FREEMEN FAMILIES MEET WITH NEGOTIATORS.Byline: Tom Laceky Associated Press Associated Press: see news agency. Associated Press (AP) Cooperative news agency, the oldest and largest in the U.S. and long the largest in the world. New faces emerged from the Freeman farm complex Sunday as h annual Topanga for Bryce two family groups met for the first time with FBI negotiators and mediator mediator n. a person who conducts mediation. A mediator is usually a lawyer, or retired judge, but can be a non-attorney specialist in the subject matter (like child custody) who tries to bring people and their disputes to early resolution through a conference. Charles Duke Charles Moss Duke, Jr. (born October 3 1935), a retired USAF Brigadier General, was a United States astronaut for NASA. He is one of only twelve men who have walked on the moon. . The families returned to the 960 acre ranch at the end of the fourth day of talks, despite negotiators' hopes that they could persuade them to leave. Duke said talks would resume today. Duke said negotiators concentrated mainly on Gloria Ward and her common-law husband, Elwin Ward, and Gloria's two daughters, Courtney Jo, 10, and Jaylynn, 8. ``We had high hopes yesterday of bringing the Ward family out,'' Duke, a Colorado state senator Noun 1. state senator - a member of a state senate senator - a member of a senate , said at a news conference. ``We focused on the Ward family because they have the two smallest children.'' Ward is wanted in Utah on a felony charge of custodial interference involving Jaylynn. The girls are half-sisters from Gloria's previous marriages. Duke said the couple was still considering coming out, and he still has hope. When asked why the mother declined, Duke replied, ``The best way to put is, she has put her faith in Edwin and feels it would be deserting him.'' Earlier, Kay and Ralph Clark and their grandson, Casey Clark, came to the negotiators' card table at the entrance to the complex. They stayed for about 40 minutes. Ralph Clark, 65, and his brother, Emmett, 67, owned the farm that the Freemen now call Justus Township. It was sold at a sheriff's sale sheriff's sale n. an auction sale of property held by the sheriff pursuant to a writ (court order) of execution (to seize and sell the property) to satisfy (pay) a judgment, after notice to the public. (See: levy, execution, writ, forced sale) Nov. 16, 1994, after a bank foreclosed. Until Sunday, negotiations on behalf of the Freemen had been handled by four men considered to be leaders of the estimated 20 people who have been holed up on the compound for nearly two months. Duke said Saturday's negotiations had produced a major breakthrough - a proposal from the Freemen that might end the 56-day standoff stand·off n. 1. A tie or draw, as in a contest. 2. A situation in which one force neutralizes or counterbalances the other. 3. A standoff insulator. adj. Standoffish. . The proposal would require approval by FBI officials, possibly even Attorney General Janet Reno Janet Reno (born July 21, 1938) was the first and to date only female Attorney General of the United States (1993–2001). She was nominated by President Bill Clinton on February 11, 1993, and confirmed on March 11. , and a decision might take several days, Duke said. Duke used the term ``verbal agreement'' Saturday, but Special Agent in Charge Thomas Kubic issued a statement in Salt Lake City saying no agreement had been reached between the Justice Department and the Freemen. |
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