Complex sentence: Lee never denied his own complicity but claimed he hadn't personally murdered anyone, was a vocally reluctant participant and later a scapegoat meant to draw attention away from other Mormon leaders who were also involved.
Split into simpler sentences: Lee never denied his own complicity, but claimed he hadn't personally killed anyone. He said he had been a vocally reluctant participant and later a scapegoat meant to draw attention away from other Mormon leaders who were also involved.