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| Trials and Tribulations | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Jud Burkett / The Spectrum
"Justice is the constant and perpetual wish to render to every one his due."-- Emperor Justinian Warren Jeffs was scheduled to go on trial in St. George, Utah on April 23, 2007, but that trial date was postponed until September 7, 2007. After several days of jury selection, a Washington County jury was finally seated. The jury found Warren Jeffs GUILTY of 2 counts of Rape as an Accomplice on September 25, 2007. He was sentenced to 2 consecutive terms of 5 years to life at the Utah State Prison on November 20, 2007. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Warren was transported to Kingman, Arizona on Tuesday, February 16, 2008 to stand trial for charges brought against him in Mohave County. After that trial, he will likely face federal charges - filed by the FBI - for unlawful flight to avoid prosecution. Although Warren might not be spending much time at home with the "wives", it looks like he is going to be spending a lot of time with "Lady Justice". | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Now the hard part: Prosecute a 'prophet' | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Opinions The Arizona Republic Originally published August 30, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| He was riding in a brand-new red Cadillac Escalade just outside of Las Vegas with a brother, one of his wives and $54,000 in cash. Now he's in jail. Now the word "captured" runs under the pictures of polygamous cult leader Warren Jeffs on the FBI's Ten Most Wanted fugitive list. Now the hard part begins. It isn't going to be easy to prosecute a man seen as a holy prophet by as many as 10,000 people. This man is so revered that former followers say parents give him their daughters for child brides and shun their sons at his decree. Jeffs' followers stuck by him when he was a fugitive. They kept money flowing to fuel his Cadillac lifestyle. Members of his polygamous Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints aren't going to line up to testify when he becomes a defendant. That's why it took courage to pursue Jeffs. Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard, Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff and Mohave County Attorney Matt Smith deserve credit for doing what decades of their predecessors did not do. They went after the alleged sex offenders in Colorado City, Ariz., and Hildale, Utah. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jeffs to appear in court | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The Spectrum Originally published August 30, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Warren Steed Jeffs will make an initial appearance on two fugitive warrants out of Utah and Arizona at 9:30 a.m. Thursday in the Las Vegas Justice Court courtroom of James Bixler, located on the 7th Floor of the Regional Justice Center at 200 Lewis Avenue in downtown Las Vegas. Jeffs is being held on a no bail hold in the Clark County Detention Center. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jeffs to be tried first in Utah | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The Spectrum Originally published August 30, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Authorities decided this afternoon that the former fugitive Warren Jeffs will be tried first in Utah. Representatives from the attorneys general offices from Utah and Arizona, as well as local county attorneys met via a conference call to determine who would be the first to put Jeffs on trial. Jeffs — the self-proclaimed prophet of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, which teaches polygamy as part of its doctrine — faces two charges of accomplice to rape, among other charges. Jeffs was arrested late Monday night during a traffic stop on Interstate 15 after being on the run for more than a year. He had been on the FBI's top 10 most wanted list. For more details on this story, see the Thursday print edition of The Spectrum & Daily News. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Polygamist leader Jeffs to be prosecuted in Utah first, then Arizona | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Ben Winslow Deseret Morning News Originally published Wednesday, August 30, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Captured polygamist leader Warren Jeffs will be prosecuted in Utah first, the Washington County Attorney's Office said today. After speaking with prosecutors in Mohave County, Ariz., and the U.S. Attorney's Office in Utah, deputy Washington County Attorney Jerry Jaeger told the Deseret Morning News that his office will proceed with its rape as an accomplice charges against Jeffs. Jeffs is scheduled to appear before a judge in the Las Vegas Township Court Thursday morning to face extradition. He is currently being held in the Clark County Detention Center. "We need to make arrangements to have him transported here safely," Jaeger said. "Once we get him here we'll have our initial appearance probably the next day." Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Reluctant child bride was warned she'd lose 'salvation' | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Ann O'Neill CNN Originally published August 31, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (CNN) -- Polygamist sect leader Warren Jeffs warned a teenage girl forced into a "spiritual marriage" to submit to sex with her husband or face "losing your salvation," Utah authorities said in an affidavit. The five-page document was filed in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Thursday in support of two charges that Jeffs' practice of arranging marriages between young girls and older men makes him an accomplice to rape. Jeffs, who is believed by his followers to be a prophet, appeared in a Las Vegas courtroom and agreed to return to Utah to face the charges. Conviction carries a penalty of five years to life in prison. Authorities in Arizona also have two counts of sexual conduct with a minor, along with an additional charge of conspiracy pending against the charismatic 50-year-old leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. The Utah case will be prosecuted first because it carries the harshest sentence. His maximum penalty in Arizona upon conviction would be six years in prison. The girl, who was between 14 and 18, is identified in the document as Jane Doe. She was assigned a husband after a church leader had a "revelation," but told Jeffs she felt she was too young to marry, the affidavit states. Jeffs responded that it was her spiritual duty. The marriage ceremony was performed in Las Vegas. Jeffs was captured outside the city on Monday night in a traffic stop, ending two years on the run. A month after the marriage ceremony, the affidavit states, her husband reminded the girl that Jeffs had instructed them to have children to "replenish the earth," and "now was the time." She had sex against her will, according to the document. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| County braces for invasion of media for Jeffs' coverage | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Scott Nowling The Spectrum Originally published September 1, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE - Print and electronic media representatives from around the nation and possibly the world will begin descending on Washington County as Warren Jeffs, the infamous leader of a polygamous religious sect, arrives for trial. Washington County Attorney Brock Belnap said he and his staff are going in a thousand different directions. Details necessary for handling a high-profile case such as Jeffs' were worked out months ago. Belnap's office, the Washington County Sheriff's Office and the St. George Police Department will all have major roles in the preparation and execution of Jeffs' trial. "We are going to have a Web site where we will post our court filings and press releases," Belnap said. He added that his office would e-mail instructions on how to access the site to any media organization that requests it. "We will also have a regular, scheduled time when we will meet with the media as a group and answer questions," Belnap said. Belnap said Brian Filter has been designated as the public information officer for his office. "We've never had to have a PIO (public information officer) before," Belnap said during an afternoon press conference. "We're working hard to get up to speed." Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sequence of Jeffs trials dependent on attorneys, officials say | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The Associated Press AZFamily Daily News Originally published September 1, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| PHOENIX -- Just when polygamous church leader Warren Jeffs will stand trial in Arizona depends largely on the captured polygamist's attorneys. Jeffs faces charges in Kingman stemming from his alleged arrangement of a plural marriage between a 16-year-old girl and a married man. Yesterday, Jeffs agreed in a Las Vegas courtroom to be extradited to Utah to face rape-by-accomplice charges that could send him to prison for the rest of his life. Those charges also stem from allegations that he arranged for underage girls to marry older men. Mohave County Attorney Matthew Smith tells The Associated Press that there isn't any timeline on when Jeffs will be brought to Arizona. Smith says it's "very difficult to know if he will be passed back and forth between the two jurisdictions or if he will stay in one jurisdiction until that case is completed." Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard says ideally, Jeffs would face Arizona charges as soon as possible. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Next stop: Utah | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jeffs waives extradition rights, invokes right to remain silent | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Patrice St. Germain The Spectrum Originally published September 1, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| LAS VEGAS — Wearing a blue jumpsuit and shackles, Warren Steed Jeffs, 50, a fugitive from justice for more than a year, made his first court appearance Thursday morning in Las Vegas. Appearing before Judge James M. Bixler at the Las Vegas Justice Court, Jeffs quietly answered the few questions posed to him by the judge and waived his right to extradition. "Go ahead and be extradited," Jeffs said quietly. The whole proceeding took less than two minutes as the tall and thin Jeffs was escorted in and out of the courtroom by two escorts wearing bulletproof vests. Following his brief appearance in court, Jeffs spoke briefly with Gary Engels, an investigator with the Mohave County Attorney’s Office. Engels said Jeffs agreed to speak with him and the two talked about minor stuff, but once Engels got around to talking to him about criminal activities, Jeffs invoked his right to remain silent. Engels, who has been in Colorado City for 22 months, said this was his first face-to-face meeting with Jeffs, although Jeffs knew who Engels was. "He appeared very meek and very gaunt and thin and I asked him about his appearance and he said this is how he always looked," Engels aid. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Washington County attorney says he's ready to put Jeffs on trial | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Attorneys for Arizona, Utah, agree to give Washington County first chance | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Patrice St. Germain The Spectrum Originally published September 1, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| HURRICANE - When Warren Jeffs, the self-proclaimed prophet of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, steps foot in Utah again, he will be put behind bars without bail. Once Jeffs arrives, Washington County Attorney Brock Belnap said he will bring him to court within 48 hours for an initial appearance. "We are ready to go to court on these charges," Belnap said. Jeffs, 50, has a court date this morning in Las Vegas for an extradition hearing. He faces charges in Utah and Arizona for allegedly arranging marriages between young girls and older men who are members of the polygamist communities in Hildale, Utah and Colorado City, Ariz. where the FLDS church is based. He also faces federal charges of unlawful flight to avoid prosecution. Wednesday, representatives from the attorneys general offices from Utah and Arizona, as well as local county attorneys, met via conference call to determine who would be the first to put Jeffs on trial. A press release from Belnap's office states that the decision to litigate the Utah charges first was largely based on two factors: the gravity of charges faced by Jeffs in Utah and the fact that Utah law allows for a higher bail than Arizona. Belnap sought and was granted a court order on Wednesday by 5th District Court Judge James Shumate ordering Jeffs to be held temporarily without bail. "I really appreciate that the court recognized there is a flight risk," Belnap said. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jeffs Will Be Isolated in Utah Jail | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The Associated Press KSL-TV Channel 5 Originally published September 1, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| HURRICANE, Utah (AP) -- When he is extradited to Utah to face rape charges, the leader of a polygamist sect will await court proceedings isolated in his cell in the Purgatory Correctional Facility -- locked down for 23 hours each day. Warren Jeffs will get just one hour daily for showers, phone calls and exercise, and up to two hours each week for visitors, Washington County Sheriff Kirk Smith said Thursday. He will be held without bail. The existence will be a far cry from the lavish life to which Jeffs is accustomed. In Hildale, the home base of the 10,000-member Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Jeffs lived in a million-dollar mansion behind a 14-foot brick wall. He's also built big homes at church enclaves across the West. When captured by police outside Las Vegas Monday after more than a year on the run, Jeffs was riding in a 2007 Cadillac Escalade worth more than $90,000 and was carrying $54,000 in cash, police said. "He's the richest guy in town. He has more money than anybody there," said Sam Brower, a private investigator who works for attorneys who have filed civil cases against Jeffs. That larger-than-life image was shattered Thursday when Jeffs made his first public appearance in a Las Vegas courtroom. Looking frail and timid, Jeffs spoke almost inaudibly as he agreed to be extradited to Utah to face two counts of rape by accomplice -- charges that could send him to prison for the rest of his life. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sending a Polygamist Straight to Purgatory | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Howard Berkes National Public Radio Originally broadcast September 1, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| NPR.org, September 1, 2006 · The followers of polygamist Warren Jeffs believe he is a prophet who holds the keys to heaven. But when Jeffs is extradited to Utah for trial, he'll be sent to Purgatory. Literally. And if not for a quirk of history, he'd be going straight to Hell. Jeffs will await trial in an isolation cell at the Purgatory Correctional Facility at Purgatory Flats outside St. George, Utah. The red rock cliffs visible from the jail and the flats contain what geologists refer to as Purgatory sandstone. So it seems logical that the name came from the stone. But a call to the Utah Geological Survey produced only more questions. Geologist Craig Morgan surveyed his colleagues and searched databases and found more Purgatorys in the area but no explanations. There's a geologic formation called Little Purgatory near Purgatory Flats, and a Purgatory Cliff that's nowhere near its other namesakes. "I cannot find the origin for Purgatory Flat or Little Purgatory in Utah," Morgan says. "Most likely a mountain man or pioneer had a really bad time there." He suggested checking with a historian. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| An easy call | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Aibing Guo Kingman Daily Miner Originally published September 1, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| KINGMAN - The decision to try Warren Jeffs in Utah rather than Arizona first is pretty much a no-brainer, according to Mohave County Attorney Matt Smith. The logic of the decision is clear. Smith said on Thursday that the decision for Jeffs to go to Utah first was made during a conference call with representatives of the Utah Attorney General's Office, the Arizona Attorney General's Office, the U.S. Attorney's Office, the FBI, the Washington County (Utah) District Attorney's Office and the Mohave County Attorney's Office. Though Jeffs was first indicted in Mohave County, representatives at the meeting decided that prosecutors from Washington County have the chance to hit Jeffs with more stringent release conditions based on their charges, Smith said. "We could (require Jeffs to) post a $700,000 bond in total, but they could request a no bond," Smith said. Smith said he did not know exactly when Jeffs would be transported to Utah, but once Jeffs appears in Utah and has an attorney, he would quickly find out when Jeffs would appear in Arizona. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jeffs' day in court | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Deseret Morning News editorial Originally published Saturday, September 2, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Captured polygamist leader Warren Jeffs must answer to charges in Utah — two counts of rape by accomplice for allegedly forcing a girl to marry an older man and submit to him sexually. Jeffs' arrest outside Las Vegas marked the end of nearly a year on the run and being placed on the FBI's Ten Most Wanted list last May. Authorities recovered cell phones, several sets of car keys, wigs and some $54,000 in cash, which suggest Jeffs had ample resources to elude authorities for some time to come. Thanks to a resourceful Nevada highway trooper conducting a routine traffic stop, Jeffs can now be brought to justice. The criminal prosecutions in Utah and, eventually, Arizona must be allowed to run their course. The FBI, Attorney General Mark Shurtleff and his Arizona counterparts deserve credit for their pursuit of Jeffs and their insistence that he be held to account for his alleged crimes. Outside the criminal justice system, however, some have offered rationalization for Jeffs' alleged conduct. They contend that Jeffs, a leader in the Fundamentalist LDS Church, arranges marriages of underage girls to older men as a part of his religious practice. (The FLDS Church is not affiliated with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which owns this newspaper.) Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Like it or not, Southern Utah will be in the media spotlight | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Opinion The Spectrum Originally published September 3, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The streets of St. George are about to get even more crowded. The reason, though, isn't just because of more people moving to what already is one of the fastest-growing areas in the nation. This time, the extra vehicles will be large television satellite trucks. They will be in town to cover the legal proceedings surrounding the case against Warren Jeffs, the polygamist church leader who authorities apprehended last week on Interstate 15 north of Las Vegas. The influx actually started Thursday, the day that Jeffs waived his extradition rights. The hearing started about 10:30 a.m. By 1 p.m., two satellite trucks already were parked outside the justice building on 200 East. And more will come when Jeffs has his initial appearance in a Washington County courtroom, most likely sometime this week. Some Southern Utahns will ask, "What's the big deal?" After all, we see members of the FLDS church all the time in area stores. But that isn't the case outside of Utah and Northern Arizona. Polygamy is an attention-grabbing topic. Throw in the fact that Jeffs was a prize catch for the FBI, and you have all the makings of a major national story. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Warren Jeffs is booked into Purgatory | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Bookings Washington County Sheriff's Office washeriff.state.ut.us Originally published September 5, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Birth Date: 12/03/55 Address : Hildale, UT
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| Announcements | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Washington County Sheriff's Office washeriff.state.ut.us Originally published September 5, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The Washington County Sheriff’s Office received custody of inmate Warren Jeffs this morning at approximately 11:00 AM MST. Inmate Jeffs was transported by helicopter to the Purgatory Correctional Facility to face state charges. Inmate Jeffs was cooperative and compliant with the requests made of him by WCSO personnel. Sheriff Kirk Smith will be holding a press conference outside the front doors of the Purgatory Correctional Facility at 3:30 PM MST to answer questions the media may have regarding the Purgatory Correctional Facility and the transport of Warren Jeffs. We will not be in a position to comment specifically on any pending court cases Inmate Jeffs may be facing. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jeffs court appearance Wednesday | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The Spectrum Originally published September 5, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| HURRICANE — Warren Jeffs, the polygamist leader who faces charges of arranging marriages between an underage girl and an older man, will have his first court appearance in Washington County at 1 p.m. on Wednesday. It is expected that Jeff's appearance in 5th District Court will take place via closed circuit television from Purgatory Correctional Facility, where he is now housed. Media from across the nation was parked outside of the jail today awaiting Jeffs' arrival. Jeffs, who was arrested last week after being on the run for more than a year, arrived at the jail by helicopter shortly at 12:30 p.m. today. Authorities landed the helicopter behind the building and transported Jeffs into the facility. Rob Tersigni, public information officer for the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, would not comment on the transportation of Jeffs from the Clark County Detention Center in Las Vegas, where he has been held since his capture, to Southern Utah, referring all questions to a press conference set for 3:30 p.m. today "Believe me, I don’t want to get in trouble with the sheriff and spoil his thunder," Tersigni told the media throng at the jail. "We’ll let him come and explain it to all of you guys." Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jeffs transferred to Utah to face felony sex abuse charges | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Jennifer Dobner The Associated Press Las Vegas Sun Originally published September 5, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| HURRICANE, Utah (AP) - Polygamist sect leader Warren Jeffs was moved to southern Utah from a Las Vegas jail on Tuesday to face felony sex charges involving the arranged marriage of an underage girl and an older man. Jeffs arrived by Utah Department of Public Safety helicopter at the Purgatory Correctional Facility here just after 12:30 p.m. MDT, said Lt. Rob Tersigni of the Washington County sheriff's office. An initial court appearance was expected Wednesday before 5th District Judge James L. Shumate in nearby St. George. The court typically conducts initial appearances via video cameras set up in the jail. A public defender could be appointed for Jeffs then if he has no attorney. Jeffs, 50, is head of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, a polygamist sect of 10,000 that for a century has made its home in the twin towns of Hildale, Utah and Colorado City, Ariz. Jeffs is charged in Utah with two felony counts of rape as an accomplice, accused of having arranged a "spiritual marriage" between a teenage girl and an older man. Each of the counts carries a penalty of up to life in prison. The alleged marriage took place some time within the past four years, when the girl was between age of 14 and 18, according to Washington County Attorney Brock Belnap. "Jane Doe," as the girl is referred to in court documents, objected to the marriage but was told by Jeffs that she must she must give herself "mind, body and soul" to her husband, court papers said. Jeffs, who decides which of his followers marry and to whom, told the girl that she would lose her salvation if she did not obey her husband, court papers said. It was not immediately clear Tuesday if Jeffs has hired an attorney. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jeffs moved to Utah | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Ben Winslow and Nancy Perkins Deseret Morning News Originally published Tuesday, September 5, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| HURRICANE — Captured polygamist leader Warren Jeffs is in Purgatory. Literally. The Fundamentalist LDS Church leader was booked into the Purgatory Correctional Facility this afternoon after being flown from Las Vegas by helicopter. A Department of Public Safety helicopter landed at the Purgatory Jail about 12:30 p.m. today, kicking up a dust cloud. Jeffs was escorted by a pair of Washington County Sheriff's deputies. "Inmate Jeffs was cooperative and compliant with the requests made of him by WCSO personnel," Washington County Sheriff's Lt. Jake Adams said in a statement. Clad in a green-and-white striped uniform, Jeffs smiled meekly in his booking mug shot released by the Washington County Sheriff's Office. His hair is graying slightly. Jeffs is scheduled to appear in St. George's 5th District Court on Wednesday afternoon via video hook-up from the Purgatory Jail. So far, a lawyer has not been named to represent Jeffs. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Will Warren Jeffs Publicity Negatively Affect Utah? | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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KCSG News Originally broadcast Tuesday, September 5, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
When people hear about southern Utah they think of golf, hiking, and soaking up the sun. But that is about to change as St. George becomes ground zero for the first trial of polygamous leader Warren Jeffs. Now that Warren Jeffs is back in Utah to face charges, it will likely create what is commonly referred to as a media circus. There is no question that the practice of polygamy, though illegal is also very intriguing to the general public. Here is what some people in St. George had to say about the affects of the publicity of Warren Jeffs.
