A Sutherland woman who held the unique distinction of going through two divorces simultaneously in Lincoln County waived arraignment on bigamy charges Wednesday morning, Feb. 24.

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Ruby White, also known as Denise Young, requested a jury trial through a letter to the court. A motion for discovery was filed as well. A hearing on that matter is scheduled for March 12.

The charge stems from the August 2009 revelation that Ruby married Kent Jones of Sutherland in 2006 despite the fact that her marriage to a Texas man had never been officially dissolved. Ruby married a man named C.J. White in New Orleans in 2000.

Ruby and Kent separated in November 2008. Shortly thereafter, Kent filed for divorce. The case proceeded as most divorces do until July 2009.

Kent discovered at that time that Ruby’s divorce from C.J. White had never been finalized, but rather was “DWOP’d” (Dismissed for want of prosecution). According to an affidavit Kent filed Oct. 27 2009, he made the discovery after requesting proof of divorce to satisfy a query from Aetna Insurance Co.

Jones wrote that he employed Wolfe Investigations to confirm that the White’s divorce was never official, which they did.

On Aug. 24, 2009, C.J. White sued for divorce from Ruby Denise White in Lincoln County. He also filed a motion for temporary custody of the couple’s two children. C.J. claimed that Ruby “fled their marriage” and took the two children to Nebraska against his wishes.

On Sept. 2, Judge Donald Rowlands granted ex-parte custody to C.J. White. C.J. traveled to Sutherland and removed the children from school and took them to Texas.

“I’m not a freak”
Ruby filed an answer Sept. 4. In it she claimed that she was unaware that her divorce was never finalized.

She also filed motions to have the court vacate the order that White should have custody of the children, and grant custody to her, as well as seeking the court to order the children returned from Texas. The papers where filed by Kearney attorney Kristi Hilliard. Kim Seacrest, who had been representing Jones in her divorce from Kent Jones, of Sutherland, withdrew from the case shortly after White also filed for divorce.

In the affidavit to support the request for custody, Ruby said in the introductory paragraph, “I am not a freak who covertly absconded from Texas.”

She also claimed that her children where taken “kicking and screaming” from their school by C.J., and that she had never been notified of what was happening. According to Ruby, he had not seen his children in five years on his own accord. She also alleged that C.J. has a history of alcoholism, drug use, and violent behavior.

She cited several specific instances of abuse, and noted that while in Texas she sought, and was granted, a protection order from him.

Ruby alleged that White lied to the court in his quest to gain custody. She said he knew about her move to Nebraska and had consented to it.

In her own words, “My (ex) husband allowed me to take the kids to Nebraska. I asked. He said it was fine. I have to believe that the two fathers of my children are tag-teaming.”

She also claimed that she was guilty of being stupid, but did not intentionally commit bigamy. Ruby stated that she in good faith believed she had been granted a divorce from White.

Chuck Nichols, an investigator for the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, submitted an affidavit stating that he believed Ruby when she said she did not intentionally commit bigamy. He said he had not indication that Ruby was lying to him concerning the matter.

He also expressed his concern for her children, stating that C.J. has criminal record, including charges burglary, possession, felony theft, and multiple drunken driving charges. He also stated he discovered White uses multiple aliases and more than one social security number.

Nichols said he became concerned that the custody cases may well be a “set up” against Ruby. He said that numerous parties had come around trolling for information, and that it was apparent they were working together.

Nichols stated that he did not believe that C.J. had submitted an honest affidavit, and that caused the court to place the children in an unsafe situation. “I am worried about the children,” he said.

According to court documents, shortly after returning to Texas with the children C.J. White was arrested for violating his probation by leaving the state. He was incarcerated for a period of six months.

On Sept. 28 Rowlands ordered custody returned to Ruby, citing that both parties agreed that such an arrangement was in the best interest of the children while C.J. served his sentence.

The case lay dormant until Feb. 17 2010 when C.J. filed a motion seeking visitation.

Keeping up with the Joneses

Since Kent and Denise Jones were never legally married, the original complaint for dissolution of marriage was dropped August 31 2009. Kent filed for an annulment Sept. 4.

In an affidavit Ruby filed Oct. 27, she alleged that the lawyers who represented her and C.J. White in their divorce “dropped the ball.”

The attorney who represented Ruby, Mark Beausoleil, submitted an affidavit saying that he believed that the divorce was finalized. He admitted that he must have missed his client’s name on the “Dropped for Want of Prosecution” list.

Beausoleil wrote that he remembered Ruby as being a “credible person” and stated he was willing to fly to Nebraska to testify on her behalf.

However, County Attorney Rebecca Harling dismissed a criminal charge against Kent Dec. 7, 2009.

Ruby claimed that in Dec. 2008 Kent held her in a bathroom against her will and subsequently held a gun to his own head while imploring one of her children to pull the trigger.

Rowlands dismissed a protection order Ruby held against Kent Jan. 26, 2010. In his order, the judge wrote that the grounds on which the order was obtained in 2008 were “unfounded and based upon false allegations by the petitioner against the respondent.”

An affidavit filed on Kent’s behalf by attorney Bob Lindemeier claimed many inconsistencies in Ruby’s story in the course of the criminal investigation against Kent.

Lindemeier wrote, “In 25 years of practicing law I can’t recall a case where someone has provided so many different answers to as many different questions as Mrs. Jones.” Lindemeier alleged that while being deposed under oath Ruby lied about the incident of violence, her past marriages, her employment record and her criminal history.

Lindemeier said he pointed out the number of times that he believed Ruby lied during the investigation to Harling, and that he thought the reason the charges were dropped against Kent was that the CA believed Ruby lied, as well.

Bigamy charges were filed against Ruby Feb. 1 by the Lincoln County Attorney’s office.

The offense carries a maximum penalty of one year in prison, a $1,000 fine or both.

Her jury trial is tentatively scheduled for March 29.