April 9, 2002

Utah Gov.'s Son Named in Fight Club

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Filed at 5:29 p.m. ET

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- Gov. Mike Leavitt's 18-year-old son has been accused of participating in a fight club at a Mormon chapel.

Chase Leavitt was charged Monday with battery, a misdemeanor, plus disturbing the peace and trespass, both infractions.

Prosecutor Simarjit Gill said Tuesday that organizers had keys to the church meeting house, but did not have permission to stage the Dec. 14 fight, which drew 25 to 75 teen-agers who paid admission to watch.

Leavitt was charged because he was the only adult shown on a seized videotape throwing a punch at a minor, Gill said. Both were wearing boxing gloves.

Police were called by neighbors who reported seeing the teen-agers charging admission to the building. When officers arrived, many of the teen-agers fled but police found a video camera at the scene.

Gill said it took four months to file charges because prosecutors were busy with the Winter Olympics and it took time to identify people shown on the videotape.

The governor said Monday, "I have confidence in the process. He's a great young man, his life is on track in every way, he has the love and affection of his father and mother and we'll work through this."