Lena Sullivan/Visits Utah Yearly: "I think it’s good it’ll show the country the negative stuff that’s going on in those two cities like incest and marrying 10 women and whatever." Nany Berick/St. George Resident: "I don’t think it’ll be bad for Utah, maybe the world needs to see what’s going on to young ladies and make people more aware of some injustices."Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jeffs in Purgatory | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| FLDS leader transferred from Las Vegas jail | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Patrice St. Germain The Spectrum Originally published September 6, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| HURRICANE - Under a veil of secrecy, the Washington County Sheriff's Office transported polygamist leader Warren Steed Jeffs, 50, from the Clark County Detention Center in Las Vegas to the Purgatory Correctional Facility Tuesday morning. Jeffs was transported by two Washington County Sheriff's Office deputies in a helicopter provided by the Utah Department of Public Safety. The helicopter landed at 12:30 p.m. behind the jail in the exercise area, blocking any view of Jeffs from the media waiting in front of the jail in what Washington County Sheriff Kirk Smith is calling "the single most highly publicized event we have seen in Washington County." It's also the first time a prisoner has been transported by helicopter here, and although extra security measures are being taken, Smith said there have been no threats. "When you deal with religious extremists you really don't know what to expect. Our job in law enforcement is worst-case scenario," Smith said following a press conference Tuesday afternoon. "Our whole goal in this thing is to get Mr. Jeffs here, get him through his court proceedings and then on to whatever waits after that, whether it's the Department of Corrections or freedom; whatever the jury decides." Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Polygamist leader Warren Jeffs in Utah court | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By James Nelson Reuters Originally published September 6, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SALT LAKE CITY (Reuters) - Polygamist sect leader Warren Jeffs, who was arrested last week after two years on the run, made his first Utah court appearance on Wednesday by closed-circuit TV and told a judge he understood the charges against him. Jeffs, 50, who was on the FBI's Ten Most Wanted List, is accused in Utah of being an accomplice to rape in arranging marriages between underage girls and older men. The courtroom was packed with reporters and onlookers for the brief hearing in which Jeffs appeared via closed-circuit TV from the Purgatory Correctional Facility in Hurricane, Utah -- not far from the community where his Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (FLDS) is based. In the St. George courtroom, near the Arizona border, District Judge James Shumate set Jeffs' next court appearance for Monday, followed by a hearing on September 19 to consider whether to grant him bail. Utah law enforcement officials have said they consider Jeffs, who is considered a prophet among his estimated 10,000 FLDS church followers, a flight risk. He was arrested on August 28 following a routine traffic stop just north of Las Vegas and transferred to the Purgatory Correctional Facility on Tuesday. Security surrounding Jeffs has been tight since his arrest. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Polygamist's prosecution, defense likely to be complex | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The Associated Press KVOA News 4 - Tucson Originally published September 6, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE, Utah -- In court Wednesday, polygamist sect leader Warren Jeffs said he's shopping for a Utah attorney to defend him against charges of rape as an accomplice for his role in arranging a spiritual marriage between a teenage girl and an older man. What he'll need is someone able and willing to wade through some dicey legal arguments over intent and the idea of marriage, Brigham Young University law professor Marguerite Driessen said. "The theory is that what Warren didn't do himself, he assisted others to do," Driessen said. "He can simply say that he had no idea that (the couple) would actually consummate their marriage." Or prosecutors would have to prove Jeffs intended that a rape occur when he performed the "spiritual marriage" ceremony for the couple, she said. Jeffs, 50, is the leader of the 10,000 member Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, a sect based in Hildale, Utah and Colorado City, Ariz., which practices polygamy, including some marriages involving underage girls. On the FBI's 10 Most Wanted List since May, Jeffs had been a fugitive for more than a year when he was arrested north of Las Vegas on Aug. 28 in a traffic stop. He was extradited to Utah on Tuesday to face two first-degree felony charges which could net him a life sentence to prison. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Warren Jeffs Makes First Utah Court Appearance | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Richard Piatt Reporting KSL-TV Channel 5 Originally broadcast September 6, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Polygamous leader Warren Jeffs faced a Utah judge for the first time, today, since his arrest last week. Police arrested him during a traffic stop in Nevada last week. It was formal. It was brief. It was the first step toward prosecuting Warren Jeffs, and his first Utah court appearance today. Warren Jeffs sat stone-faced and sounded subdued, even as a judge formally read the serious charges against him, two counts of first degree rape as an accomplice. Judge: "Do you understand that, sir?" Jeffs: "Yes." Judge: "Thank you Mr. Jeffs." Jeffs' first Utah court appearance actually took place on a closed circuit hookup between the courthouse and the Purgatory jail. Still, there was a heavy police presence outside the 5th District court in Saint George. Craig Harding, St. George Police Dept.: "What we want to do is identify anything unusual going on around the courthouse, any unusual people." Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jeffs appears via video in Utah court | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| He asks judge for a week to find a lawyer | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Ben Winslow and Nancy Perkins Deseret Morning News Originally published Thursday, September 7, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE — Looking thin and pale, captured polygamist leader Warren Jeffs made his first court appearance here in 5th District Court, finally facing charges of rape as an accomplice. Appearing Wednesday via video hookup from the Purgatory Jail, Jeffs sat silent through most of the hearing, blinking at the camera. "Mr. Jeffs, can you hear me OK, sir?" Judge James L. Shumate asked. "Yes," Jeffs said, softly. As the judge read the charges and possible punishments, Jeffs looked down at the copy in his hands, following along. Shumate asked Jeffs if he had an attorney. "I have a Nevada attorney helping me find Utah counsel. I ask for a week to do that," Jeffs replied. As the six-minute hearing concluded, Jeffs leaned forward to the camera trying to speak but was cut off by the judge. Shumate set a status conference for Monday, where he will be updated on whether Jeffs has a lawyer, address the preliminary hearing and bail issues. Jeffs is being held without bail. Jeffs said his lawyer suggested he request a delay for the preliminary hearing. But Shumate was reluctant to postpone the hearing set for Sept. 19. Washington County Attorney Brock Belnap said his office is "prepared to go forward with our case" against Jeffs. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Order in the court | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Amid tight security, Jeffs makes first court appearance | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Patrice St. Germain The Spectrum Originally published September 7, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE - Dressed in a green and white jumpsuit, Warren Steed Jeffs, the self-proclaimed prophet of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, made his first appearance in 5th District Court Wednesday afternoon. Appearing via a closed circuit television link, Jeffs appeared to have circles under his eyes. Although Jeffs' initial appearance was by video, security inside and outside the courthouse was extremely high. Snipers sat on the roof of the police station diagonally across from the courthouse and members of the SWAT team surrounded the facility. Inside the courtroom, mostly filled with media, were six bailiffs. Judge James L. Shumate asked Jeffs if he had a copy of the charges against him and if his name and date of birth on the documents were correct. Jeffs quietly replied "Yes," after each question. Shumate read the charges against Jeffs - two different counts of rape as an accomplice - and told him the penalty for each count is not less than five years in jail and not more than life. He also told Jeffs that each charge carries a fine of $18,525 and possible restitution. The judge then asked Jeffs if he had an attorney. The leader of the polygamous FLDS church answered that he has an attorney who is helping him find Utah counsel. By law, a preliminary hearing must be held within 10 days of the initial appearance unless waived by the defendant and counsel. Shumate set the date for Sept. 19 at 8:30 for the preliminary hearing and, simultaneously, a bail hearing and explained to Jeffs that he is currently being held on a no-bail status. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Media circus descends on St. George for Jeffs | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Laura Duncan The Spectrum Originally published September 7, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE - Washington County has become a stage for the national media as the Warren Jeffs legal battle begins. Satellite trucks from Las Vegas, Salt Lake City, Arizona and Colorado, as well as national media outlets such as CNN and Fox News, set up camp Wednesday in the courthouse parking lot on 220 N. 200 East. Competitive crews established territories, and anchors gripped their microphones, hoping to learn more about what will happen now that Jeffs is facing justice. The frenzy posed a possible challenge for St. George police, but Sgt. Craig Harding of St. George Police Department said the department knew how to handle the situation. He said that despite the massive crowd, authorities were not expecting any trouble, but the department would be remiss if it did not take the proper precautions to ensure everyone's safety. "We have to plan for the worst-case scenario," Harding said. Lt. Jake Adams of the Washington County Sheriff's Office had similar sentiments, saying security was increased to a "heightened" level. Though he said he could not disclose specific numbers, Harding confirmed that a Special Weapons and Tactics team was present "in a number of areas." In some cases, the SWAT officers made their presence clear, peering over some rooftops and perched on nearby hillsides. Harding added that in addition to the more covert SWAT members, there were officers on the ground in full uniform with visible weapons. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Prosecutor: Polygamist likely to stay in jail | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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From Gary Tuchman CNN Originally published September 7, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE, Utah (CNN) -- Federal authorities are prepared to file charges against polygamist sect leader Warren Jeffs if a judge grants bond, a Utah prosecutor said Wednesday. Washington County Attorney Brock Belnap said he would oppose bond, but wasn't worried about the former fugitive going free before he is tried on two counts of being an accomplice to rape. Belnap disclosed the plan to keep Jeffs behind bars after the sect leader's first court appearance on charges stemming from his practice of arranging "spiritual marriages" between young girls and older men. Pale, gaunt and dressed in green jail scrubs, Jeffs appeared via closed-circuit television from the Purgatory Correctional Facility in Hurricane, Utah. The 50-year-old leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints told Judge James Shumate he has a Nevada attorney, Richard Wright, but also wants a Utah lawyer. Jeffs returns to court on September 11 to advise the judge on how his search for a lawyer is going. The judge scheduled a preliminary hearing on September 19. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Watch Warren in court | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The Spectrum Originally published September 7, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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ST GEORGE — What happened yesterday in 5th District Court when polygamist leader Warren Jeffs made his initial appearance?
Click to view the video of the court proceedings. Jeffs faces charges of arranging a marriage between an underage girl and an older man in Utah and similar charges in Arizona. See Warren's Purgatory mug shot | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| A chance for the wives to rebel | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| And a fear that their prophet may become a martyr | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The Economist - London, England Originally published September 7, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SO WILL there in future be fewer pictures of smiling American patriarchs with their half-dozen pretty young wives? That is possible, but far from certain, now that Warren Jeffs, the leader and "prophet" of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (FLDS), the largest polygamist sect in North America, is in jail facing trial in Utah. Mr Jeffs has been on the run for more than a year after being charged in both Arizona and Utah, and was recently put on the FBI's Ten Most Wanted List. He was arrested north of Las Vegas on August 28th on a traffic violation, from where he was sent to Utah. Utah has a stronger case against him than Arizona; he has been indicted there for the first-degree felony of being an accomplice to rape in connection with the arranged marriage of an under-age girl to an older man. Mr Jeffs has ruled the FLDS from Colorado City and Hildale, two tiny towns on the borders of Arizona and Utah, since his father Rulon died aged 98 in 2002. The sect broke away from the Mormon church more than a century ago when the mainstream church renounced polygamy. It is believed to have more than 10,000 members, mainly in Arizona and Utah, but also a growing number in Texas, Florida and, for some reason, British Columbia. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jeffs lawyer-shopping | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Ben Winslow Deseret Morning News Originally published Friday, September 8, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| HURRICANE — Captured polygamist leader Warren Jeffs may soon have a new lawyer. Jeffs met Thursday with Las Vegas attorney Richard Wright and another lawyer, whom jail authorities refused to identify. Washington County sheriff's deputies also declined to release Purgatory Jail visitor logs, showing who has visited Jeffs. Wright did not return calls seeking comment. Several prominent criminal defense lawyers from Salt Lake City have been contacted about representing Jeffs, the Deseret Morning News has learned. Some declined to comment about whether they would represent the Fundamentalist LDS Church leader. No formal notice of counsel has been filed in St. George's 5th District Court, clerks said. Jeffs is facing rape-as-an-accomplice charges, accusing him of forcing a teenage girl into a polygamous marriage with an older man. He faces up to life in prison, if convicted. Jeffs remains in isolation at the Purgatory Jail. The Washington County sheriff told the Deseret Morning News on Thursday that Jeffs has been quietly reading books while incarcerated. "He's quiet. Mellow," Sheriff Kirk Smith said. "I have no reason to expect that he'll be anything other than a model prisoner." Some ex-FLDS members have expressed anger that Jeffs is being seen as a sympathetic character because he looks so frail and meek in his court appearances. "That smirk he had — that was the smirk he would give before he damned you straight to hell," said one woman, who asked to remain anonymous because of family still within the FLDS Church. "He's not weak and calm and meek and mild. He's plotting, he's evil, and I have no sympathy for him." Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Las Vegas lawyer for Warren Jeffs more 'substance' than 'style' | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Ken Ritter The Associated Press Las Vegas Sun Originally published September 8, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| LAS VEGAS (AP) - When Warren Jeffs' brother went looking for a lawyer following the polygamist religious leader's arrest in southern Nevada, he turned to Richard Wright. "He's the top gun in town right now," said Charles Kelly, a Las Vegas lawyer and longtime friend. "He's all substance and no style." Wright, 59, a folksy former federal prosecutor, only smiled and thrust his square jaw forward as he led Jeffs' brother, Nephi Jeffs, past a reporter this week following a meeting in his office. Nephi Jeffs said nothing, and Wright politely declined to answer questions about representing the 50-year-old leader of the Utah and Arizona-based Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. His client doesn't like publicity, he said. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Religion is no defense for polygamy, experts say | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Harriet Ryan Court TV Originally published September 8, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (COURT TV) -- When he appeared before a Utah judge via a video link from the county jail this week, the polygamist "Prophet" Warren Jeffs took the first step toward what could be among the most closely followed trials in state history. What the sect leader's defense strategy will be, however, fascinates legal experts, as well as those who study Jeffs' Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Although polygamists in the past have attempted religious liberty defenses, albeit unsuccessfully, a ruling this spring by the state's highest court precludes Jeffs from trying the same. More traditional approaches, ranging from an insanity plea to attacks on the credibility of the star witness, seem unlikely, given the polygamous teachings of the FLDS and Jeffs' role as the church's all-powerful spiritual leader. "He has to consider whether his first priority is trying to defeat the charges and avoid conviction at whatever cost, or whether his priority is to maintain his standing in his religious community, recognizing that it may entail some criminal responsibility," said Ken Driggs, a public defender in Atlanta who has written widely about the intersection between fundamentalist polygamous groups and the law. Jeffs, 50, is charged with two counts of rape as an accomplice. A former church member says he "spiritually married" her to an older man when she was a minor and then ordered her to submit to sex with the man or face eternal damnation. If convicted, Jeffs faces five years to life in prison. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Vegas Lawyer Trying To Recruit Attorney For Jeffs | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The Associated Press KUTV Channel 2 Originally broadcast September 8, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| A Las Vegas lawyer is in southern Utah trying to recruit a local attorney to represent polygamist leader Warren Jeffs. Jeffs is the 50-year-old leader of the Utah and Arizona-based Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. He's in jail in Utah following his arrest 10 days ago in southern Nevada. He faces felony rape as an accomplice charges that carry the possibility of life in prison. So far, Las Vegas lawyer Richard Wright has been the only lawyer for Jeffs - who was on the FBI Most Wanted list before his arrest late August 28th during a traffic stop outside Las Vegas. Wright's considered one of the best defense lawyers in southern Nevada. But he's not licensed to practice in Utah state courts. He's expected to try to get a lawyer before a court hearing scheduled Monday in Saint George, Utah. A judge has said he wants to know by then if Jeffs has a Utah lawyer. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 'Sacred' papers of Jeffs sought | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Ben Winslow Deseret Morning News Originally published Saturday, September 9, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Papers seized inside the SUV in which polygamist leader Warren Jeffs was riding when captured in Nevada should be returned to the Fundamentalist LDS Church leader because they are protected by his right to freedom of religion, his attorney says. The papers, deemed to be "sacred," also constitute privileged communication between the "spiritual leader" and his followers, attorney Richard Wright said in court papers obtained by the Deseret Morning News. "These records include confidential religious writings and teachings of the FLDS, as well as privileged communications with FLDS members," Wright wrote in an emergency motion filed in U.S. District Court in Las Vegas. He says the papers, computers and recording devices found in the vehicle Jeffs was stopped in are protected by the First Amendment right to freedom of religion. Claiming clergy-communicant privilege, Wright asked the judge to privately review the documents before unsealing search warrant returns to keep the information from being made public. A hearing scheduled for Thursday in federal court was abruptly canceled, but authorities would not say why. "No comment," U.S. Attorney for Utah spokeswoman Melodie Rydalch said about the emergency motion. Wright has not returned calls seeking comment. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jeffs to appear in court today | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Patrice St. Germain The Spectrum Originally published September 11, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| HURRICANE - Warren Jeffs will make his second court appearance in 5th District Court today for a status conference. Jeffs has been incarcerated at the Purgatory Correctional Facility since Tuesday and so far, except for heightened security, it's been business as usual at Purgatory, said Lt. Jake Adams, of the Washington County Sheriff's Office. Adams declined to comment on whether Jeffs had made any special requests, but did say Jeffs has not complained about his living conditions or reported any threats received from other inmates. On Friday, Jeffs spent several hours with Las Vegas attorney Richard A. Wright. Wright said he is not licensed to practice in Utah and Jeffs indicated last week during his initial appearance that he had asked for Wright's assistance in obtaining an attorney in Utah. Wright declined to answer several questions but did say his client was "doing very good." Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Utah polygamist hires new lawyers | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Jennifer Dobner The Associated Press Las Vegas Sun Originally published September 11, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE, Utah (AP) - The legal team hired to defend polygamist sect leader Warren Jeffs against allegations he arranged a "spiritual marriage" that led to the rape of an underage girl are considered bright and creative, according to prosecutors and defense attorneys who've worked with the pair. Salt Lake City attorneys Walter F. Bugden Jr. and Tara L. Isaacson were hired by Jeffs sometime over the weekend and filed a notice Monday with the 5th District Court here. "They're smart, they're a sharp legal team," Salt Lake City defense attorney Greg Skordas said. Jeffs, 50, is facing two felony counts of rape as an accomplice, accused of arranging a spiritual marriage between an underage girl and an older man. Each count carries a penalty of five years to life in prison. Court documents filed by Washington County Attorney Brock Belnap do not identify the girl or her husband, but indicate she fought the marriage despite being directed by Jeffs to give herself "mind, body and soul, to your husband like you're supposed to." A preliminary hearing for Warren Jeffs was postponed Monday at the request of Isaacson, who spoke to Judge James L. Shumate by telephone prior to the 8:30 a.m. hearing. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jeffs Makes Another Utah Court Appearance | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Edward Lawrence, Reporter KLAS TV Channel 8 - Las Vegas Originally broadcast September 11, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Polygamist leader Warren Jeffs made his second appearance in Utah courtroom. Again the appearance was via video conference. Jeffs was arrested two weeks near Las Vegas. The Fundamentalist LDS church leader is charged with rape as an accomplice stemming from an arranged spiritual marriage Jeffs performed between an underage girl and an older man. Warren Jeffs appeared more comfortable and sure of himself during his second appearance before Judge James Shumate. The Washington County court judge wanted to make sure Jeffs had an attorney before the court process continued with the next hearing. "Mr. Jeffs is that alright if we have a review of your case on the 27th of September at 8:30 in the morning sir," asked the judge. After his arrest in the Las Vegas area, Jeffs contacted Las Vegas attorney Richard Wright for his extradition hearing at the end of August. Wright found Salt Lake lawyers Walter Bugden and Tara Isaacson. They could not be in St. George today and asked for a delay. The judge agreed. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jeffs hires 2 attorneys | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| And judge postpones his preliminary hearing | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Ben Winslow and Nancy Perkins Deseret Morning News Originally published Tuesday, September 12, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE — Captured polygamist leader Warren Jeffs now has a pair of high-profile criminal defense lawyers and a postponed preliminary hearing. During a brief court appearance here, Judge James Shumate announced that Salt Lake City-based attorneys Wally Bugden and Tara Isaacson had been hired to represent Jeffs. Isaacson notified the judge just 15 minutes before the hearing. "Is that your understanding, sir?" Shumate asked Jeffs. "Yes. She and Wally Bugden both," he replied. The Fundamentalist LDS Church leader appeared in court via closed circuit TV, sitting alone at a table inside a hearing room at the Purgatory Jail, about 17 miles from the 5th District courthouse. The new defense attorneys requested that a Sept. 19 preliminary hearing be postponed. Washington County Attorney Brock Belnap said the continuance was by "mutual agreement." Shumate asked Jeffs if he agreed to the delay. "Yes, if that gives the attorneys enough time," Jeffs said. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Prosecutor champions 'the people' against a giant foe | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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MOHAVE COUNTY NEWS RELEASE (928) 753-0729 Originally published Friday, September 15, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| KINGMAN - Like David vs. Goliath, Mohave County Attorney Matt Smith has taken good aim at bringing down Warren Jeffs and others for abuse of underage girls in Colorado City. "We are very pleased that Jeffs (prophet of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints) is presently in custody in Utah and beginning his rendezvous with justice," Smith said Friday, Sept. 15. "I was recently contacted by a law firm out of Phoenix which will likely represent him when he gets to Mohave County." Smith said his primary focus at this time is the issue of underage "marriages" in the Colorado City area. This is a big job for his small department, he said. "My chief deputy is also working hard on strategy for these cases," he said. "Our latest attorney hire is doing a lot of legal research for us and, although we are prosecuting other defendants from Colorado City, we are preparing for Mr. Jeffs. He has an attorney out of Las Vegas representing him in Utah and, with this large firm out of Phoenix preparing to represent him here, we expect to be papered to death. They will be able to bring tremendous resources against our rural county, placing an incredible burden on our office to keep up with them." Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jeffs can wear civilian clothes in court appearances | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Also, lawyer added to his defense team | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Ben Winslow Deseret Morning News Originally published Tuesday, September 26, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Captured polygamist leader Warren Jeffs will appear in court Wednesday with a sort of "dream team" of criminal defense lawyers and wearing something a little more appropriate for a man considered by thousands to be a "prophet of God." In a series of court papers filed late Friday in St. George's 5th District Court, lawyers for Jeffs asked that the Fundamentalist LDS Church leader be allowed to wear civilian clothes in all of his court appearances. Defense lawyer Tara Isaacson said that Jeffs' jail uniform could hurt his chances for a fair trial in Washington County. "Defense counsel has concern about how these images of Mr. Jeffs will negatively influence the potential jury pool in this case and interfere with his ability to have a fair trial," she wrote in a motion obtained by the Deseret Morning News. If he goes to trial, Jeffs has a right to wear civilian clothes. But his right to make court appearances in anything other than a jail uniform isn't so clear. "The potential for prejudice in this case arises from the amount of media attention surrounding the trial, and the Defendant's concern is that pretrial images of him in jail attire will prejudice potential jurors and thus, ultimately, the jury," Isaacson wrote. To back up her claim, she attached clippings of the Deseret Morning News and other newspapers showing Jeffs' last court hearing where he appeared via closed-circuit TV from the Purgatory Jail. In the clippings, Jeffs is shown wearing green-and-white jail stripes. The judge signed an order allowing Jeffs to be transported to the 5th District Courthouse on Wednesday and to be wearing civilian clothing. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Utah county no stranger to cases involving polygamist sect | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The Associated Press KVOA News 4 - Tucson Originally published September 26, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| HURRICANE, Utah -- A polygamist sect leader whose followers revere him as a prophet will make his first appearance in a Utah courtroom Wednesday to set a timetable for his criminal case. The setting is conservative, fast-growing Washington County, where Warren Jeffs' church and some of its members have had previous clashes with the law. Can Jeffs, accused of arranging marriages involving minors, get a fair-minded jury if the case goes to trial in the weeks ahead? "There's a real skepticism brought to bear on their claims," said Rod Parker, who has defended members of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, a sect that practices polygamy in marriages determined by its leaders. "It's very subtle, but it's there," Parker said. Jeffs, 50, is facing two first-degree felony counts of rape as an accomplice. Affidavits filed in the case say he forced a girl under age 18 to marry an older man and submit "mind, body and soul to your husband." He was on the run for nearly two years before being arrested in August during a traffic stop in Las Vegas. The purpose of the hearing Wednesday is to set a schedule, including dates for a preliminary hearing and possible trial. Judge James Shumate also might discuss revoking Jeffs' bail while the case moves through court. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Court security is tightened anticipating Jeffs hearing | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Ben Winslow Deseret Morning News Originally published Wednesday, September 27, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE — Under intense security, polygamist leader Warren Jeffs will appear this morning in 5th District Court here. The Fundamentalist LDS Church leader will be transported under guard from his cell in the Purgatory Jail about 10 miles away. At the courthouse, police said it would deploy its SWAT team to provide security outside. At previous hearings, sharp-shooters have been spotted on building rooftops and in the red-rock hills nearby — even though Jeffs appeared via closed circuit TV from jail. "We don't know what supporters or dissidents are out there who are going to take action," Sgt. Craig Harding said Tuesday. "We're looking at the worst case scenario, preparing for everything to happen and hoping nothing does." Jeffs will make a brief appearance before a judge expected to schedule a preliminary and a bail hearing. Alongside Jeffs will be his three lawyers, high-profile criminal defenders Wally Bugden, Tara Isaacson and Richard Wright. Jeffs, 50, was on the FBI's Ten Most Wanted list until he was arrested in a traffic stop outside Las Vegas last month. He is charged in Washington County with two counts of rape as an accomplice, a first-degree felony. Jeffs is accused of forcing a teenage girl into a polygamous marriage with an older man. When she objected to the union, Jeffs allegedly threatened her "salvation." Washington County prosecutors have not ruled out more charges against Jeffs. "That is under consideration," deputy Washington County Attorney Brian Filter told the Deseret Morning News on Tuesday. "The investigation is ongoing." Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jeffs to appear in court today | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Patrice St. Germain The Spectrum Originally published September 27, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE - Polygamist leader Warren Jeffs is back in court this morning for a scheduling conference to set a preliminary hearing and possibly a bail hearing. Appearances of this kind are normally put on the calendar during the law and motion section of court, but Jeffs, 50, the self-proclaimed prophet of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, has warranted his own time slot at 8:30 a.m. Washington County Deputy Attorney Brian Filter said the state is ready to proceed on both the preliminary hearing and bail hearing on the two charges against Jeffs for rape as an accomplice - both first-degree felonies - for allegedly arranging a marriage between an underage girl and an older man. It will be the first time Jeffs, who has had two video conference hearings in 5th District Court since his arrest outside of Las Vegas, will actually be in a Utah court. He appeared for a brief hearing in Las Vegas to waive extradition to Utah after his arrest. Jeffs, who is also facing charges of conspiracy to commit sexual conduct with a minor and sexual conduct with a minor in Mohave County, Ariz., faces five years to life for each of the Utah charges. Filter said he had no idea when the preliminary hearing would be set and it is possible, depending on when Jeffs' defense team is ready to go to court, he could be taken to Mohave County to face charges there. "It is possible Mr. Jeffs may go to Mohave County. That's up to the Arizona authorities and I have not heard from them," Filter said. "Frankly, I think they would be looking at that after this is scheduled." Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jeffs' attorneys don't ask for bail | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preliminary hearing set for Nov. 21 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The Spectrum Originally published September 27, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE — Attorneys for polygamist leader Warren Jeffs did not ask a Washington County judge for bail when Jeffs appeared in court this morning. During a press conference following the short hearing, Washington County Deputy Attorney Brian Filter said Jeffs will be back in court for a preliminary hearing at 8:30 a.m. on Nov. 21. Filter said the alleged victim in this case, which led to Jeffs being charged with two charges of rape as an accomplice, will testify during the preliminary hearing. Security remained high as Jeffs was surrounded by sheriff's deputies while he sat in the courtroom, dressed in a dark suit and white tie. For more on this and other breaking news, please check this Web site throughout the day. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jeffs in jail until November | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| FLDS leader waives right to have hearing within 30 days | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Ben Winslow Deseret Morning News Originally published Thursday, September 28, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE — Captured polygamist leader Warren Jeffs said he is willing to remain in jail until his preliminary hearing in November. During a brief scheduling hearing here in 5th District Court on Wednesday, Judge James L. Shumate asked Jeffs if he waived his right to have a hearing within 30 days. "Is it all right with you?" Shumate asked. "Yes," Jeffs said softly, nodding his head in agreement. Appearing in person, Jeffs was brought in under heavy security. The Fundamentalist LDS Church leader wore a crisp black suit, a starch-white dress shirt and a white tie. Underneath, a bullet-proof vest was faintly visible. Jeffs was flanked by his defense lawyers. There were so many of them, the judge had to ask deputies to move to accommodate them. "Mr. Bailiff, would you step over just to the side of Mr. Jeffs there so Mr. Bugden can have a spot?" Shumate asked, waving a Washington County sheriff's deputy over. Jeffs was surrounded by deputies. Outside the courtroom, deputies carrying assault rifles were standing guard. The St. George Police Department deployed its SWAT team outside the courthouse. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jeffs makes first court appearance | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Attorney says Jeffs sees case as one of religious persecution | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Patrice St. Germain The Spectrum Originally published September 28, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE - Warren Jeffs' attorney Walter Bugden said outside 5th District Court on Wednesday morning that his client does view the case against him as religious persecution. "Absolutely," Bugden said in response to a question. Bugden, along with his partner Tara Isaacson, Las Vegas attorney Richard Wright and investigator Doug Maack, appeared in court for Jeffs' scheduling conference. The court appearance before Judge James L. Shumate lasted less than five minutes and basically was held to schedule a preliminary hearing - set for one full day on Nov. 21. Court was already in session when Jeffs was brought into the courtroom Wednesday morning. Everyone, including Shumate, was already seated when Jeffs was led into court by several bailiffs. As Jeffs, dressed in a dark suit with white shirt and tie, was escorted in, his defense team all rose, although two members of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints who were also in the courtroom did not. It was Jeffs' first live court appearance as the previous hearing had been held via closed circuit television and was the first time he appeared in civilian clothes - in answer to a motion filed by his attorneys. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Warren Jeffs in Court | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Gary Tuchman - CNN WFMZ-TV News 69 - Allentown, Pennsylvania Originally broadcast September 28, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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For a man who calls himself a "prophet of god," Warren Jeffs looked just like an average guy in court. The polygamist leader turned fugitive turned prisoner appeared before a Utah judge yesterday. Gary Tuchman has more on his hearing.
WARREN JEFFS WAS USHERED INTO COURT UNDER THE GRAINY EYE OF A COURT OPERATED CLOSED CIRCUIT CAMERA. THE NEWS MEDIA'S STILL CAMERA WAS CLEARER AND SHOWS THE FORMER FUGITIVE SURROUNDED BY ELABORATE SECURITY, THE JUDGE INFORMED THE LEADER OF THE FUNDAMENTALIST LATTER DAY SAINTS CHURCH THAT THE STATE WILL HAVE TO PROVE THAT IT HAS PROBABLE CAUSE TO CONTINUE HOLDING HIM. HE ASKED JEFFS IF HE UNDERSTOOD. Yes. All right, thank you sir. JEFFS IS NOT CHARGED WITH BEING A POLYGAMIST LEADER. HE IS CHARGED WITH ARRANGING MARRIAGES TO GIRLS WHO WERE STILL LEGALLY CHILDREN, PART OF WHAT AUTHORITIES SAY WERE YEARS OF MANIPULATING AND EXPLOITING GIRLS IN THE NAME OF GOD. AND ONE OF THOSE GIRLS, WHO'S BEING CALLED JANE DOE, IS SCHEDULED TO TESTIFY AT THAT PROBABLE CAUSE HEARING. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| New charge filed against Jeffs | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Ben Winslow Deseret Morning News Originally published Thursday, September 28, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Captured polygamist leader Warren Jeffs has been served with more criminal charges today. Washington County prosecutors filed a fugitive complaint against Jeffs this afternoon, in connection with the sex crimes charges the Fundamentalist LDS Church leader is facing in Kingman, Ariz. "It just has to do with returning him to the state of Arizona and whether he's going to fight extradition or not," deputy Washington County Attorney Brian Filter told the Deseret Morning News. Jeffs was expected to make an appearance on the fugitive complaint this afternoon via closed circuit TV from the Purgatory Jail. The two page complaint states that "On or about the 26th day of September, 2006, the Washington County Sheriff's Office was advised that the Mohave County, Arizona, Sheriff's Office held a valid felony warrant" for the arrest of Jeffs. The Mohave County Attorney has charged Jeffs with sexual conduct with a minor and conspiracy to commit sexual conduct with a minor, class 6 felonies in Arizona. Prosecutors there have said they would likely wait until Utah finished prosecuting Jeffs before proceeding with their case. The FLDS leader was on the FBI's Ten Most Wanted list until he was arrested during a traffic stop outside Las Vegas last month. Jeffs, 50, is charged in St. George's 5th District Court with two counts of rape as an accomplice, a first-degree felony. He is accused of forcing a teenage girl into a polygamous marriage with an older man. If convicted, he faces up to life in prison. Jeffs is scheduled to appear at a preliminary hearing on Nov. 21. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Polygamist sect leader told of Arizona warrant for his arrest | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The Associated Press Mohave Daily News Originally published Thursday, September 28, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SALT LAKE CITY (AP) - Arizona served notice Thursday that it wants polygamist sect leader Warren Jeffs on charges related to arranging marriages of underage girls to older men. Jeffs is being prosecuted on similar charges in Utah, after which he'll be sent to Arizona. Jeffs, appearing by video link from a southern Utah jail, waived a reading of the Arizona arrest warrant and told a Utah judge his lawyers would handle it, court officials said. The judge set a hearing for Oct. 25 for Jeffs, 50, to decide whether he will fight extradition to Arizona after the Utah case is resolved. In Arizona, Jeffs, who heads the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, faces six charges of performing the marriages of three minors to older men, Mohave County chief deputy attorney Jace Zack said. The men, Randolph J. Barlow, 33, Terry D. Barlow, 25, and Rodney H. Holm, 40, also face felony sex offenses tied to the marriages. Each already had at least one wife, Zack said. Authorities in both states agreed to let Utah take Jeffs first because the case is considered stronger and the penalties more severe. Jeffs faces two rape-by-accomplice charges in Utah, where he's accused of forcing another underaged girl to marry an older man over her objections. Each count carries a penalty of five years to life in prison. Jeffs presided over 10,000 followers in the border towns of Hildale, Utah, and Colorado City, Ariz. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Old tenet behind rape charge against Jeffs | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Paul Foy The Associated Press The Arizona Republic Originally published October 1, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SALT LAKE CITY - The charge against polygamist sect leader Warren Jeffs - rape by accomplice - is based on the same legal principle that makes getaway drivers culpable for bank robbery, legal experts say. Jeffs, awaiting trial in a southern Utah jail, is accused of forcing an underage girl to marry an older man. A charging affidavit says Jeffs told the girl her religious salvation depended on submitting to the man, who has not been charged. Accomplice charges have long been part of common law, and Jeffs' lawyers won't be able to rely on a defense that tries to attack that concept, said Erik Luna, law professor at the University of Utah. advertisement "You are as liable as if you committed the act yourself," said Craig Barlow, a state attorney who sent another Utah man to prison in 1997 for forcing his 13-year-old daughter to marry a 48-year-old man. John Perry Chaney's conviction for rape by accomplice was upheld by the Utah Court of Appeals, which rejected his claim he expected his daughter to wait until turning 16 to consummate the marriage. She disputed that and testified her father provided her with "marriage bed" instructions. Chaney, an itinerant preacher, was convicted by a jury even though he was far from the crime scene. A leading Utah pollster says jurors can be tough, especially jurors in Mormon-dominated Utah who are judging self-styled fundamentalists who renounce the mainstream church for giving up polygamy more than a century ago. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Prosecutors eye Jeffs' talks | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| FLDS leader's sermons might be used against him during trial | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Ben Winslow Deseret Morning News Originally published Sunday, October 1, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE — Captured polygamist leader Warren Jeffs' own words could come back to haunt him. Washington County prosecutors are considering using some of Jeffs' tape-recorded sermons and written preachings as evidence in any upcoming trial. "We haven't made any specific decisions about what's going to be introduced or not, but certainly it is possible that (the sermons) will be introduced to support that portion of our case," deputy Washington County Attorney Brian Filter told the Deseret Morning News. Law enforcement officials investigating the Fundamentalist LDS Church have been listening to tapes of Jeffs' sermons and reading copies of his writings — including some that deal with arranged marriages. "You should be praying that you will be prepared and that you will be given to a husband who will prove faithful to the end," Jeffs said in one recorded sermon obtained by the Deseret Morning News. "It is true you don't take things into your own hands and date and seek out a husband. That the actions you must take are self-preparation." Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The Polygamy Case That Isn't -- and It's a Good Thing, Too: Why the Warren Jeffs Prosecution Is Really About Child Rape | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Erik Luna FindLaw Originally published Monday, October 2, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| At the end of August, law enforcement finally nabbed Warren Jeffs, the prophet and autocrat of the polygamist Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (FLDS). Charged as an accomplice to felony rape of a minor, he had been on the lam for months and was featured on the FBI's Most Wanted list. Jeffs now awaits trial, detained in the ironically named Purgatory Jail in southern Utah, and a small media circus is ready to begin when the gavel falls. Just this past Wednesday, September 27, a relatively routine ten-minute court session drew national news coverage -- foreshadowing an all-out media blitz for the probable cause hearing scheduled for late November. Jeffs's prosecution has been spun in the media as a case about polygamy -- the last thing Utah needed. Although the mainstream Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the LDS Church, not to be confused with the FLDS sect) has long disavowed the practice, the titillating history of plural marriage is rekindled with every new story or pop culture reference. Recently, there's been Jon Krakauer's bestselling book Under the Banner of Heaven and the HBO show "Big Love." And some locals have even contributed to the spectacle with a little self-deprecating humor; for instance, a Park City microbrew called "Polygamy Porter" carries slogans like "why have just one" and "take some home for the wives." But the Jeffs case doesn't fit into this cultural framework. Rather than being about polygamy, it's really a case about child rape -- an offense which we all can agree merits severe punishment. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Source: Accuser in Jeffs Case Was 14 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Polygamist leader's accuser in rape case was 14 when forced to marry cousin, source says | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Jennifer Dobner The Associated Press CBS News Originally published October 21, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SALT LAKE CITY - The woman at the center of a criminal case involving polygamist sect leader Warren Jeffs was 14 when forced into a marriage with her first cousin, a source close to the case said Friday. At Jeffs' direction, she was married despite her objections in 2001 to the cousin, who was older than 18, the source told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity to protect the woman's identity. The marriage was not polygamous, the source said. "It was child abuse, plain and simple," the source said. Jeffs, 50, is the leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, a southern Utah-based church. The sect broke away from the Mormon church more than a century ago and has been disavowed by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Washington County prosecutors charged Jeffs in April with two first-degree felony counts of rape as an accomplice for his suspected role in the marriage. A fugitive for nearly two years, Jeffs was arrested in August during a traffic stop near Las Vegas. If convicted on both charges, he could face up to life in prison. Washington County prosecutor Brock Belnap has said the case was about child abuse and not an attack on polygamy, which is practiced by the FLDS church. Jeffs' defense attorney, Walter Bugden, said after a September court hearing that his client contends the case is one of religious persecution. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jeffs attends brief hearing tied to Arizona charges | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Jennifer Dobner The Associated Press KVOA News 4 - Tucson Originally published October 25, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE, Utah -- Polygamist leader Warren Jeffs appeared in a southern Utah courtroom Wednesday to discuss his Arizona criminal case, but the hearing ended within minutes and his extradition to the neighboring state in the months ahead remains unsettled. Jeffs, 50, is in jail on Utah charges related to the marriage of an underage girl to an older man. He's waiting to learn if a judge will move that case to trial. Meantime, Jeffs must deal with procedural matters tied to similar criminal charges in Mohave County, Ariz. Appearing over closed-circuit television from jail in Hurricane, Jeffs said he's trying to find Arizona attorneys to defend him. "It's in progress," he told 5th District Judge James Shumate. No one from the Mohave County prosecutor's office appeared in the St. George courtroom. Prosecutor Matt Smith was in trial. Shumate set another hearing for Dec. 26, the end of a 90-day period to get a warrant to ensure Jeffs' extradition. If Arizona fails to act by then, the process would have to be restarted. Jeffs would not be extradited to Arizona until after his Utah case. He has not said whether he would fight it. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Judge: Arizona will have to wait | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Charges on Jeffs to wait until Utah is finished | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Laura Duncan The Spectrum Originally published October 26, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE - Prosecutors in Arizona will have to wait indefinitely to pursue their case against polygamist leader Warren Jeffs. Wednesday afternoon during an extradition hearing in a Washington County courtroom, Jeffs was told he isn't going anywhere for awhile. "Arizona's going to have to wait," 5th District Court Judge James Shumate told Jeffs, who appeared for the proceedings via closed-circuit television. Jeffs, the self-proclaimed prophet of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, with headquarters in the twin border cities of Colorado City, Ariz. and Hildale, Utah, faces five years to life in prison if convicted of two counts of rape as an accomplice in Utah. He was also indicted on charges of sexual conduct with a minor and conspiracy to commit sexual conduct with a minor in Mohave County, Ariz. Jeffs also faces federal charges of unlawful flight to avoid prosecution. Combined, the charges landed him on the FBI's Top 10 Most Wanted list last May. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No decision yet on Jeffs' extradition to Arizona | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Nancy Perkins and Ben Winslow Deseret Morning News Originally published Thursday, October 26, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE — Arizona prosecutors have 60 days to ask that jailed polygamist leader Warren Jeffs be brought across the state line to face charges there. The Fundamentalist LDS Church leader appeared Wednesday afternoon before 5th District Court Judge James Shumate via closed circuit TV from Hurricane's Purgatory Jail. Jeffs remains incarcerated on two first-degree felony charges in Utah of rape as an accomplice. He is also being held on a fugitive warrant out of Kingman, Ariz. "I am presuming Arizona still wants you, although they're going to have to wait until this matter with Utah is over," Shumate said, adding that Mohave County, Ariz., must seek an extradition warrant from Arizona's governor before Jeffs could face charges in that state. Mohave County prosecutors have filed charges of sexual conduct with a minor and conspiracy to commit sexual conduct with a minor against Jeffs, both class 6 felonies in Arizona. Jeffs appeared clean-shaven and was dressed in a green-and-white jail uniform. His appearance before Shumate followed that of several other inmates. The FLDS leader appeared without counsel at Wednesday's hearing. "My other lawyers are searching for Arizona lawyers, so it's in progress," said Jeffs, 50, who hesitated for a moment before leaning forward to speak into a microphone. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jeffs reaches out to FLDS faithful from Purgatory Jail | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Phone calls allow him to hold 'church' sessions | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Ben Winslow Deseret Morning News Originally published Saturday, November 4, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Fundamentalist LDS Church leader Warren Jeffs is apparently holding "church" — from Purgatory. Jeffs has reportedly been making phone calls from Hurricane's Purgatory Jail to his faithful followers, who gather in groups to hear the words of the man they call "prophet." "He makes a call to a group of people waiting to hear from their prophet," a law enforcement source familiar with the phone calls told the Deseret Morning News. "They sing songs to him, and he goes into dissertations, his prophetic utterances." The calls are also being heard by officials at the Purgatory Jail, who can monitor phone calls made by all inmates. However, there is reportedly nothing that is alarming or illegal about what Jeffs is saying. "Nothing that we've heard has been the slightest bit inflammatory or threatening," the source said. Jeffs is being kept in isolation at the Purgatory Jail. He is allowed out of his cell for one hour a day to receive visitors and make telephone calls. The Washington County Sheriff's Office would not discuss the phone calls and has refused to release jail visitation logs. Several FLDS members, including one of Jeffs' brothers, have been visiting him at the Purgatory Jail. Another source, who asked to remain anonymous, witnessed them "furiously scribbling" notes during a jailhouse visit with Jeffs. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tug-of-war over trove of Jeffs evidence | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Ben Winslow Deseret Morning News Originally published Saturday, November 4, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Federal authorities are trying to keep their hands on evidence seized by the FBI when Fundamentalist LDS Church leader Warren Jeffs was captured. In an unusual move, the U.S. Attorney's Office in Utah asked a Nevada federal judge to let three of its lawyers handle the evidence battle. A motion was filed in federal court in Nevada on Tuesday and obtained by the Deseret Morning News. On Friday, a federal judge in Las Vegas granted their request. Jeffs' defense lawyers want seized documents, letters and other papers returned, saying they are protected by the FLDS leader's right to freedom of religion and clergy-communicant privilege. "These records include confidential religious writings and teachings of the FLDS, as well as privileged communications with FLDS members," Jeffs defense lawyer Richard Wright wrote in an emergency motion filed in Las Vegas' federal court in September. The federal government disagrees. "We have an interest in the Nevada case, and we are working to protect what could be evidence in our case," said U.S. Attorney for Utah spokeswoman Melodie Rydalch. