John Singer (homeschooler)
Encyclopedia
John Singer was a homeschooler in Utah
who was killed in a stand-off with state government authorities who were attempting to arrest him.
. His parents, who were German immigrants, returned to Dresden
in 1932 where his father was a Nazi and joined the Schutzstaffel
. Singer's mother was Mormon
but her husband forbade her from practicing her religion. They divorced in 1945 and Singer returned to the United States with his mother. Singer married Vickie Lemon in 1965 with whom he had seven children and lived on a 2.5 acres (10,117.2 m²) farm in Marion, Utah in Summit County
.
In 1970 Singer was excommunicated from LDS Church for his support of polygamy
. In 1978 he entered into a second marriage with Shirley Black, who was still married to another man with four children.
One of the main reasons Singer cited for removing his children from public school was his objection to pictures of black and white children together. The authorities did allow him to have his children home-schooled in a supervised situation. However in 1978 his second wife's husband won custody
of their children.
It is unclear if it was the issue of his not giving up custody of the children or of his home schooling actions that led to the standoff where Singer was killed. In January 1979, after Singer refused to release the children, Utah law enforcement officers returned to arrest him and surrounded his home. After refusing to surrender, he reportedly pointed his pistol at the officers who then shot him multiple times, killing him.
with a booster of ammonium nitrate, and then holed up in the Singer-Swapp compound, leading to a second, 13-day stand off with state authorities, the FBI, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms. It was reported that Swapp believed this would start a chain of events that would culminate in the resurrection
of John Singer and the downfall of the United States government. At that time, Singer's son, John Timothy Singer, shot and killed Lt. Fred House from the Utah Department of Corrections
who was directing a police dog
to move in.
John Timothy Singer and Addam Swapp both received sentences for federal prison terms. In addition, they were each convicted of manslaughter at the state level. Vickie Singer was sentenced to 5 years in prison followed by 5 years of probation.
At his sentencing, Swapp declared that God had revealed to him that he would not serve any time. He completed his federal sentence in 2006, and began serving time on the manslaughter charge. He was denied parole by the State of Utah in 2007. Another parole hearing is slated for 2012. He is currently serving his sentence in Arizona.
John Timothy Singer was released from a Utah prison in October 2006 after serving both of his terms.
Vickie Singer served 6 years in a California prison before being released.
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
who was killed in a stand-off with state government authorities who were attempting to arrest him.
Biography
Singer was born in New YorkNew York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. His parents, who were German immigrants, returned to Dresden
Dresden
Dresden is the capital city of the Free State of Saxony in Germany. It is situated in a valley on the River Elbe, near the Czech border. The Dresden conurbation is part of the Saxon Triangle metropolitan area....
in 1932 where his father was a Nazi and joined the Schutzstaffel
Schutzstaffel
The Schutzstaffel |Sig runes]]) was a major paramilitary organization under Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party. Built upon the Nazi ideology, the SS under Heinrich Himmler's command was responsible for many of the crimes against humanity during World War II...
. Singer's mother was Mormon
Mormon
The term Mormon most commonly denotes an adherent, practitioner, follower, or constituent of Mormonism, which is the largest branch of the Latter Day Saint movement in restorationist Christianity...
but her husband forbade her from practicing her religion. They divorced in 1945 and Singer returned to the United States with his mother. Singer married Vickie Lemon in 1965 with whom he had seven children and lived on a 2.5 acres (10,117.2 m²) farm in Marion, Utah in Summit County
Summit County, Utah
Summit County is a county located in the U.S. state of Utah, occupying a rugged and mountainous area. In 2010 its population was 36,324. It is part of the Salt Lake City Metropolitan Statistical Area as well as the Salt Lake City–Ogden–Clearfield Combined Statistical Area. The county is...
.
In 1970 Singer was excommunicated from LDS Church for his support of polygamy
Polygamy
Polygamy is a marriage which includes more than two partners...
. In 1978 he entered into a second marriage with Shirley Black, who was still married to another man with four children.
One of the main reasons Singer cited for removing his children from public school was his objection to pictures of black and white children together. The authorities did allow him to have his children home-schooled in a supervised situation. However in 1978 his second wife's husband won custody
Child custody
Child custody and guardianship are legal terms which are used to describe the legal and practical relationship between a parent and his or her child, such as the right of the parent to make decisions for the child, and the parent's duty to care for the child.Following ratification of the United...
of their children.
It is unclear if it was the issue of his not giving up custody of the children or of his home schooling actions that led to the standoff where Singer was killed. In January 1979, after Singer refused to release the children, Utah law enforcement officers returned to arrest him and surrounded his home. After refusing to surrender, he reportedly pointed his pistol at the officers who then shot him multiple times, killing him.
1988 standoff
In 1988, on the ninth anniversary of Singer's death, his son-in-law and "spiritual heir," Addam Swapp, bombed an LDS Stake Center at Marion with 50 pounds of dynamiteDynamite
Dynamite is an explosive material based on nitroglycerin, initially using diatomaceous earth , or another absorbent substance such as powdered shells, clay, sawdust, or wood pulp. Dynamites using organic materials such as sawdust are less stable and such use has been generally discontinued...
with a booster of ammonium nitrate, and then holed up in the Singer-Swapp compound, leading to a second, 13-day stand off with state authorities, the FBI, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms. It was reported that Swapp believed this would start a chain of events that would culminate in the resurrection
Resurrection
Resurrection refers to the literal coming back to life of the biologically dead. It is used both with respect to particular individuals or the belief in a General Resurrection of the dead at the end of the world. The General Resurrection is featured prominently in Jewish, Christian, and Muslim...
of John Singer and the downfall of the United States government. At that time, Singer's son, John Timothy Singer, shot and killed Lt. Fred House from the Utah Department of Corrections
Utah Department of Corrections
Utah Department of Corrections, or UDC, is a government agency dedicated to the management and supervision of convicted felons in the State of Utah. It is currently led by the Executive Director Tom Patterson...
who was directing a police dog
Police dog
A police dog, often referred to as a "K-9 dog" in some areas , is a dog that is trained specifically to assist police and other law-enforcement personnel in their work...
to move in.
John Timothy Singer and Addam Swapp both received sentences for federal prison terms. In addition, they were each convicted of manslaughter at the state level. Vickie Singer was sentenced to 5 years in prison followed by 5 years of probation.
At his sentencing, Swapp declared that God had revealed to him that he would not serve any time. He completed his federal sentence in 2006, and began serving time on the manslaughter charge. He was denied parole by the State of Utah in 2007. Another parole hearing is slated for 2012. He is currently serving his sentence in Arizona.
John Timothy Singer was released from a Utah prison in October 2006 after serving both of his terms.
Vickie Singer served 6 years in a California prison before being released.
Sources
- Article on John Singer in the Utah History Encyclopedia
- Article on Singer