she found him “creepy”, her conditioning resulted in an automatic trust of him.
_______________________________________
That’s because she has been conditioned by her religion to blame herself if she felt creepy...
That it wasnt the mormon pesthoood holder but her inferior female self lying to her...
I wonder if she “repented” several times over those weeks..
Blaming herself for her “apostate” slips and not his very real creepy behavior..
Sounds like he thought he “owned” her...
Just as Joey Smith thought he “owned” anything in skirts regardless of age or marital status..
After all the perp was just following mormon doctrine...
I am amazed that stunguns aren’t used to a much larger degree not only by kidnappers but by thieves...
Typical behavior of Mitt Romney supporters. If Romney is President, he will allow these crimes to continue.
I guess she woulod have lost her “temple recommend or would have had to go to a so called “court of love” (read kangaroo court) if she had asked him to him to come back when she had a chaperone...
Most Chrsitian Churches teach young women (and men) to never be alone with the opposite sex...
Flee the very appearance of evil...1 Thessalonians 5:22
Silly Nana that’s the Christian Bible...
These arent Christians...
Never mind...
Oh, sure...as if any BYU ward member would not be conditioned to accept this "duty"....I am exmormon...I am very much aware of the kind of covert coercion that happens in the mormon church. Did you miss the part where I mentioned her "conditioning"?
Anyone who would refuse the "home teachers" entry would be immediately reported to the bishop, and if she were a BYU student I would think to her university dean.
The first thought would be, "What does she have to hide"!
Yeah, thanks for the heads up.
Utterly false.
There is no teaching like that.
Home teachers are taught that they go only by prior appointment or invitation, an then always with a companion. Even with a companion, they are not to visit a single woman when she does not have someone else in her home.
It is not uncommon for a family to request different Home Teachers. A reason does not have to be given.
The Bishop meets privately with members all the time during Sunday meetings.
Sure.....
Interesting...
The most rabid Mormon bashers are ex-members.
It has ever been that way.
With good reason.
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