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Security increased for Jeffs, witness | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Ben Winslow Deseret Morning News Originally published Saturday, November 18, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Police are taking steps to protect the young woman who has accused Fundamentalist LDS Church leader Warren Jeffs of forcing her into a child-bride marriage, even as the courts work to protect her identity. "Jane Doe IV," the prosecution's star witness, is expected to testify during Jeffs' preliminary hearing Tuesday. Washington County Sheriff's deputies said security will be increased in St. George's 5th District Courthouse to protect the alleged victim and Jeffs. "The safety of crime victims is paramount to us," Washington County Sheriff's Lt. Jake Adams told the Deseret Morning News. "He's certainly what we would classify as high profile. His safety is also held in account." Adams declined to talk specifics, but he said a number of security and contingency plans are in place. St. George police said they plan to have a heavy security presence outside the courthouse, including deploying their SWAT team. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| New details about marriage, victim in Jeffs case | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Ben Winslow Deseret Morning News Originally published Monday, November 20, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE — In court papers filed this afternoon, Washington County prosecutors revealed new details about the woman accusing polygamist leader Warren Jeffs of forcing her into a child bride marriage. Washington County Attorney Brock Belnap named the victim and the alleged rapist in the court papers obtained by the Deseret Morning News. The preliminary hearing memorandum said she was 14-years-old when she was forced by Jeffs to have sex with a 19-year-old man who was also her first cousin. "In this case, the defendant did not have sex with (the victim). However, (the victim) submitted to sex with her purported husband because of the undue influence and religious authority of the defendant," Belnap wrote. "Although the defendant was not the actor in the sense that he had sex with (the victim), accomplices are "actors under the law." Belnap said no marriage license was obtained for the union performed by Jeffs, which was conducted in secret. However, the victim believed she was married and had sex with her purported husband because "she believed it was her responsibility as a wife." The Deseret Morning News does not name sexual assault victims, nor is this newspaper naming the alleged rapist because he has not been charged with a crime. Defense lawyers fired back this afternoon, asking a judge to dismiss the case against the Fundamentalist LDS Church leader. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Teenage Bride Set to Testify Against Warren Jeffs | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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John Hollenhorst Reporting KSL-TV Channel 5 Originally broadcast November 20, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Polygamist Warren Jeffs will finally face his main accuser tomorrow, as the teenage bride appears publicly in court for the first time. She's scheduled to testify in a preliminary hearing for Jeffs, who faces two counts of rape as an accomplice. Those charges could put Jeffs behind bars for life. Until today, the girl has never been publicly identified; even her age was kept secret. But today, new court documents finally identified her. We've chosen not to broadcast the name since she's an alleged rape victim. And we now know her age-- 14 at the time of the alleged rape five years ago, by her own cousin. Warren Jeffs wasn't officially the leader of the FLDS church at the time of the alleged crime. His father Rulon was. But by all accounts, Jeffs began taking over in the twin towns of Hildale, Utah and Colorado City, Arizona, even before his father died. The crux of the alleged crime was at the Hot Springs Motel in Caliente, Nevada. The young victim says Jeffs presided over her marriage to an older follower in a motel room. Investigators say this used to be one of Jeffs' favorite marriage venues. He sometimes performed as many as a half-dozen marriages a day here. In Hildale, before and after the marriage, the teenager says she asked Jeffs to let her out of the marriage. But he said her salvation depended on being a faithful wife. Jeffs allegedly commanded her to submit to sex, saying, "Give yourself mind, body and soul to your husband." The girl claims the husband forced her to have sex, using Jeffs teachings as justification. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Polygamist leader to appear in court | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Harriet Ryan Court TV CNN Law Center Originally published November 21, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE, Utah (Court TV) -- Warren Jeffs, the polygamist sect leader who held a place on the FBI's Ten Most Wanted list earlier this year, is set to appear in court Tuesday to learn what evidence prosecutors have connecting him to the alleged rape of a teenage girl. The young woman, who has accused Jeffs of using his position as a religious leader to force her into an underage marriage in which she was repeatedly sexually assaulted, is to testify at the preliminary hearing in district court. It will be the first legal proceeding to address the substance of the charges against Jeffs, 50, since his capture in Las Vegas, Nevada, in August after more than a year as a fugitive. Washington County prosecutors have accused Jeffs, the Prophet or head of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, of marrying the alleged victim to an older man when she was a minor and then counseling her to submit to her husband's sexual demands or face eternal damnation. He is charged with two counts of rape as an accomplice, a first-degree felony. At Tuesday's hearing, prosecutors must show they have probable cause that Jeffs committed the crimes. If, as expected, Fifth Judicial District Judge James Shumate determines the prosecution's evidence meets this standard, the case will continue toward trial. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| CNN LARRY KING LIVE | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preliminary Hearing for Polygamist Warren Jeffs | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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CNN Originally broadcast November 21, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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TED ROWLANDS, GUEST HOST: Tonight, Warren Jeffs the polygamist, captured after an FBI manhunt, in court for a preliminary hearing facing a tearful former child bride. She says he forced her to marry an older man against her will as her godly duty. Jeffs says he's being persecuted for his beliefs.
Now, hear from other women who risked it all to flee his arranged marriages, next on "LARRY KING LIVE." Hello, everybody. I'm Ted Rowlands, in for Larry King tonight. Unbelievable testimony today in the pretrial hearing of Utah polygamist Warren Jeffs. On the stand, a young woman who says she was 14 when Jeffs forced her to marry a 19-year-old first cousin. Spectators sat quietly as she detailed the events leading up to her marriage ceremony. We'll get to our guest in a moment. But first, let's listen to a portion of the young woman's gut-wrenching testimony. We're doing to listen to a lot of it throughout this next hour. In this first clip, she talks about realizing for the first time that she was being ordered to marry her first cousin. (BEGIN AUDIO FEED) UNIDENTIFIED VICTIM: When I finally realized who they were going to have me marry, I was devastated. I immediately stood up and walked out of the room. I wanted -- I mean, it shocked me so much that I just couldn't handle it. I walked up to my mother's room. I told her, Mom, I know who I'm going to marry. And she says, really, who? And I told her you're going to have me marry Allen. And she said, no, they're not, He's your first cousin. They wouldn't do that. (END AUDIO FEED) ROWLANDS: Very emotional day in court today. Our panel -- two of the folks that we'll be talking through the hour were in court. We'll get their first-hand perspective. Mike Watkiss is a reporter for the Phoenix station KTVK. He's reported extensively on Warren Jeffs and his FLDS Church and its polygamist practices. Sara Hammon was also in court for today's dramatic testimony. She was raised in a polygamist household with more than 70 children and some 19 sister-wives. Says her father, who was once a contender to become prophet in the church, sexually abused her. To avoid a forced marriage, she ran away from the community as a young teenager. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jeffs appearance draws crowd with various agendas | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Tiffany De Masters The Spectrum Originally published November 22, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE - Among the media swirl outside the 5th District Courthouse Tuesday morning, there were others not carrying a notebook or camera to see the Warren Jeffs trial. One of these groups was Bikers Against Child Abuse. The St. George chapter president, who would only give his road name of "Guido," said members of BACA come to court quite often. "We're not here to make a statement against polygamy - what happens between adults stays between adults," Guido said. "We're here to make them (the children) feel secure enough to tell the truth and put these people in jail." He said BACA's purpose is to help re-empower children who have been abused. "We're here helping the bruised souls today," he said. Also not with the media but there with a camera was Joel Kramer, who is putting together a documentary for Living Hope Ministries on the event. From Brigham City, Kramer said he has put together other films that discuss Latter-day Saint issues. The DVDs are primarily distributed to a Christian audience and posted on the Internet. "I'm here covering the trial from the angle of why there is a polygamy problem and show its connection with the current LDS Church," Kramer said. "It's mainly a concept of getting information out." Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Doe IV testifies | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jeffs preliminary hearing continued until Dec. 14 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Patrice St. Germain The Spectrum Originally published November 22, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST.GEORGE - A tearful Jane Doe IV testified in 5th District Court Tuesday that April 17, 2001, the day she was married at age 14 to her first cousin, was the darkest time in her entire life. Two weeks away from giving birth to her second child, a very young looking Doe, the alleged victim of rape, said she has always tried to forget the period in her life when she was married to her cousin - a person she described as a name-calling bully. Doe's testimony before Judge James L. Shumate took up most of the day Tuesday for the preliminary hearing of Warren Steed Jeffs, 50, who has been charged with two counts of rape as an accomplice for the arranged marriage between Doe and her then 19-year-old cousin. The hearing was continued to Dec. 14. Jeffs, according to Doe, conducted the marriage, which took place in Caliente, Nev., at the Hot Springs Hotel despite her pleas that she felt she was too young to marry and did not want to marry her cousin. "My mother told me the prophet knew best," Doe testified. "I felt trapped that there was nothing I could do. I was so scared and had nowhere to go." Doe spoke to Rulon Jeffs, Warren's father, about the arranged marriage. Doe said Rulon Jeffs told her "follow your heart, sweetheart," yet said Warren Jeffs said her heart was in the wrong place and it was her mission and duty to go forward with the marriage. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 'The darkest time of my entire life' | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 'Jane Doe IV' testifies FLDS leader forced her to marry | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Ben Winslow Deseret Morning News Originally published Wednesday, November 22, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE — "Jane Doe IV" cried on her wedding day. Not tears of joy but of despair over her situation. The 14-year-old girl was wed to her 19-year-old cousin in a quickie ceremony in a Caliente, Nev., motel that was presided over by Fundamentalist LDS Church leader Warren Jeffs. "This was the darkest time of my entire life," the woman, now 20, testified during Jeffs' preliminary hearing here Tuesday. After a day's worth of testimony in 5th District Court, the judge continued the hearing until Dec. 14, when two defense witnesses are expected to be called. Jeffs, 50, is charged with two counts of rape as an accomplice, a first-degree felony. If convicted, he faces up to life in prison. Defense lawyers criticized the case against Jeffs as "religious persecution." "Regardless of how one feels about arranged marriages or plural marriages, there was no rape in this case, and we believe Mr. Jeffs will be acquitted of these charges," lawyer Wally Bugden Jr. said outside of court. In heartbreaking testimony, the woman described her whirlwind nuptials, the intense pressure by FLDS leaders on her to marry and her attempts to get out of the arranged marriage to her first cousin. "I felt completely defeated and trapped," she said, sobbing. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Filan forecast: Jeffs will be tried, convicted | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Judge to decide if Warren Jeffs should be tried for arranging teen marriage | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Susan Filan MSNBC Senior Legal Analyst MSNBC Originally published November 22, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Some have said the case against Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (FLDS) leader Warren Jeffs will be a tough case for the state to prove. I say it’s a no brainer, a slam dunk. Yes, any seasoned trial lawyer will tell you that anything can happen at trial, and so I will put that clause in as a disclaimer. Nonetheless, this case is likely to result in a conviction and a lengthy prison sentence for a man who forced children to be raped repeatedly in incestuous and polygamous relationships. Jeffs is charged with being an accomplice to rape. The victim, identified only as Jane Doe No. 4, was 14 when she was coerced into marrying her 19-year-old first cousin. The victim’s sister testified in court that the "bride" was so upset over her impending nuptials that while they were fitting her for her wedding gown, she sobbed so hard that her chest heaved. They had to stop pinning her dress until her body stopped shaking lest they ruin the design of the gown. The sister further testified that after the ceremony, the victim kept going into the bathroom to cry, only to return to the "reception" to put on a brave and "happy" face. She allegedly told her spiritual counselor, Warren Jeffs, she did not want to marry, nor did she wish to consummate the marriage. Allegedly Jeffs told her to go and do her wifely duty, to submit to the bonds of marriage and to procreate and multiply. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Witness in polygamist leader's case had conflicting emotions | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Jennifer Dobner The Associated Press Casper Star Tribune Originally published Friday, November 24, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE, Utah (AP) -- The testimony offered by the state's key witness in a criminal case against a polygamist sect leader was laced with contradictions. The woman objected to an arranged marriage with older cousin but allowed the wedding to take place. She said she disliked having sex with him, but conceded she used it to gain money and privileges. She stuck with the marriage for 3.5 years, but said, "I couldn't stand to be within 5 feet of him." She said she had to do so because she couldn't disobey her church or community. "I'd be giving up everything I knew," she said. "Most of all, I thought I'd be giving up my salvation." Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Many polygamists don't want to be lumped in with Jeffs | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Jennifer Dobner The Associated Press The Boston Globe Originally published November 24, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE, Utah --A criminal court case here paints the leader of a southern Utah- based polygamist sect as a controlling abuser, who breaks up families and forces young girls to marry men sometimes decades their senior. But Warren Jeffs and his Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints aren't the only polygamy practicing faith in this western state -- and some say they don't like the negative perceptions the case heaps on their lifestyle. "I think everyone that lives the lifestyle now is guilty by association," said Rachel Young, 45, a polygamist wife and mother of 12, who is a member of the Davis County Cooperative Society. Polygamy is illegal under Utah state law and federal law also bans the practice. Opponents say the lifestyle is abusive to women and children, often leaving them in poverty, without emotional support from a husband or father, and without the ability to leave if they choose. "We believe that they are guilty by association, because they are all essentially doing the same thing," said Vicky Prunty, director of Tapestry Against Polygamy, a group that helps women leaving the practice. "It's a lifestyle with a lack of choices that is hurting people." Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Beehives and Buffalo Chips 1125 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Provo Daily Herald Originally published Saturday, November 25, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Buffalo Chip to attorney Wally Bugden for playing a bad religion card in polygamist leader Warren Jeffs's defense. Bugden said the FLDS Church leader is being tried on rape charges because his religious beliefs differ from the mainstream. Nice try. This went a little beyond benign religion. Jeffs is accused of using his position to pressure a 14-year-old girl to marry her older cousin, warning the girl that she would be damned if she didn't go through with it. She wasn't mature enough at the time to tell him to go to hell. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jail visitation logs for Jeffs show visits by his followers, legal team | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Ben Winslow Deseret Morning News Originally published Friday, December 1, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Some of Warren Jeffs' most loyal followers and his legal team have been visiting the Fundamentalist LDS Church leader frequently in jail. Recently released visitor logs from the Purgatory Jail in Hurricane reveal who has been visiting Jeffs. The Washington County Sheriff's Office released the logs Thursday after a series of requests by the Deseret Morning News and other news media outlets under the Government Records Access Management Act. They show Jeffs' visitors from the weeks of Sept. 4 to Oct. 30. Among the 17 people visiting Jeffs was his brother, Nephi, and Lindsay Barlow — both active members of the FLDS Church. "I just saw them sitting there taking notes furiously," a source who witnessed the visits told the Deseret Morning News in October. "Nephi was sitting there with his notebook in his lap. Whatever he's saying is of intense interest to the people that were there." Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preliminary hearing for Jeffs resumes | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Ben Winslow Deseret Morning News Originally published Thursday, December 14, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The preliminary hearing for polygamist leader Warren Jeffs resumes today, but the young woman who is accusing him of forcing her into a child bride marriage is not expected to attend. The woman, now 20, is expected to give birth today or tomorrow, her lawyers said. The woman's current husband — who is an ex-member of the Fundamentalist LDS Church — is expected to testify today after being subpoenaed by Jeffs' defense team. So is a Washington County sheriff's deputy who investigated the case. It is the woman's dramatic testimony that is the center of the case against Jeffs, who is charged in 5th District Court with rape as an accomplice, a first-degree felony. He is accused of forcing the girl — at age 14 — into a marriage with her 19-year-old first cousin. Jeffs presided over the quick wedding ceremony at a motel in Caliente, Nev., in 2002. "I felt completely defeated and trapped," the woman testified during the first part of Jeffs' preliminary hearing last month. The woman was grilled by defense attorney Tara Isaacson, who got the alleged victim to admit she never explicitly said she was raped and that Jeffs never explicitly ordered her to have sex with the man chosen to be her husband. "He told me to submit," the woman said. "Submit doesn't mean go have intercourse. That may have been your interpretation, but that is not what he said," Isaacson replied. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jeffs' trial set for April | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Judge rules there is enough evidence to warrant trial against polygamist church leader | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Patrice St. Germain The Spectrum Originally published December 14, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE — A judge ruled this afternoon that polygamist church leader Warren Jeffs will stand trial on two counts of rape as an accomplice. His trial date has been set for April 23. Judge James L. Shumate ruled in 5th District Court that the Washington County Attorney’s Office had enough evidence to warrant a jury trial against Jeffs, who had been on the run since landing on the FBI’s top 10 most-wanted list before being captured near Las Vegas. The alleged victim, known as Jane Doe IV, has said that she was forced into marrying her 19-year-old cousin when she was only 14 years old in 2001 in Caliente, Nev. During closing arguments earlier in the day, defense attorney Walter Bugden said that just because his client told Jane Doe IV and her husband to go forth and multiply, it did not mean Jeffs was telling the couple to have sexual intercourse. Bugden produced several references pulled from religious and wedding Web sites to support his argument. He called the phrase "traditional religious spiel." Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jeffs Ordered to Stand Trial for Charges Tied to Teen Marriage | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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John Hollenhorst Reporting KSL TV 5 Originally broadcast December 14, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| A judge in St. George feels there is enough evidence to put Warren Jeffs on trial as an accomplice in the rape of a child. The ruling climaxed a preliminary hearing that exposed the inner workings and marriage rituals of Jeffs' secretive polygamy group. The Judge set a trial date of April 23rd. A big challenge will be finding unbiased jurors in a county where unusual religious beliefs have drawn relentless attention from the media. A phalanx of news cameras and reporters, many from out of state, staked out the courthouse. Polygamist supporters of Warren Jeffs avoided cameras. His critics sought them out. Anonymous: "He needs to go to prison for a good 10 or 15 years, let him sit there and think about what he's done." The only defense witness was a detective who interviewed the teenage victim. She said the victim told her Jeffs pressured the girl when she was 14 to marry and have sex with her own first cousin. But the detective admitted the victim never specifically discussed sex with Jeffs, in so many words. Defense Attorney: "The most specific she got was to say that her husband touched her in places that made her uncomfortable, is that correct?" Detective: "That's correct, yes." Testimony indicates the girl repeatedly begged and pleaded with Jeffs to undo the marriage. The judge ruled that by encouraging her to submit and have children, Jeffs probably enticed her to have sex. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jeffs ordered to stand trial | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| FLDS leader pleads not guilty to rape as accomplice charge | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Ben Winslow Deseret Morning News Originally published Friday, December 15, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE — As a judge ordered Fundamentalist LDS Church leader Warren Jeffs to stand trial, some of his followers wiped away tears. They came to the 5th District Courthouse to see the man they call a "prophet." In a display of respect, they stood every time Jeffs entered or exited the courtroom. There were 16 in all — including five women wearing the prairie dresses common to the polygamous border towns of Hildale, Utah, and Colorado City, Ariz. Several times during Thursday's lengthy preliminary hearing, Jeffs would turn and smile, nodding his head in acknowledgement. They smiled back. In the FLDS stronghold of Hildale and Colorado City, members were fasting and praying for Jeffs' release, a former follower told the Deseret Morning News. Instead, after more than six hours of testimony and legal arguments, the judge bound Jeffs over for trial on two charges of rape as an accomplice, a first-degree felony. He is accused of forcing a 14-year-old girl to marry an older cousin in 2001. "For these two offenses, how do you plead?" Judge James L. Shumate asked. "Not guilty," Jeffs, 51, replied softly. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jeffs to be tried | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Trial slated to begin on April 23rd | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Patrice St. Germain The Spectrum Originally published December 15, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE - Judge James L. Shumate ruled Thursday that polygamist sect leader Warren Jeffs will be bound over for a jury trial. Shumate made the ruling following Jeffs' preliminary hearing. The trial is scheduled to begin on April 23. Jeffs, 51, entered a not guilty plea on two counts of rape as an accomplice, which each carry a possible sentence of five years to life. Although Jeffs' defense attorney Walter Bugden claimed in closing arguments that the phrase "go forth and multiply" was a traditional religious spiel used in marriages and did not specify to have sexual intercourse, lead prosecuting attorney Ryan Shaum said other than medical intervention, the phrase does indicate having sexual relations. "In totality, what else can it possibly mean?" Shaum asked. Shaum also said that Jeffs had undue influence over Jane Doe IV, the alleged rape victim in the case, because Jeffs had not only been her religious leader, but also the principal and teacher at Alta Academy, a private school that has since closed. The school was run by Jeffs, who later became the prophet of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints when his father's health began to fail. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Polygamist church battered; April trial set for Jeffs | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Dennis Wagner The Arizona Republic Originally published December 15, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
When a Utah judge on Thursday ordered polygamist sect leader Warren Jeffs to stand trial on charges of being an accomplice in the rape of a 14-year-old girl, it was just one more hurdle in a legal gantlet facing the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and its estimated 12,000 members. For centuries, forces of nature in the Arizona Strip sculpted rust-colored bluffs overlooking the polygamist communities of Colorado City, Ariz., and Hildale, Utah. Now, winds of change are ripping at the bedrock of those towns: the FLDS. As Jeffs, known as the prophet, sits in a Utah jail awaiting the April 23 trial, a wide government campaign churns on against nearly every facet of sect members' lives:
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| Warren Jeffs: Top Story #3 in 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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John Hollenhorst Reporting KSL TV 5 Originally broadcast December 31, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| For much of 2006, one of our top newsmakers was never seen because we didn't know where he was. But now that polygamist leader Warren Jeffs is in custody, he'll be a top story in the coming year as well. It's our Number Three story of 2006. The year began with the legal knot tightening on the Utah-Arizona border. Bruce Lindsay/KSL: "Arizona's attorney general just increased the reward for finding polygamous fugitive Warren Jeffs." In February KSL reported on a hidden secret in the closely intermarried Jeffs community. At least 20 children suffer severe retardation from a birth defect called Fumerase Deficiency. Isaac Wyler/ Relative of victims, February 14: "I don't want to describe it in too much detail. It's not a real pretty sight." Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The best -- and worst -- in legal news for 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Kendall Coffey Special to CNN Originally published January 1, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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MIAMI, Florida (CNN) -- Miami lawyer Kendall Coffey, a former U.S. attorney and frequent CNN guest analyst, takes a wry look at the best and worst the legal world had to offer in 2006.
