| 'Spiritual wife' testifies Stubbs affirms seeking marital union -- but not to Holm -- in bigamy case | |
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By Rachel Olsen The Spectrum | |
ST. GEORGE -- Ruth Stubbs, 21, testified Tuesday that she followed the advice of then Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints Prophet Rulon Jeffs when she was told at 16 she should belong to Rodney Holm. Stubbs also said that Holm, who was 32 at the time, had asked if the revelation received by the prophet was correct, but Stubbs affirmed Holm was a true follower of the religion. They joined in spiritual "marriage" on Dec. 11, 1998. The testimony came Tuesday during the trial against Holm, a Hildale resident. The trial for the former Hildale-area police officer is ongoing in 5th District Court and scheduled to continue through the end of this week. The state based charges against Holm -- two counts of unlawful sexual conduct with a 16- or 17-year-old and one count of bigamy -- on his alleged sexual conduct with his third wife, Stubbs. Holm pleaded innocent to the charges at his preliminary hearing Dec. 11. Opening arguments commenced Tuesday around 3 p.m. after a jury of four men and five women was selected. "Two children are victims of this type of marriage ... (but) the bride, if you will, was a child herself," Paul Graf, prosecution co-counsel, said in opening arguments. But, Max Wheeler, one of the defense attorneys, said in opening arguments that this "bride" was the one seeking a marriage and, like Holm, believed in the religious importance of the union. Court recessed for the day Tuesday before the cross-examination of Stubbs was completed. Assistant Attorney General Kristine Knowlton called Stubbs as a witness for the prosecution, and Stubbs remained on the stand for more than an hour. Stubbs answered many of her questions simply and consulted her counsel, Matthew Steward, on a handful of questions. Both the prosecution and the defense tried to establish the events leading up to the relationship to show the state of mind of Stubbs, the alleged victim. Appearing slightly flushed throughout questioning, Stubbs verified she had been the instigator for a union - going to Jeffs to seek counsel about marriage - but it was not Holm she was inquiring about. Stubbs, who approached Jeffs when she did not belong to the FLDS religion, asked about another man, whose name was not given. When she returned Dec. 10, 1998, to inquire further about marriage to the man she had been dating, Stubbs said Jeffs told her she should belong to Holm. Upon hearing the information, Stubbs said she simply cried and told Jeffs she would do it, she said. Wheeler pointed out that Stubbs had no pressure to follow Jeffs' advice because she was not a part of the religion and had Holm's admonition not to commit to the union if it was not what she wanted. However, the prosecution argued that the influence from her childhood surroundings and limited education affected the decision she made when she joined in spiritual "marriage" with Holm. During cross-examination, Wheeler's questions focused on the idea that the union was one based on and justified with religion. Stubbs stated during questioning that the spiritual marriage had the same components as, and was just as important as, a legal marriage, although she knew it was not a recognized marriage by the law. Even if the marriage was religious in nature, the state still attempted through questioning to establish that Holm recognized the relationship was in violation of the law. An issue regarding a passage about plural marriage in the Doctrine & Covenants, a book regarded as revelation from God by FLDS faithful, was under discussion Tuesday and will continue when the trial resumes. The questioning of Stubbs is scheduled to continue at 9 a.m. today. | |
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TheSpectrum.com Originally published August 13, 2003 | |
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