THE BEST Reason not to send instant messages: Mark Foley Along with probably costing Republicans votes, former Florida Rep. Mark Foley's e-mails to minors launched preliminary police inquiries that Florida authorities recently upgraded to an active criminal investigation. His defense strategy appears to be, at least in its early stages, that any cyber-lewdness never crossed the line to active solicitation of minors. But under some state laws, including Florida's, lewd e-mails to underage recipients may be a crime even if the adult sender only looked and never touched. And in contrast to a "he said" and "she said" dispute, computer crimes largely rely on a much less debatable issue of what "e-mail said." Reason not to publish a book: O.J. Simpson Just when it seemed safe to forget about O.J., he reappeared with an appalling book deal for "If I Did It," the confession that wasn't really a confession. The literary world and crime-victim advocates joined in collective sighs of relief after the deal was canceled amid public outcry. Even the executive who signed O.J. subsequently separated from the publisher. Meanwhile, the $40 million wrongful death judgment against O.J. remains largely uncollectible because of asset protection laws that make Florida a debtor's paradise. But Fred Goldman, the father of one of the people O.J. was accused of killing, never gives up. He has filed suit claiming rights to O.J.'s $1.1 million advance. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Judge Grants Entry From Two New Parties in Jeffs Case | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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KSL News 5 Originally broadcast January 8, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (KSL News) When the FBI arrested polygamist leader Warren Jeffs, they also collected his personal documents, ledgers, and laptop computers found inside his car. Jeffs wants all of it back, the FBI wants to hold on to it as evidence, and two other agencies want a look at it, too. A hearing in Las Vegas today could settle all of this. The hearing should determine who will have access to those documents or whether they will be returned to Jeffs and the FLDS Church. Jeffs claims the documents are sacred and he wants them back. Jeffs' lawyer filed an emergency motion in Federal court demanding the FBI return the papers based on Jeffs' right to religious freedom. The U.S. Attorney for Utah, the agency handling the case for the FBI, wants to protect the documents as evidence for the criminal trial against Jeffs. Those papers could hold information about the Fundamentalist LDS Church business deals, its leaders and the $110- million United Effort Plan Trust. The court-appointed fudiciary of the UEP trust believes the papers have information he needs to recover Trust property. He filed a series of motions in Salt Lake and Las Vegas asking to see the papers and laptop computers. Attorney General Mark Shurtleff would also like to see those documents. He believes they hold information he needs for his organized crime investigation into Jeffs and his polygamist Church. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Computer data at center of debate in hearing for polygamist Warren Jeffs | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Jennifer Dobner The Associated Press Court TV Originally published January 8, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — When a Cadillac Escalade ferrying polygamist church leader Warren Jeffs was pulled over in Nevada in August, authorities found $54,000 cash, 15 cell phones, portable radios, wigs and four laptops. The documents stored on those computers was to be the subject of a legal tug-of-war Monday as Jeffs' attorneys try to convince a judge that the laptops contain privileged communication between the spiritual leader and his followers. Jeffs, the 51-year-old leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, was picked up in a traffic stop near Las Vegas on federal warrants after evading prosecution in Utah and Arizona for nearly two years. He's now in a southern-Utah county jail pending an April trial on two felony counts of rape as an accomplice related to a 2001 arranged marriage between a 14-year-old girl and her cousin. Attorneys for the United Effort Plan Trust, which holds $110 million in church property, and Shem Fischer, a former follower who sued Jeffs after being fired, want U.S. District Court Judge Robert Jones in Las Vegas to grant them standing in Jeffs' case. They also want access to papers, letters and electronic documents being held by the FBI. In court documents, Jeffs' Las Vegas attorney Richard Wright contends the information on the laptops is "sacred and confidential" because it includes matters of church doctrine and private communications between Jeffs and his followers. Wright did not return calls from The Associated Press seeking comment. In court papers he asks the court to return the seized evidence to Jeffs. Shem Fischer's attorneys disagrees. "The documents may shed more information as to where (church) assets have been hidden, in what form they are held and where they are held," Las Vegas attorney Ariel Stern said. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Utah's feds ask for dismissal of sect leader's Nevada case | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Jennifer Dobner The Associated Press My Fox Phoenix - Channel 10 Originally published January 25, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- The U.S. Attorney for Utah has asked a Nevada federal court judge to reject a request from polygamist sect leader Warren Jeffs to have the property seized during his arrest returned to him, or sealed as protected records. In a motion to dismiss filed Wednesday in the U.S. District Court for Nevada, Utah's Brett Tolman argues Jeffs has no grounds for either request and called the request "moot." Jeffs, 51, is president of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, a sect of almost 10,000 who practice polygamy in arranged marriages. He was arrested during traffic stop northeast of Las Vegas last August on a federal warrant of flight to avoid prosecution in Utah and Arizona. After the arrest, FBI agents impounded the 2007 Cadillac Escalade Jeffs was riding in and seized its contents, including $54,000 in cash, hundreds of papers and letters, several laptop computers and other items. Attorneys for Jeffs claim the papers and electronic documents are sacred and should be protected by the U.S. Constitution under the clergy-communicant privilege. A motion was filed in September asking the court to order them returned or sealed. But court documents filed Wednesday show Jeffs agreed to a search of the car, and later cut a deal with the government that grants investigators permission to review the documents and electronic files. Jeffs and his attorney have access to the information, copies of all the documents and the right to designate on a "privilege log" which information should be private, the court filing shows. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Deal struck over Jeffs' evidence? | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Ben Winslow Deseret Morning News Originally published Thursday, January 25, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Federal prosecutors say they have struck a deal with Fundamentalist LDS Church leader Warren Jeffs over documents, letters and other evidence seized when he was arrested. That deal voids any claims Jeffs has that the documents are privileged communications between the polygamist leader and his followers, the U.S. Attorney's Office for Utah said in a motion asking a federal judge to dismiss the evidence-dispute case in Nevada. Jeffs' lawyers maintain the documents are protected under his First Amendment right to freedom of religion. Richard Wright, Jeffs' Nevada attorney, was out of town and did not return a call seeking comment Wednesday. In court documents filed in federal court in Las Vegas, the U.S. Attorney's Office revealed that a deal was made with Jeffs in the days following his arrest. "The United States would provide Mr. Jeffs' counsel with copies of all documents and imaged computer files seized from the Escalade so that Mr. Jeffs and his counsel could designate which items they believed to be privileged," assistant U.S. Attorney Jared Bennett wrote, adding that Jeffs agreed to it. Jeffs, 51, was a fugitive on the FBI's Ten Most Wanted list until his capture in a traffic stop near Las Vegas last August. Jeffs was in a Cadillac Escalade with one of his wives and his brother when they were pulled over by a Nevada Highway Patrol trooper because the vehicle's temporary tag wasn't visible. In an affidavit obtained by the Deseret Morning News on Wednesday, an FBI agent revealed more details about Jeffs' arrest. Conflicting stories raised suspicions about a man in the car who identified himself as "John Findley." Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jeffs taken to the hospital | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Patrice St. Germain The Spectrum Originally published January 30, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| HURRICANE - Warren Steed Jeffs, the self-proclaimed prophet of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, was taken to Dixie Regional Medical Center Sunday morning for a medical emergency, as first reported on the Web site of The Spectrum & Daily News on Monday night. Jeffs, 51, was transported by Hurricane Fire and Rescue about 6:30 a.m. after he was found "distressed" by Purgatory Correctional Facility medical staff,said Lt. Jake Adams of the Washington County Sheriff's Office. Under heavy guard, Jeffs was taken to the hospital where he was medically cleared and transported back to the jail at approximately 10 a.m. Since his return to his cell, where he is being held alone in what is termed "administrative custody," Jeffs has been checked about every 15 minutes. Rob Tersigni, Washington County Sheriff's Office public information officer, said Jeffs has not had any previous medical issues since he has been incarcerated at Purgatory. Jeffs was checked out Sunday morning by jail medical staff for heart problems and an anonymous source said the initial call for medical assistance was for heart-related problems. The source said Jeffs was conscious and alert when medical personnel arrived at the jail. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Is Jeffs case moving to Utah? | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Ben Winslow Deseret Morning News Originally published Wednesday, February 7, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The battle over evidence seized when the FBI arrested Fundamentalist LDS Church leader Warren Jeffs may now be moving to Utah. In court papers filed in a Las Vegas federal court last week, Jeffs' attorney, Richard Wright, suggested moving the entire case out of Nevada. "If the District of Utah assumes jurisdiction over the issues pertaining to the seized religious records, the parties contemplate dismissing the instant case by stipulation," Wright wrote. The FBI's investigation into Jeffs and the FLDS Church is based in Utah and Arizona. Wright acknowledged that a deal was struck shortly after Jeffs was arrested to seal the seized evidence. The agreement allows lawyers for the government and for the FLDS leader to review the evidence and decide what should remain confidential. Any further disputes would then be settled in court. Jeffs' lawyer claims that some of the evidence — which includes ledgers, letters, papers and computers — constitutes "privileged" communications between the FLDS leader and his followers. Wright contends the evidence is protected by Jeffs' First Amendment right to freedom of religion. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Valley priest proves a hit on Web with online videos | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The priest is a Webmaster in the Society of St. Paul. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Linda M. Linonis The Vindicator - Youngstown, OH Originally published Monday, February 19, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| THE REV. JEFFREY MICKLER OF Ellsworth doesn't look like a trendy Internet video star, but he's a hit in cyberspace. The bespectacled 61-year-old Catholic priest of the Society of St. Paul with a white beard, receding hairline and teacherlike demeanor produced and starred in the fifth-most-watched video on Sharkle.com, a free online video-sharing service. He lives at the religious order's residence, commonly referred to as St. Paul's Monastery on U.S. Route 224, west of Canfield. For his effort, he won a first prize of $2,500 for his video commenting on "Warren Jeffs' Arrest and the Limits of Religious Freedom," in the Get Political Contest on Friendster.com. The priest turned over the check to his religious order. A recent count showed that Father Mickler's video on Jeffs had received some 242,969 views on Sharkle.com, which co-sponsored the contest and hosted the videos. All his videos on Sharkle.com have received some 347,277 views. In the Jeffs video, Father Mickler explains why society must put limits on religious freedom but raises the question on where to draw the line. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Defense seeks to block access to Jeffs evidence | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Ben Winslow Deseret Morning News Originally published Tuesday, February 27, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lawyers for Fundamentalist LDS Church leader Warren Jeffs want to block prosecutors from having access to some of their evidence as they prepare his defense. In motions filed in St. George's 5th District Court, Jeffs' attorney Wally Bugden Jr. objects to some of the things that prosecutors believe they are entitled to under court rules of discovery. "The State seeks information and materials that the Defendant does not intend to introduce at trial, which violates his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination," Bugden wrote. More specifically, the defense motion objects to prosecutors asking for investigators' notes and information relating to "alibi or insanity and any other item of evidence." Bugden said his client objects because the state has "failed to show good cause and ignores the rule that 'a defendant's protection against self-incrimination prevents extensive prosecution discovery.'" Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Child-bride case fizzles | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Refusal to testify against polygamist may hurt Jeffs case | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Ben Winslow Deseret Morning News Originally published Thursday, March 1, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| After the former child bride refused to testify again, prosecutors have reluctantly dismissed a criminal case against polygamist Randy Barlow. It not only deals a blow to prosecutors' case against one of eight Colorado City men accused of taking child brides, the Arizona case against Fundamentalist LDS Church leader Warren Jeffs is also damaged. Candi Shapley, now 20, refused to testify against her former husband on Tuesday, even telling prosecutors she was willing to go to jail for contempt of court. "Unfortunately, tremendous pressure has been exerted on her by her parents as well as some other members of the FLDS Church, which is why she ultimately decided not to testify," Mohave County Attorney Matt Smith said in an e-mail to the Deseret Morning News on Wednesday. "I was not willing to revictimize our victim by trying to put her in jail. That is why the case was ultimately dismissed." Barlow, 33, was charged with unlawful sexual conduct with a minor. He is accused of taking Shapley as a bride when she was 16 in a marriage arranged by Jeffs. Shapley has fought with law enforcement over testifying against Barlow. She was arrested by Washington County Sheriff's deputies last year after she refused to respond to a subpoena to appear in a Kingman, Ariz., court. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Potential witness against Warren Jeffs refuses to testify | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Brent Hunsaker ABC 4 News Originally broadcast March 1, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Arizona may have to drop one of its four counts of unlawful sexual contact with a minor against Jeffs. Candi Shapley won't testify. Not against the man who made her his 2nd polygamist wife when she was just 16. Not against Warren Jeffs, the man who allegedly arranged the "spiritual" marriage and even performed the ceremony. Shapley was once considered one of star witnesses in the polygamy trials in Mohave County, Arizona. Her grand jury testimony helped lead to the indictment against her former polygamist husband, Randolph Barlow and one of the counts against polygamist prophet Warren Jeffs. But Gary Engels, an investigator with the Mohave County Attorney's Office, said that Jeffs put incredible pressure on Shapley through her family. Jeffs supposedly allowed her father to return to Colorado City (he had previously kicked him out of the community) with the understanding that he would stop her from testifying. It apparently worked. Candi Shapley this week refused to take the stand in Barlow's trial. She could have gone to jail for contempt of court, instead County Attorney Matt Smith dropped the case against Barlow. Engels said the decision was made because, "we just didn't want to victimize her any more." One count against Jeffs may also have to be dropped. Engels called the pressure put on Shapley a clear case of witness tampering. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jeffs team wants trial relocated | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Ben Winslow Deseret Morning News Originally published Wednesday, March 7, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The defense team for Fundamentalist LDS Church leader Warren Jeffs wants his upcoming trial moved out of St. George to Salt Lake County. "Regardless of what evidence may be presented at trial, the residents of Washington County are likely to be intolerant of Mr. Jeffs as the leader of such a unique religion and will likely be inflamed against him," defense attorney Walter Bugden Jr. wrote in a motion obtained by the Deseret Morning News. The motion is one in a series filed Tuesday in St. George's 5th District Court seeking to have the jailed polygamist leader's case either tossed out or moved. Jeffs, 51, is scheduled to go on trial beginning April 23 on charges of rape as an accomplice, a first-degree felony. He is accused of performing a marriage between a 14-year-old girl and her 19-year-old cousin. To bolster their argument, defense attorneys hired Deseret Morning News pollster Dan Jones and Associates to conduct a survey about Jeffs' case among residents in Washington, Iron and Salt Lake counties. For the survey, 628 people were questioned. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 6.9 percent. An overwhelming majority of people told Jones they get their information about the Jeffs case from the news media and believe it is accurate. The poll found that in Washington County, 52 percent of those surveyed believe Jeffs is "definitely guilty" and 23 percent believe he is "probably guilty." Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jeffs' lawyers seek venue change | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Attorneys claim too much pre-trial publicity | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Patrice St. Germain The Spectrum Originally published March 7, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| HURRICANE - Attorneys for Warren Steed Jeffs, 51, filed several motions in 5th District Court Tuesday morning, including a request for a change of venue, a motion asking for his bindover for trial to be quashed and a motion declaring a Utah code as "unconstitutionally vague." Jeffs, the self-proclaimed prophet of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, whose followers embrace the practice of polygamy, is facing two felony charges of rape as an accomplice. A two-week jury trial has been set to begin April 23. In the motion to change venue, Jeffs' attorneys Walter Bugden and Tara Isaacson, Salt Lake, and Richard Wright, Las Vegas, claim that because of media coverage and the size and closeness of Washington County and Hildale, a fair and impartial jury cannot be found in the county. Washington County Attorney Brock Belnap said he received a copy of the motions and said his office is reviewing them and preparing a response. "I am confident a fair and impartial jury can be empanelled in Washington County," Belnap said. "Under law, a person is presumed innocent until proven guilty and I look forward to presenting our arguments in court." Bugden declined to comment on the motions and said he would make his arguments to the judge. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Venue change unnecessary | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Opinion The Spectrum Originally published March 7, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Walter Bugden, Jr., attorney for Warren Steed Jeffs, has filed a motion for a change in venue saying that the leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints can't get a fair and impartial trial in Washington County because of the extensive media coverage of his charges of two counts of rape as an accomplice. Bugden even commissioned Dan Jones & Associates to conduct a poll supporting that claim. According to court documents, those poll results came from calling residents during the day and evening hours randomly from digit and listed telephone numbers. A total of 628 interviews were conducted from questions written by Dan Jones and Bugden & Isaacson, LLC. In Washington County, 52 percent of the respondents believe Jeffs is definitely guilty, and 23 percent believe he is probably guilty, the poll said. In contrast in Salt Lake County, 39 percent of respondents believe Jeffs is definitely guilty and 39 percent believe he's probably guilty. The 13 percent difference is what Dan Jones said in an affidavit is significant enough to move the trial to Salt Lake County though both areas also reported that they receive 94 to 97 percent of their information from the news media and 78 to 82 percent of respondents feel that information to be either somewhat or very accurate. While it is necessary for Jeffs to receive a fair trial, moving it to another community to obtain jurors who are perceived to be more objective in their duties is offensive to the residents of Washington County. The people here are as intelligent and as capable of fulfilling the roles as fair-minded jurors as anyone in Salt Lake City. What people need to consider is how costly this move will be. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jeffs indicted on federal charges | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The Spectrum Originally published March 7, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE — A grand jury returned an indictment this morning charging Warren Jeffs with unlawful flight to avoid prosecution. Melodie Rydalch, spokeswoman for U.S. District Court in Salt Lake City, said the charge carries up to five years in prison. A news conference about the charge is scheduled this afternoon in the U.S. Attorney's office at 185 S. State St., suite 300, at 1:30 p.m. U.S Attorney Brett Tolman and Tim Fuhrman with the FBI will be there to discuss the federal indictment against Jeffs. For more, please see tomorrow's edition of The Spectrum & Daily News. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| New federal charge against polygamist prophet Warren Jeffs | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Brent Hunsaker ABC 4 News Originally broadcast March 7, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| On Wednesday a federal grand jury handed up a one count indictment against Warren Steed Jeffs. Jeffs is charged with unlawful flight to avoid prosecution. That is in addition to felony charges in both Utah and Arizona. Those charges are in connection to the forced marriage of underage girls to older men. Jeffs is the leader of the largest polygamist sect in North America. He was on the FBI's 10 most wanted list for 5 months before being caught in late August, 2006, by a Nevada State trooper. He'd pulled over Jeff's red Cadillac Escalade on northbound I-15 outside of Las Vegas because the temporary license was not visible. Inside his Escalade, investigators found a wealth of items that would be very useful to someone on the run from the law: pre-paid credit cards, cell phones, laptop computers and even wigs, makeup and sunglasses that could be used to create a disguise for Jeffs. Based largely on that evidence, Brett Tolman, the United States Attorney for the District of Utah, asked for and got the indictment. "I do not have a position on his religion or on polygamy. I have a position against crime," Tolman said. "Mr. Jeffs' flight is a criminal act." Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Grand Jury Indicts Polygamous Leader | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Jennifer Dobner The Associated Press Guardian Unlimited - London, England Originally published Thursday March 8, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SALT LAKE CITY (AP) - A federal grand jury indicted the leader of a polygamous sect Wednesday, accusing him of fleeing to avoid prosecution on Utah sex charges. The one-count indictment covers a five-month period in 2006, although Warren Jeffs was believed to be on the run for a longer stretch before his arrest in August during a traffic stop near Las Vegas. Jeffs, 51, also faces trial in southern Utah in April on charges of rape as an accomplice for his suspected role in the ceremonial marriage of a teenage girl to an older cousin. In Arizona, he faces felony sex charges in Mohave County, Ariz., for his suspected role in arranging underage marriages for some of his followers. A telephone message left for his attorney, Wally Bugden, was not immediately returned Wednesday. Jeffs is president of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, whose members practice polygamy and live on the Utah-Arizona border. He disappeared from public life in 2004 after lawsuits filed against him and his church alleged abuses of some members. The criminal charges in Arizona and Utah followed in 2005 and 2006. To help in the search for Jeffs, federal prosecutors filed an arrest warrant against him in April 2006. Federal charges tied to such warrants typically are dropped once a suspect is caught and transferred to state authorities. But U.S. Attorney Brett Tolman said Jeffs' power and influence in his community, especially over young women who often are placed in marriages to older men, make the case different from most. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Feds indict Jeffs | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Patrice St. Germain The Spectrum Originally published March 8, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| HURRICANE - Warren Steed Jeffs has yet another date in court after a federal grand jury indicted him Wednesday morning for unlawful flight to avoid prosecution. Jeffs, who has been incarcerated in Purgatory Correctional Facility since his Aug. 28 arrest, faces two counts of rape as an accomplice in Washington County and is scheduled for a two-week jury trial beginning April 23. The charge stems from his allegedly arranging a marriage of a woman identified as Jane Doe IV when she was 14 to her then 19-year-old cousin in 2001. Jeffs has also been charged in Mohave County, Ariz., on charges of sexual conduct with a minor and one charge of conspiracy to commit sexual conduct with a minor. The charges are based on his allegedly arranging a marriage between a 28-year-old man and a 16-year-old girl. The alleged crime occurred in 2002 in the vicinity of Colorado City. Following both of his state court cases, Jeffs will be tried in federal court on the unlawful flight charge, which was filed on April 25, a few weeks after charges were filed against him in Washington County and a few weeks before he made the FBI's top 10 most wanted list If found guilty on the charges in Washington County, Jeffs could be sentenced to five years to life for each charge while the unlawful flight charge could result in up to five years in prison. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jeffs lawyers say evidence 'protected' | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Ben Winslow Deseret Morning News Originally published Wednesday, March 14, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| They may not be the scriptures of old, but Fundamentalist LDS Church leader Warren Jeffs' lawyers believe computers, thumb drives, recording devices, writings and other correspondence are protected under his right to freedom of religion. With their client staring down the barrel of a federal grand jury indictment for unlawful flight to avoid prosecution, Jeffs' lawyers are trying to keep much of the FBI's evidence declared "protected" under the First Amendment. "The government's retention of these sacred materials offends the most basic principles of the FLDS religion and violates Mr. Jeffs's rights under the First Amendment and (Religious Freedom Restoration Act)," attorney Walter Bugden Jr., wrote in a motion obtained Tuesday by the Deseret Morning News. Bugden is now representing the polygamous sect leader on the federal charge. He did not return a phone call seeking comment Tuesday. "We're reviewing the motions," said U.S. Attorney for Utah spokeswoman Melodie Rydalch, declining further comment. On Aug. 28, 2006, a Nevada Highway Patrol trooper stopped a Cadillac Escalade outside Las Vegas. Inside was Jeffs, who was on the FBI's Ten Most Wanted list, one of his wives and one of his brothers. A search warrant return indicates that inside the Escalade, FBI agents seized four laptop computers, four thumb drives, two portable hard drives, two GPS units, 16 CDs, a digital camera with six memory sticks, 13 religious books, folders of religious documents and a duffle bag of letters, three wigs, 12 pairs of sunglasses, eight sets of car keys, 16 cell phones, 19 pre-paid Visa debit cards and more than $57,000 in cash, among other items. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Traffic stop of Jeffs was illegal, his lawyers say | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Ben Winslow Deseret Morning News Originally published Saturday, March 17, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In the latest attack on the state's case against their client, Fundamentalist LDS Church leader Warren Jeffs' lawyers said the traffic stop that led to his arrest was illegal. "The traffic stop in the instant case ran afoul of the Fourth Amendment because no reasonable suspicion of a traffic violation can be articulated," defense attorney Walter Bugden Jr. wrote in papers filed Thursday in St. George's 5th District Court. "A valid temporary registration permit was prominently displayed on the rear of the vehicle. As such, the detention of the defendant was illegal." A Nevada Highway Patrol trooper said he could not properly see the temporary tag on the 2007 Cadillac Escalade on Aug. 28, 2006. He pulled over the SUV outside Las Vegas and saw Jeffs, his wife and one of his brothers inside. Jeffs and his brother gave conflicting stories, the trooper said, which raised his suspicions. After the trooper began searching the vehicle, back-up troopers suspected it was Jeffs, who was on the FBI's Ten Most Wanted list. The FBI eventually responded and identified the FLDS leader. In court papers obtained by the Deseret Morning News, Bugden said the FBI seized "religious documents" that have found their way into the hands of Washington County prosecutors. However, Bugden argues the evidence should be tossed out because the traffic stop itself was illegal. "Upon observing the validity of the tag, the justification for stopping the vehicle was satisfied and the occupants should have been free to go," he wrote. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Warren Jeffs' Trial Postponed | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The Associated Press KUTV Channel 2 Originally broadcast March 19, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE A judge Monday postponed the April 23 trial involving the leader of a polygamous sect who is charged with crimes tied to the spiritual marriage of a minor and an older man. Fifth District Judge James Shumate instead will hear arguments that day on motions to suppress evidence. He didn’t elaborate in the two-sentence order, saying only that his decision was "due to recent information" in the case. A new trial date was not set. Warren Jeffs, leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, is charged with rape as an accomplice for his alleged role in uniting a 14-year-old girl and her 19-year-old cousin in 2001. His attorneys want the case moved out of southern Utah’s Washington County and relocated 270 miles north in Salt Lake County. They also want Shumate to throw out evidence seized from a Cadillac Escalade when Jeffs was arrested in August in Nevada. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jeffs trial is delayed due to slew of motions | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Ben Winslow Deseret Morning News Originally published Tuesday, March 20, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE — The trial of Fundamentalist LDS Church leader Warren Jeffs was postponed Monday after a slew of legal motions were filed, challenging the criminal case against him. "The court has spoken with counsel and, due to recent information in this case, it is hereby ordered that the trial date now set is hereby continued," Judge James Shumate wrote in the order filed late Monday in 5th District Court. Jeffs, 51, was scheduled to go on trial April 23 on charges of rape as an accomplice, a first-degree felony. He is accused of performing a marriage between a 14-year-old girl and her 19-year-old cousin. The girl, identified in court as "Jane Doe IV," testified that Jeffs threatened her with damnation when she objected to the union. A new trial date has not been set. Jeffs' defense attorneys have filed a series of legal motions, challenging Washington County prosecutors' case against the FLDS leader. One asks the judge to declare Utah's rape-as-an-accomplice law "unconstitutionally vague." Another seeks to quash the order binding Jeffs over for trial. A third cites a survey by Deseret Morning News pollster Dan Jones claiming Jeffs cannot get a fair trial in southern Utah. It asks for the trial to be moved to Salt Lake County. A hearing on those issues has been set for next week. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lawyers seek to suppress case evidence | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Patrice St. Germain The Spectrum Originally published March 21, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| HURRICANE - A new motion to suppress evidence will be heard on what was to have been the first day of Warren Steed Jeffs' trial. The court now has four motions to hear in the case against Jeffs, the self-proclaimed prophet of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, which has more than 6,000 followers. Three of those motions will be heard in 5th District Court on Tuesday. The newest, a motion to suppress evidence collected during Jeffs' arrest, will be heard on April 23. No new trial date has been set. The motion filed Monday afternoon asks the court to suppress all physical evidence seized as well as all statements Jeffs made following a traffic stop that resulted in his arrest. Jeffs' attorneys also claim the traffic stop was unlawful. The trooper who made the stop said he did so because the vehicle failed to display a registration or license plate. Trooper Kevin Honea, spokesman for the Nevada Highway Patrol, said he hadn't heard of the motion filed in Utah but said it was expected and that he was not worried. "We are confident in the probable cause that initiated the original traffic stop," Honea said. "We had every reason to stop (the vehicle) and initiate the search." Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jeffs' change of venue hearing Tuesday | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Patrice St. Germain The Spectrum Originally published March 26, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| HURRICANE – Warren Steed Jeffs will be back in court Tuesday, this time to hear his attorneys argue three motions filed earlier this month, including a motion to move the trial out of Washington County. Jeffs, 51, the self-proclaimed prophet of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, has been charged with two counts of rape as an accomplice for his role in arranging the marriage of an underage girl to her older cousin. The two charges, both first-degree felonies, carry a five-year-to-life prison sentence. One of Jeffs attorney’s, Walter Bugden, has continually declined to talk about the case and the motions filed stating he would save his arguments for court. Bugden’s argument on moving the trial claims that because of media coverage and the size and closeness of Washington County and Hildale, one of the two communities where a majority of Jeffs' followers live, make it so that a fair and impartial jury cannot be found in the county. Bugden bases this assessment in part on a survey conducted by Dan Jones and Associates that states in Washington County, a larger percentage of responders believe that the defendant (Jeffs) is definitely guilty compared with those surveyed in Salt Lake County. For more, please see tomorrow's edition of The Spectrum & Daily News. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jeffs to appear in court today | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Patrice St. Germain The Spectrum Originally published March 27, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| HURRICANE - Warren Steed Jeffs will be back in court today, this time to hear his attorneys argue three motions filed earlier this month, including one to move the trial out of Washington County. Jeffs, 51, the self-proclaimed prophet of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, has been charged with two counts of rape as an accomplice for his role in arranging the marriage of an underage girl to her older cousin. The two charges, both first-degree felonies, carry a five-year-to-life prison sentence. Asking for a change of venue is typical in high-profile cases that see a lot of publicity, but granting the change isn't very common, said Brent Johnson, general counsel for the Administrative Office of Utah Courts. "Change of venues are more likely to be granted in very small areas where there has been a lot of publicity," Johnson said. "There is a larger jury pool in Washington County so it isn't as likely to happen, but it's still possible. If an attorney doesn't ask for a change of venue, they are not effectively representing his or her client." Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Judge rejects Jeffs' challenge to Utah rape law | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The Associated Press KVOA News 4 - Tucson Originally published March 27, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE, Utah -- The jury pool for the trial of a polygamist sect leader accused of ordering a 14-year-old girl to submit to sexual relations in a 2001 spiritual union with a cousin has been so biased by news reports that Warren Jeffs can't get a fair trial in southern Utah's Washington County, his lawyers contend. Judge James L. Shumate was to hear arguments Tuesday during which Jeff's lawyers were to introduce polling data in support of their motion to move the trial to Salt Lake City, 270 miles north. Jeffs, 51, has pleaded not guilty to two first-degree felony charges of rape as an accomplice. Prosecutors contend they can prove two instances when Jeffs used his position of trust as a prophet to prevail upon the girl to have sex with a 19-year-old cousin she testified she always hated. The couple were then members of Jeffs' Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, an insular sect of nearly 10,000 which practices polygamy in arranged marriages. The majority of church members live in the twin border towns of Hildale, Utah, and Colorado City, Ariz., about 45 miles east of St. George. Defense attorneys contend polls taken in early February show news reports have biased the county's jury pool. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jeffs will continue to stand trial on rape as an accomplice charge | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Ben Winslow Deseret Morning News Originally published Tuesday, March 27, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE — A judge here denied a pair of legal motions seeking to derail the criminal case against Fundamentalist LDS Church leader Warren Jeffs. Defense attorneys argued that Utah's rape as an accomplice law was unconstitutionally vague and that the order to bind Jeffs over for trial should be quashed. "It is plain and simple arbitrary enforcement," Jeffs' lawyer Richard Wright said this morning, challenging the rape law. He argued the statute is too broad and anyone would be open to prosecution. "Any words to encourage her to go against her will could be seen as enticement," 5th District Judge James Shumate said, denying the motion. Jeffs, 51, is charged with rape as an accomplice, a first-degree felony. He is accused of performing a marriage between a 14-year-old girl and her 19-year-old cousin. Challenging the judge's decision to bind Jeffs over for trial, defense attorney Tara Isaacson said the idea of a "husband-wife" relationship being a position of trust could be applied too broadly to other cultures. "It's dangerous ground," she said. Washington County prosecutors countered that the victim's husband became her "priesthood head" through the marriage and that Jeffs told the girl to give herself "mind, body and soul" to him. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Judge: Warren Jeffs to be Tried in Southern Utah | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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KLAS-TV Channel 8 - Las Vegas Originally broadcast March 27, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Polygamist leader Warren Jeffs will be tried in Southern Utah on charges he forced young girls into arranged marriages. His lawyers filed three motions in court in St. George Tuesday and lost all of them. Las Vegas attorney Richard Wright made arguments in Jeffs' defense. He asked the judge to toss the case out. The judge sided with the prosecution, and despite arguments from Jeffs' lawyers that he can't get a fair trial in St. George, the judge said the case should remain there. The rulings will be appealed so nether side is really commenting. Barring further delays, Jeffs is expected to go on trial in late April. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Polygamist leader to appeal venue ruling | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Jennifer Dobner The Associated Press Houston Chronicle - Houston, TX Originally published March 28, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE, Utah — Attorneys for polygamist sect leader Warren Jeffs will ask the Utah Supreme Court to overturn a judge's ruling that Jeff's criminal trial should stay in the county where his group is based. Fifth District Judge James L. Shumate on Tuesday rejected the defense's request to move the trial out of Washington County, although he acknowledged the jury pool may be tainted by months of publicity about Jeffs and his faith. Jeffs, 51, is charged with two counts of rape as an accomplice in the spiritual marriage of a 14-year-old girl to her 19-year-old cousin in 2001. No trial date has been set. Most members of his Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints live in the twin border towns of Hildale, Utah, — in Washington County about 45 miles east of St. George — and Colorado City, Ariz. The sect split from mainstream Mormonism after the broader church renounced polygamy in 1890. Jeffs' attorneys wanted the trial moved to Salt Lake County, where they said their polling data showed less bias toward their client. Shumate said news articles and opinion pieces in St. George's daily newspaper, The Spectrum, had provided an unjustifiable and inappropriate drumbeat of influence since Jeffs was arrested last fall near Las Vegas. "That is an abuse of the nearly unfettered power of the press," he said. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jeffs trial stays here | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Judge voices concerns over finding jury pool | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Patrice St. Germain TheSpectrum.com Originally published March 28, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE - Fifth District Court Judge James L. Shumate ruled Tuesday afternoon that Warren Steed Jeffs will stand trial in Washington County as long as an impartial jury can be found. After ruling against the defense on two other motions Tuesday morning, Shumate decided to keep the case in Washington County, saying the jury would be comprised of those who have no opinion on the guilt or innocence of the leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, a religious sect that practices polygamy. Shumate said he would move the trial if it proves difficult to seat an impartial jury. Shumate said his greater concern was what he called the bias of media attention the case has drawn - specifically from The Spectrum & Daily News - and although the newspaper has an obligation, its job is to avoid attempts to impact an important issue such as the Jeffs case. He also said that the media should not try to convict someone prior to trial. Jeffs is charged with two counts of rape as an accomplice for his alleged involvement in arranging a spiritual marriage between a then-14-year-old girl and her older cousin. "What I do not know is whether or not it has been fatally impaired," he said, referring to the jury pool. "And I cannot know until I attempt to empanel a jury." Todd Seifert, managing editor of The Spectrum & Daily News, said the judge made a fair ruling in an attempt to ensure Jeffs gets a fair trial. Seifert said that was the most important issue Tuesday. "We certainly respect Judge Shumate, but we respectfully disagree on the comments about our news coverage," Seifert said. "We believe it would be irresponsible to fail to provide as comprehensive of coverage as possible to what could be one of the biggest court cases in Washington County history. We want to see Mr. Jeffs get a fair trial, and because of that we haven't done things like use anonymous sources, and we haven't reported on some of the wild rumors floating around the community despite having several opportunities." Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Trial of Jeffs to stay in Dixie | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Judge doesn't let FLDS leader address court | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Ben Winslow Deseret Morning News Originally published Wednesday, March 28, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE — Looking skeletal and frail, Warren Jeffs stood and raised his hand. "May I approach the bench?" the Fundamentalist LDS Church leader asked the judge at the end of a long day of hearings here in 5th District Court Tuesday. "I need to just take care of one matter." Judge James Shumate refused to hear it, urging Jeffs to speak to his lawyers. "Can I take care of it now?" Jeffs asked again. Jeffs began bending over, trying to write something on a pad of paper. He feebly tore at the paper, appearing to have trouble even holding himself up. Washington County sheriff's deputies swarmed around him and ordered the courtroom to be cleared. Jeffs' lawyers took the writing from him. The FLDS leader's defense team refused to comment on his unusual courtroom behavior. "He is very frail," attorney Walter Bugden Jr. told reporters outside the courtroom. He would not say what his client wanted to talk to the judge about. Prosecutors also refused to talk about Jeffs' appearance or health. "You guys were in court when I was," Washington County Attorney Brock Belnap told the Deseret Morning News as he walked back to his office. "I'll leave it to you to draw your judgments." Throughout Tuesday's hearing, Jeffs exhibited bizarre behavior. He struggled to concentrate and at times appeared to be nodding off. At one point, Jeffs' head dipped down and a strand of drool ran from his lips onto his shirt. He jerked awake, then wiped his mouth and shirt. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Reluctant child bride was warned she'd lose 'salvation' | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Ann O'Neill CNN Originally published March 28, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Fight over Jeff evidence may be put on hold | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Ben Winslow Deseret Morning News Originally published Monday, April 2, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| A battle over evidence seized by the FBI when it arrested Fundamentalist LDS Church leader Warren Jeffs may soon be on hold in Nevada. In a motion filed late Friday in a Las Vegas federal court, Jeffs' defense attorney Richard Wright asks a judge to stay any upcoming hearings while a judge in Utah takes up new issues surrounding the evidence. "This motion seeks to protect confidential and privileged religious records disclosure based on the First Amendment and Religious Freedom Restoration Act," Wright said in his motion. Should the federal judge in Utah rule on the merits of the emergency motion, the Nevada case would likely be dismissed, Wright indicated in his filing. In Utah, Jeffs is facing a federal grand jury indictment on a single charge of unlawful flight to avoid prosecution. In a motion filed last month, defense attorney Walter Bugden Jr. claimed that computers, thumb drives, recording devices and correspondence is "protected" under Jeffs' right to freedom of religion. "The government's retention of these sacred materials offends the most basic principles of the FLDS religion and violates Mr. Jeffs' rights under the First Amendment and (Religious Freedom Restoration Act)," Bugden wrote in the motion. The U.S. Attorney's Office in Utah is expected to respond to Bugden's claims today. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Motion on Jeffs evidence rebutted | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Ben Winslow Deseret Morning News Originally published Wednesday, April 4, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Evidence seized when the FBI arrested Fundamentalist LDS Church leader Warren Jeffs is not protected under his right to freedom of religion, government lawyers contend. Responding to a defense attorney's request to have the evidence declared "protected" under the First Amendment, the U.S. Attorney's Office in Utah said Jeffs' religious beliefs are not under attack. "Defendant is being prosecuted because he fled to avoid prosection, not because of the religious organization to which be belongs," assistant U.S. Attorney Jared Bennett wrote in a motion filed late Monday in federal court in Salt Lake City. "Consequently, the United States is not using this information to determine who belongs to defendant's church, but rather whether defendant violated (the law)." Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| New court photograph gives new hints to contents of Warren Jeffs' note | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Brent Hunsaker ABC 4 News Originally broadcast April 4, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Did Jeffs write "I am not the prophet"? Blow up the full resolution version of a digital photograph of Warren Jeffs standing at the defense table and you can see the writing on a note in his hand. On Wednesday evening ABC 4 requested an examination of the photo by a graphics artist, a handwriting expert and a former FBI agent. They had only limited time to complete their work. But there was consensus on some words and one phrase. The key is on the third line. In the middle of the line we believe is the word "Prophet." It is followed by what appears to be the phrase, "I am not the Prophet." The last word of the phrase is on the next line. Other words are also apparent, but they do not provide additional clues to the note's meaning: "church" and "authority." Here's the context for the photo. It is the end of a day-long hearing on three defense motions. Judge James Shumate has just asked attorneys if there is anything else that should be brought before the court. Warren Jeffs stands and asks to approach the bench. Judge Shumate says no. Jeffs continues saying he has a "matter" to take care of...Judge Shumate says any matter can be handled by his attorneys. Defense attorney Wally Bugden takes the note from Jeffs and he is escorted out of the courtroom by bailiffs. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jeffs' confession could lead to removal of camera from courtroom | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Brent Hunsaker ABC 4 News Originally broadcast April 5, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Warren Jeffs wrote his own confession. "I haven't been a Prophet. I'm not the Prophet." It was contained in a note Jeffs tried to give to 5th District Court Judge James Shumate last week. He obviously wanted that message out. Now the news media has obliged. Using editing software, photographers and consultants with the Deseret News were able to digitally zoom in on a courtroom photograph of Jeffs holding up the note, flip the picture and enhance it so that some of the words could be read. That photograph was then distributed Wednesday night to all media outlets that participate in the pool for the Jeffs trial. By the next day, Jeffs' confession was everywhere. But the media may pay a price for the high-tech snooping on Jeffs. Several legal experts contacted by ABC 4 say it's possible--perhaps even probable--that Jeffs' attorneys will ask that cameras be banned. What's more, they believe Judge Shumate will grant the request. Here are the arguments for kicking out cameras: The media violated the will of the court. Judge Shumate did not allow Warren Jeffs to bring his "matter" before him. He obviously did not want whatever impromptu presentation Jeffs had in mind placed into the court record. And he definitely did not want it made public. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jeffs photo crosses the line | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Opinion Deseret Morning News Originally published Friday, April 6, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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For shame, Deseret Morning News! While the "prophet disclaimer" from Warren Jeffs may be an interesting development in his story, I could only read as much of the article as it took to learn the sneaky, underhanded way in which the information was obtained. Taking a photo of material not allowed at the bench, then releasing that privileged information to the public crosses a line which the media should never cross. How dare you violate the confidentiality of the lawyer/client relationship!
Shame on journalists so intent on getting the big scoop and selling papers to a voyeuristic public that they ignore bounds of human decency. Janice Vincent Provo | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jeffs is fellow human being | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Opinion Deseret Morning News Originally published Thursday, April 12, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Although I am not sympathetic in any way to "prophet" Warren Jeffs' philosophies, I was sympathetic to him as a fellow human being. The way he was rebuffed in the courtroom was less than humane. I applaud the Deseret Morning News photographer who recorded the situation.
Lucille Ridd Salt Lake City | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jeffs case postponed | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Patrice St. Germain The Spectrum Originally published April 18, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE - A hearing scheduled for Monday in the state's case against Warren Steed Jeffs has been postponed and no new date has been set. The hearing, to suppress evidence obtained when Jeffs, 51, was arrested outside of Las Vegas in August was to be held on what was originally scheduled to be the first day of a two-week jury trial in which Jeffs, the self-proclaimed prophet of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, has been charged with two counts of rape as an accomplice. According to court documents filed, the hearing date was stricken, but no further information was available as to why the court cancelled Jeffs'appearance. Deputy Washington County Attorney Brian Filter said the court continued the hearing and had no comment why. He did say the Washington County Attorney's office is prepared to go forward as soon as a date is set. Nancy Volmer, public information officer with Utah Courts, had no additional information concerning the continuance and Jeffs' attorney, Walter Bugden, did not return messages or e-mails. Judge James E. Shumate has been presiding over Jeffs' court appearances and signed the order postponing the hearing on Tuesday. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Media file motion in Jeffs' case | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Nancy Perkins Deseret Morning News Originally published Thursday, April 19, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE — A coalition of Utah media outlets on Wednesday asked 5th District Judge James L. Shumate to allow the media access to documents the court earlier had sealed in the Warren Jeffs' criminal case. The coalition includes The Associated Press, the Deseret Morning News, The Salt Lake Tribune, KSL-TV, the St. George Spectrum and the Utah Headliners Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. "A petition and order were filed under seal on April 3 by Judge Shumate with no explanation as to why or on what basis the decision was made," said David Reymann, a lawyer representing the group. "In order to restrict access to court documents, the judge needs to apply the constitutional test and find a compelling interest that outweighs the public's interests, and I don't know if he did that." Under the test, said Reymann, anyone seeking to deny public access to criminal proceedings has the burden of demonstrating that closure serves a compelling governmental interest and that there is no other, less-restrictive alternative to closure that would protect the compelling interest. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Salt Lake lawyer calls for ban on cameras in courtrooms | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| He asks for action after publication of Warren Jeffs letter | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Linda Thomson Deseret Morning News Originally published Friday, April 20, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Salt Lake lawyer Brian Barnard, a longtime supporter of the First Amendment and press freedom, has sent a letter to the Utah Judicial Council calling for a ban on cameras in the courtroom. The letter was prompted by a photograph published April 5 in the Deseret Morning News. It was taken by photographer Scott G. Winterton in the St. George courtroom where a felony rape case has been brought against Warren Jeffs, president of the Fundamentalist LDS Church. The photo shows Jeffs' lawyer, Walter Bugden, taking a document from Jeffs, one that Jeffs had tried unsuccessfully to give to the judge himself. The photo was enlarged, scrutinized by experts and its contents reported by Deseret Morning News reporter Ben Winslow. One line that is visible reads: "I have not been a Prophet and am not the Prophet." Barnard admits the idea of asking for a ban on cameras in public courtrooms is rather unorthodox coming from him. He said he is concerned not only with the possibility of violating attorney-client privilege with modern technology, but perhaps more importantly, violating privacy rights. "I've been in courtrooms exchanging notes with clients that I do not want public," Barnard said. "There may be documents I want to refer to, not necessarily something from a client, it could be my strategy notes. Apparently if I write too big and somebody has a real good camera, they can see it — and that's troublesome." Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Media must submit Jeffs briefs before May 11 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The Spectrum Originally published April 24, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE — Attorneys for media groups have until May 11 to respond to submit court briefs concerning the unsealing of records pertaining to the Warren Jeffs case. Fifth District Court Judge James E. Shumate expressed concerns that unsealing court documents – including one from Jeffs' attorneys and a response by the court, may have some effect on Jeffs' federal medical privacy rights under HIPAA, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996. On April 17, Shumate postponed a motion to suppress hearing scheduled for April 23 without giving any reason for the postponement. Jeffs' attorneys filed a petition with the court, which was sealed, as was an order by Shumate. A motion for intervention was filed by attorneys representing media outlets including The Spectrum. The court responded to the request on Friday, stating that it has some concerns about the effect granting proposed media intervenors’ motion may have on Jeffs' privacy rights. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Avoid secrets in Jeffs case | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Opinion Provo Daily Herald Originally published Monday, April 30, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sealing court records in a high-profile criminal case without explanation is a bad idea. Utah media groups are going to court to fight the sealing of documents submitted to the 5th District Court by attorneys representing Warren Jeffs, the leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Jeffs is currently facing trial in St. George on charges of being an accomplice to child rape for conducting the marriage of a 14-year-old girl to an older man against the girl's wishes. He is facing similar charges in Arizona. On April 3, a sealed petition and order were filed in the case with no description of what was in the documents or explanation for why the records had to be kept from public view. District Judge James L. Shumate did not conduct a hearing on the matter. David C. Reynmann, an attorney representing Utah media, including the Society of Professional Journalists and the Utah Media Coalition, said federal and Utah courts have already upheld a presumptive right of access to pre-trial hearings and documents. The media groups are seeking a hearing to determine if the records were sealed for legitimate reasons, as well as a guarantee that there will be hearings on any future attempts to close either the trial or any records connected to it. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Warren Jeffs' Attorneys Want Court Cameras Banned | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Jennifer Dobner The Associated Press KPHO CBS 5 - Phoenix Originally published May 4, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SALT LAKE CITY -- Attorneys for a polygamist sect leader charged with rape by accomplice for his role in arranging a marriage between an underage girl and her cousin want news cameras banned from court proceedings. Lawyers for Warren Jeffs made the request in response to an April 5 story in the Deseret Morning News of Salt Lake City, which digitally enhanced a photograph to glean some contents of a note written by Jeffs at his lawyers' desk during a hearing. "I think it's an outrageous intrusion of the defense camp," Jeffs' attorney Wally Bugden said Friday. "How anyone could believe that there would not be an expectation of privacy in the private papers of the attorneys and of their clients is absurd." Jeffs, 51, the leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, is charged with two first-degree felony counts of rape as an accomplice for his role in a 2001 arranged marriage between a 14-year-old church girl and her 19-year-old cousin. Prosecutors contend the girl was coerced into the marriage by Jeffs. The photograph of the note was taken by a Deseret Morning News photographer who was serving as the media pool photographer during the March 23 hearing. The newspaper digitally enhanced and mirrored the photograph to discern its contents. Court papers filed Wednesday in 5th District Court contend the information in the note was privileged and that the newspaper was told by Jeffs' attorneys that it could not be used. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jeffs team opposes cameras | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Geoffrey Fattah Deseret Morning News Originally published Saturday, May 5, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Defense attorneys for Fundamentalist LDS Church leader Warren Jeffs have filed a motion to exclude press photography from future hearings, saying the Deseret Morning News' "unbridled invasion" of their client's communication in court will have a negative impact on Jeffs' ability to find a fair and impartial jury. In a motion filed in 5th District Court this week, Walter Bugden Jr. asked Judge James Shumate to reverse a previous order allowing photography coverage and to ban cameras in the courtroom, after the Deseret Morning News ran a front-page story about a handwritten note by Jeffs. Bugden charged that during a hearing on March 27, the newspaper "invaded the defense camp" through the use of a "telephoto lens" in capturing the text of a note that Jeffs had tried to give to the judge. In the note, it appeared Jeffs was renouncing himself as a prophet for the FLDS Church. Although it appeared Jeffs intended to give the note to the judge, his attorneys intercepted the note before that could happen. "I have not been a Prophet and am not the Prophet," the note said. Further analysis done by the Deseret Morning News also deciphered other segments of the note, in which Jeffs said he had "failed (to) lead the people of the Fundamentalist Church." "By publishing the private communication of the defendant, the Deseret News has contributed to the difficulty in finding a fair and impartial jury in this case," Bugden wrote in his motion. Bugden also requested that "media sound technicians" also be barred from the courtroom, even though audio-recording devices are already not allowed in courtrooms by statewide court rules. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Camera ban unnecessary | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Opinion Provo Daily Herald Originally published Thursday, May 10, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The defense attorney for Warren Jeffs doesn't want cameras in the courtroom where the polygamist leader is being tried. Wally Bugden has asked 5th District Judge James L. Shumate to ban cameras after a Deseret Morning News photographer took a picture of the backside of a note that Jeffs tried to pass to the judge. The picture was digitally enhanced and reversed to reveal a most interesting statement: Jeffs wrote: "I have not been a Prophet and am not the Prophet." Jeffs, leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, is facing charges of being an accomplice to rape for his role in the marriage of a 14-year-old girl to her 19-year-old cousin. Prosecutors allege that the girl was forced into the marriage. Bugden, the attorney, said the picture violated his client's right to privacy, as well as attorney-client privilege. Therefore, he wants photography banned from one of the highest-profile criminal trials in Utah. The request is an overreaction and we hope Shumate rejects it. Had the note been in a sealed envelope addressed to the judge, or had a reporter or photographer used some surreptitious means to reveal its contents, Bugden might have an argument. But that was not the case. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sealed 'report of competence' filed in Jeffs case | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Ben Winslow Deseret Morning News Originally published Thursday, May 10, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| An apparent evaluation of Fundamentalist LDS Church leader Warren Jeffs' mental competency has been filed in the criminal case against him. A "report of a competence to proceed evaluation from Associated Behavior Consultants" was filed Wednesday in St. George's 5th District Court, a court docket said. Judge James Shumate had it sealed, court clerks told the Deseret Morning News. Jeffs' defense counsel did not immediately return a phone call seeking comment Thursday morning. Attempts to reach Washington County Attorney Brock Belnap were also unsuccessful. Questions have swirled around Jeffs' mental health ever since his last court appearance in March. The polygamous sect leader appeared frail and semi-conscious. Several times, he nodded off and at one point, Jeffs drooled on himself. At the end of the court appearance, Jeffs stood and tried to pass a note to the judge. The Deseret Morning News has reported the note indicated Jeffs abdicated his role as "prophet" of the FLDS Church. Law enforcement sources said Jeffs also renounced his role in a jailhouse conversation with one of his brothers. In January, Jeffs was rushed to the hospital for an undisclosed medical problem. Washington County Sheriff's deputies have said Jeffs underwent a series of tests and was cleared to return to the Purgatory Jail. They refused to say what Jeffs suffered from, citing federal medical privacy laws. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jeffs' mental health may be trial issue | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Competency filing sealed for leader of polygamist sect | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Jennifer Dobner The Associated Press Rocky Mountain News Originally published May 11, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SALT LAKE CITY - A report filed under seal in a southern Utah court suggests attorneys may have questions about the mental competency of a polygamist church leader facing charges of rape as an accomplice. The "Report of a Competence to Proceed Evaluation," dated April 6, was conducted by Associated Behavior Consultants of Holladay, Utah, according to a docket entry in Warren Jeffs' case in 5th District Court in St. George. State licensing records list Eric Nielsen, a clinical social worker, as its registered agent. Nielsen did not return a telephone message Wednesday seeking comment from The Associated Press. The report was filed Wednesday. Jeffs, 51, is head of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, a polygamy-practicing sect of nearly 10,000 whose members mostly live in the twin towns of Hildale, Utah and Colorado City, Ariz. President of the church since 2004, Jeffs is charged with two first-degree felony counts of rape as an accomplice for his role in the 2001 spiritual marriage between a 14-year-old girl and her 19-year-old cousin. Jeffs' general health has been in question since January when he was taken to a hospital from the Washington County jail for an undisclosed treatment. That was followed weeks later by a court petition seeking physician contact for Jeffs. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Media lawyers ask judge to unseal Jeffs' records | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Linda Thomson Deseret Morning News Originally published Saturday, May 12, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Attorneys for a coalition of news media outlets, including the Deseret Morning News, say sealed records regarding jailed Fundamentalist LDS Church leader Warren Jeffs should be made public because they are not covered by federal medical privacy laws. The records in question include what may be a mental competency report, a petition, a request for personal physician contact and an order. News media lawyers filed a legal brief Friday outlining their argument that the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) does not apply to courts or court records. Instead, they say the public has a right to know about documents filed in the criminal case pending against Jeffs. But Jeffs' defense attorneys insist the polygamist leader has a strong interest in maintaining his medical privacy — and his rights to both privacy and a fair trial trump any public interest in the records. Moreover, Jeffs' lawyers contend that a correctional facility could qualify as a health-care provider if it handles in electronic form "certain transactions" that would include such things as health care claims, payments, coordination of benefits and the like. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jeffs' evaluation sought by media | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Patrice St. Germain The Spectrum Originally published May 12, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE - Attorneys for media agencies have filed a memorandum addressing questions raised by 5th District Judge James Shumate in the state's case against Warren Steed Jeffs. David C. Reymann, with the Salt Lake law firm of Parr Waddoups Brown Gee & Loveless which is representing the media agencies, said the memorandum states that HIPAA, Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, does not apply to judicial proceedings, and the Washington County Attorney's Office, which also filed a memorandum, agrees. "Once documents get filed with the court, they become public and don't have the same protection. They become the public's right to access," Reymann said. Jeffs, 51, has been charged with two counts of rape as an accomplice for allegedly arranging a marriage between a 15-year-old girl and her 19-year-old cousin. Jeffs has been incarcerated at Purgatory Correctional Facility in Hurricane since his arrest last August. In addition to HIPAA, the attorneys have asked Shumate to unseal all of the documents currently under seal, including a report of a Competence to Proceed Evaluation from Associated Behavior Consultants dated April 6, which was filed on May 9. Other sealed documents were filed in the court on Feb. 9, a transcript of the proceeding of a telephonic motion for confidential and privileged physician contact, and documents filed April 3, which included a petition and an order, both filed under seal. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| News challenges photo ban in Jeffs case | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Memo defends taking of controversial court picture | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Linda Thomson Deseret Morning News Originally published Saturday, May 19, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| News media outlets are resisting efforts to ban photographers from the St. George courtroom where Fundamentalist LDS leader Warren Jeffs' criminal case is being heard. Jeff Hunt, attorney for the Deseret Morning News and other media outlets, filed a memorandum Friday arguing that the News did not act improperly when a News photographer took a picture of Warren Jeffs holding a note that later was enhanced and published. It apparently declared Jeffs is not a prophet. Jeffs had tried to give the note to 5th District Judge James Shumate. His defense lawyers contend that photographing and publishing the note violates Jeffs' attorney-client privilege. Jeffs' lawyers, Walter Bugden and Tara Isaacson, also contend that the Deseret Morning News has made it more difficult to find a fair and impartial jury for their client. Jeffs, 51, is charged with two first-degree felony rape by accomplice charges that allege he performed a marriage ceremony between a 14-year-old girl and her 19-year-old cousin. Hunt said in his memorandum that the newspaper had no reason to believe the note was confidential correspondence between an attorney and client, it was not written in a private attorney-client meeting, nothing shows it was intended just for Jeffs' lawyers, and it does not appear Jeffs wanted the information to be kept confidential. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jeffs' lawyers to ask judge to disallow some evidence | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Ben Winslow Deseret Morning News Originally published Thursday, May 24, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Are laptop computers, iPods, thumb drives, digital recorders and CDs the instruments of a religious leader's communications to his flock? Or the means for a fugitive on the FBI's Ten Most Wanted list to stay on the run? A federal judge will be asked today to consider whether some of the evidence seized when Fundamentalist LDS Church leader Warren Jeffs was arrested last year should be declared "protected" under his First Amendment right to freedom of religion. "These sacred revelations are at the core of the group's religious beliefs and they cannot be shared with outsiders," Jeffs' defense attorney Walter Bugden Jr. wrote in an emergency motion filed in March. Lawyers for the FLDS leader want the documents sealed and reviewed behind closed doors to determine who gets to see them. Jeffs' lawyers also want to keep the papers from being seen by lawyers for the United Effort Plan Trust (the financial arm of the FLDS Church), which is under court control amid allegations Jeffs and other top FLDS leaders fleeced it. Trust lawyers are now asking a judge in Salt Lake City's 3rd District Court to force Jeffs and his defense attorneys to give up what documents they do have. The court-appointed special fiduciary of the UEP Trust is investigating the disappearance of assets from the $110 million trust. They are also trying to collect on an $8.8 million civil judgment against Jeffs and other trustees. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jeffs back in court | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Patrice St. Germain The Spectrum Originally published May 24, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| HURRICANE - An attorney for several news organizations across the state will go to 5th District Court on Friday to argue that files regarding the competence of Warren Jeffs should be made public. Jeff Hunt, who represents a media coalition that includes The Spectrum, said he isn't sure what to expect in the courtroom. "Part of the problem is that we don't know the content of what is sealed so it's hard to argue," Hunt said. "But we are going to argue that everything under seal should be put in the public court file." Although some of the sealed filings and motions are vague, a sealed file dated May 9 contains a report of Jeffs' "competence to proceed" evaluation from Associated Behavior Consultants dated April 6. Walter Bugden, one of the attorneys representing Jeffs, who faces two first-degree felony charges of rape as an accomplice, has filed arguments that Jeffs' medical records are protected by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. Both Hunt and the Washington County Attorney's Office have filed briefs on the HIPAA argument and both concluded HIPAA does not apply to judicial proceedings. Washington County Attorney Brock Belnap said he and others working on the case will be in court Friday, but said the hearing is not central to the state's case against Jeffs. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lawyers told to finish review of Jeffs papers | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Judge also orders prosecutors not to share documents | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Jennifer Dobner Associated Press Deseret Morning News Originally published Friday, May 25, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| A judge on Thursday ordered federal prosecutors to wrap up of a review of documents seized during the arrest of polygamist church leader Warren Jeffs and return the papers and electronic equipment by July 2. U.S. District Judge Dee Benson also ordered federal lawyers not to share the papers with anyone, including lawyers for the sect's $110 million property trust which has a civil action pending against Jeffs. Prosecutors are combing thousands of pages of letters and electronic documents for evidence in a criminal case against the leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, who was indicted in March on charges of flight to avoid prosecution. The cache of evidence includes $54,000 in cash, hundreds of letters and papers, laptop computers, cell phones, debit cards and recording devices along with wigs, sunglasses and other items that could be used as disguises. The contents of the letters and computer information aren't publicly known. "How much of it could be pertinent to a (flight) case?" Benson asked. "I guess there are some things in those documents that might be pertinent. I'm guessing 99 percent of it won't." Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| News reporter is subpoenaed | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ben Winslow ordered to testify in Jeffs case | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Linda Thomson Deseret Morning News Originally published Friday, May 25, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ben Winslow, a Deseret Morning News reporter who has been covering the criminal proceedings involving FLDS leader Warren Jeffs, has been subpoenaed to testify in the case now pending in St. George. Winslow was served with a subpoena Thursday morning by one of Jeffs' defense attorneys, Walter Bugden. The subpoena orders Winslow to appear in 5th District Court today to testify. Jeffrey Hunt, attorney for the newspaper, said the Deseret Morning News has filed a motion to quash the subpoena and is seeking an emergency hearing from 5th District Judge James Shumate, who is presiding over the Jeffs case in Washington County. "I was advised by Mr. Bugden that he would seek to have Ben Winslow reveal his confidential news sources on the witness stand," Hunt said. The Deseret Morning News recently stirred up controversy by publishing a courtroom photograph of a handwritten note held by Jeffs. In the note, Jeffs stated he was not and is not a prophet. The note's contents were confirmed by independent sources. In a document filed with the court regarding the note controversy, Bugden wrote that the only sources who could have confirmed its contents were jailers or transportation officers, who Bugden said had no right to read the note or provide information to Winslow about it. In doing so, Bugden argued, the officers jeopardized Jeffs' right to a fair trial. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Media wins plea in Jeffs case | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The Spectrum Originally published May 25, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE — Fifth District Judge James L. Shumate ordered that sealed records pertaining to Warren Jeffs’ competency be released to the media with portions of the records to be redacted or blackened out. The order was based on a motion by media attorney Jeff Hunt requesting full disclosure of sealed Jeffs' records. Hunt represents a media coalition that includes The Spectrum & Daily News. On the defense’s motion by Walter Bugden to exclude still photographers from the courtroom, Shumate ordered that they would be allowed to remain but that images could not be be enhanced and that photographers may not shoot pictures of any documents or data that has not been introduced into evidence. Following the hearing, Bugden said he was disappointed that the Deseret Morning News would publish on its front-page confidential communications between an attorney and his client. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Judge: Warren Jeffs Competent To Stand trial | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The Associated Press KUTV Channel 2 Originally published May 25, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE The leader of a polygamous sect is competent to stand trial on charges tied to the spiritual marriage of a 14-year-old girl to an older cousin, a judge said Friday. Fifth District Judge James Shumate said an evaluation of Warren Jeffs, filed under seal, would be released in the coming weeks after he blacks out portions that detail specific medical information. Jeffs, president of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, is charged with two counts of rape as an accomplice for his role in the 2001 marriage of the underage girl to her 19-year-old cousin. A trial is set for Sept. 10, with jury selection the week before. His sect, which has about 10,000 members on the Utah-Arizona border, practices polygamy and arranged marriages. Jeffs' physical and emotional health has been in question since January when he was taken to a St. George hospital for undisclosed medical treatment. At a March 27 court hearing, the church leader appeared ill. Pale and skeletal, Jeffs nodded off and drooled on himself. His demeanor that day led to Shumate's sealed order for a health evaluation. Two psychologists found Jeffs "does not suffer from a mental disorder or a substantial mental illness" and capable of participating in his defense, the judge said. "Mr. Jeffs is absolutely healthy, absolutely capable of going forward," said Shumate. On Friday, Jeffs seemed remarkably improved. His face was no longer ashen, he appeared to have gained weight and engaged in conversation with attorneys. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Judge Quashes Subpoena Given to Reporter | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Gene Kennedy Reporting KSL TV 5 Originally broadcast May 25, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The judge in the Warren Jeffs hearing today quashed a subpoena given to a Deseret Morning News reporter by the defense team. Fifth District Judge James Shumate didn't rule on the merits of the subpoena but said Ben Winslow received it just 24 hours ago, which was not enough time before today's hearing. Ben Winslow received the papers yesterday at the federal courthouse. He was there while covering proceedings in the federal case involving Warren Jeffs. This all stems from a story Winslow wrote weeks ago about a letter Jeffs wanted to give the judge back in April. Warren Jeffs asked the judge if he could approach the bench. Judge Shumate declined Jeffs' request saying his counsel could take care of the matter for him. A photographer for the Deseret Morning New shot a picture, with the note in it. Later, the newspaper digitally enhanced the photo, and had it analyzed by experts. They said the note said Jeff stated he was not a prophet of God and that he had failed to lead the people of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Winslow's confidential sources had said that Jeffs stated he wasn't a prophet of God. The newspaper says it had independent sources confirming that information, but Jeff's lawyers say those sources had no right to read the note or give reporter Ben Winslow information about it. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Judge orders Jeffs to stand trial; subpoena of reporter quashed | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Court agrees to unseal psychological evaluations | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Nancy Perkins Deseret Morning News Originally published Saturday, May 26, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE — Polygamous leader Warren Jeffs is fit to stand trial on charges of rape as an accomplice, a 5th District judge ruled Friday. Judge James L. Shumate also agreed to quash a subpoena to compel Deseret Morning News reporter Ben Winslow to identify his sources. The subpoena had been handed to Winslow a little more than 24 hours before Friday's hearing. Shumate said he had asked defense attorneys to seek an evaluation of Jeffs' mental, emotional and physical condition, after the 51-year-old leader of the Fundamentalist LDS Church appeared frail and disoriented during a March hearing. "The court determined at that time that this issue of Mr. Jeffs' well-being should be done under seal," Shumate said. "It is absolutely under the court's discretion to do that. Let's stop flinging blame at the defense. This was an order of the court." A coalition of media representatives seeking to have the evaluations unsealed was granted a partial victory Friday when Shumate agreed to release the documents, although portions would be heavily redacted. Defense attorney Walter Bugden argued that the psychological evaluations of his client should be protected under medical privacy laws. "Just because Mr. Jeffs is a criminal defendant and a high-profile case doesn't mean the public has a right to know some of his private medical information," Bugden said. "Our sincere concern is the difficultly to seek a fair and impartial jury." Jeff Hunt, who represented the media coalition including the Deseret Morning News, argued that the existence of the sealed documents had raised the specter of whether Jeffs was competent to continue to trial. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jeffs ruled competent for trial | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Ken Peterson The Spectrum Originally published May 26, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE - Fifth District Judge James L. Shumate ordered that Warren Jeffs is competent to stand trial at Friday's hearing that also addressed several issues involving interests of the media. "Mr. Jeffs is much improved in his appearance and demeanor than he was on March 27 (his last hearing)," Shumate commented during the hearing. Shumate said Jeffs is absolutely healthy and absolutely capable of going forward. Shumate also ordered that sealed records pertaining to Jeffs' competency be released to the media with portions of the records redacted or blackened out. The order was based on a motion by media attorney Jeff Hunt requesting full disclosure of Jeffs' sealed records. Hunt represents a media coalition that includes The Spectrum & Daily News. Shumate said he will redact portions of the records, but because he was going on vacation next week, there would be a delay in getting them ready for release. Shumate also addressed defense attorney Walter Bugden's motion to exclude still photographers from the courtroom. The motion was brought before the court after an enhanced picture of a document photographed at the last hearing on March 27 wound up on the front page of the Deseret Morning News. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Utah leader of polygamous sect undergoes trial | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Pravda - Moscow, Russia Originally published May 26, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Polygamous sect leader is to stand trial on charges tied to the spiritual marriage of a 14-year-old girl to an older cousin. Warren Jeffs, president of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, is charged with rape as an accomplice for his role in the 2001 marriage of the underage girl to her 19-year-old cousin. His sect, which has about 10,000 members in Utah and Arizona, practices polygamy and arranged marriages. A trial date has not been set. Judge James Shumate said Jeffs understands the charges and can participate in his defense. An evaluation of Jeffs, filed under seal, would be released in the coming weeks after certain portions are blacked out, Shumate said. At a March hearing, Jeffs, 51, was frail and skeletal. He fell asleep during the proceedings and drooled on himself. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jeffs being tried in press? | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Opinion Deseret Morning News Originally published Monday, May 28, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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I have just read your article "News reporter is subpoenaed" (May 25), describing your paper's reaction to a subpoena issued by attorneys for Warren Jeffs calling for your reporter to testify about his sources. My impression is your editor, Joe Cannon, who is a lawyer and not a journalist, believes the subpoena gives him an opportunity to contribute. But before he jumps on his horse and draws his legal sword, I suggest he carefully consider whether the best interests of Utah, your paper and your paper's owner require that Mr. Jeffs be fairly tried in the courts rather than in the press.
Alan Sutton Park City | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Law doesn't protect reporters | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Opinion Deseret Morning News Originally published Monday, May 28, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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I admire Deseret Morning News Editor Joe Cannon for his policy of protecting confidential sources, which when used appropriately can be an important journalistic tool. Cannon cited the First Amendment as the centerpiece of his argument against the subpoena of one reporter, Ben Winslow. He called the subpoena "improper" and "inappropriate" and said the News' policy of protecting sources "goes to the heart of the First Amendment."
Unfortunately for Utah journalists, Cannon's position has no basis in the law. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Branzburg v. Hayes (408 U.S. 665, 1972) that reporters do not enjoy a constitutional privilege to withhold truthful testimony about illegal activity from grand juries. While the Branzburg decision applies primarily to federal courts, it is considered the law of the land in states like Utah where reporters are not protected by shield laws. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Details of Jeffs' jail life emerge | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Ben Winslow Deseret Morning News Originally published Wednesday, May 30, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Fundamentalist LDS Church leader Warren Jeffs has spent hours in his cell, on his knees, praying. "There have been long periods where he has been observed kneeling and praying so much so that he developed ulcers on his knees," Dr. Eric Nielsen wrote in a mental competency evaluation released Tuesday. "There have been periods where he has spent several hours on his knees without adjusting his position. He also had been refusing food and liquid during this period." A judge in St. George's 5th District Court released the confidential reports after finding the FLDS leader competent to stand trial on two counts of first-degree felony rape as an accomplice. He also unsealed a petition requesting the evaluation, expressing concern by Jeffs' lawyers about his mental state. The evaluation diagnoses Jeffs as suffering from "Depressive Disorder, NOS (Not Otherwise Specified), which includes significant features of agitation and depression." At one point, Jeffs was on medication, but has since discontinued it. Portions of the reports have been whited out, as 5th District Judge James Shumate promised he would. He revealed in court Friday that he ordered the evaluation after Jeffs appeared in court on March 27. During that appearance, Jeffs appeared skeletal and frail. He appeared to be dozing off and, at one point, drooled on himself. "All three defense counsel believe that the defendant had great difficulty tracking with the proceedings, difficulty standing, and difficulty with his balance," defense attorney Walter Bugden Jr. wrote in a petition requesting the evaluation. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Court opens Jeffs' papers | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Patrice St. Germain The Spectrum Originally published May 30, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| HURRICANE - Polygamist leader Warren Steed Jeffs, 51, has been suffering from depression and anxiety and at least one of the two mental health experts that examined him said he suffers substantial mental illness. The information came from two evaluations submitted to 5th District Court in response to a petition from Jeffs' attorneys to determine if the leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints was competent to stand trial. Friday, a 5th District Court judge determined that the documents should be made public. Judge James E. Shumate also ruled that Jeffs is competent to stand trial on two counts of rape as an accomplice for allegedly arranging a marriage between an underage girl and her adult cousin. Jeffs' jury trial is scheduled for two weeks in September. In the petition on Jeffs' competency, his attorneys, Walter Bugden, Tara Isaacson and Richard Wright, argue that since his pretrial detention at Purgatory Correctional Facility, their client has experienced substantial weight loss, was physically frail, feeble, gaunt and emaciated. It also states that Jeffs appeared to be detached, confused and unclear about "everything transpiring in court" during a March 27 hearing. The attorneys asked for Jeffs to be examined by Eric Nielsen, a mental health expert who works for Associated Behavior Consultants Inc. Nielsen evaluated Jeffs on April 10 and it was his conclusion that Jeffs suffers a substantial mental illness. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Beehives and Buffalo Chips | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Opinion Provo Daily Herald Originally published June 2, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Buffalo Chip to Walter Bugden for trying to get a journalist to do his dirty work. Bugden is the attorney for Warren Jeffs, leader of the FLDS Church who is facing rape-by-accomplice charges for performing a marriage ceremony between a 14-year-old girl and her 19-year-old cousin. Bugden subpoenaed Deseret Morning News reporter Ben Winslow to force him to reveal who at the courthouse confirmed that the note Jeffs attempted to pass to the judge in April said that Jeffs never was a prophet. Bugden argued unsuccessfully that he needed to find out who was jeopardizing Jeffs's right to a fair trial. We don't see anything unfair about printing the truth. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jeffs returns to court | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Patrice St. Germain The Spectrum Originally published June 12, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| HURRICANE - Warren Steed Jeffs will be back in court this week, this time for ahearing to suppress evidence, scheduled for Wednesday morning in 5th District Court. Jeffs, 51, was a fugitive from justice when a red Cadillac Escalade he was riding in was pulled over on Interstate 15 just north of Las Vegas during a traffic stop last August. The stop resulted in the arrest of Jeffs and the seizure of numerous items, including cellular telephones, laptop computers, wigs and cash in excess of $50,000. Jeffs' attorneys are looking to suppress evidence gathered from the vehicle and to suppress testimony Jeffs gave to authorities at the time. Jeffs, 51, faces two counts of rape as an accomplice for allegedly arranging a marriage between a 14-year old girl and her 19-year old cousin in Utah. He faces similar charges in Mohave County, Ariz. Washington County Deputy Attorney Brian Filter said the burden in this hearing is on the state. Since it was a warrant-less search, the state has to prove the items seized should not be suppressed. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Warren Jeffs' attorneys want a judge to throw out evidence obtained during his arrest | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Brent Hunsaker ABC 4 News Originally broadcast June 12, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Attorneys for Warren Jeffs want thrown out evidence that prosecutors would probably never use anyway. On Wednesday in 5th District Court in St. George, they will ask Judge James Shumate to suppress evidence arising from Jeffs' arrest last August. Jeffs was riding in a red Cadillac Escalade that was pulled over by a Nevada State Trooper along I-15 north of Las Vegas. In that Escalade was a wealth of laptop computers, notebooks and letters, as well as pre-paid cell phones and credit cards, cash and other stuff that would be very useful to someone on the run. The feds may want to use some of that as evidence in their upcoming trial of Jeffs on charges that he was hiding from authorities to avoid prosecution. But thus far, prosecutors in Washington County have not indicated any interest in the stash from the Escalade. So tomorrow's hearing is seen as a preemptive strike by the defense team. But however the judge rules, it is likely to have little impact on the case that prosecutors will present to a jury this fall. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Judge considers suppressing evidence in Warren Jeffs case | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Brent Hunsaker ABC 4 News Originally broadcast June 13, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| On Wednesday, Utah's case against polygamist prophet Warren Jeffs centered on an event in Nevada. Nevada State Trooper Ed Dutchover was the only witness of the day. He recounted in detail his part in the arrest of Warren Jeffs. On the evening of August 28th of last year, Trooper Dutchover flipped on his lights and pulled over to the side of I-15 a new, red Cadillac Escalade. The reason for the traffic stop? He said the temporary registration displayed on the rear of the Escalade was partially hidden. But the trooper said he became immediately suspicious that there might be something else wrong. Dutchover said the driver's hand was shaking as he reached out to give him his driver's license. Then he discovered that the driver was not the owner of the high-priced SUV. The driver had a Utah license, but the car was registered in Colorado to a man whose address was in Iowa. What's more, the trooper says he got conflicting stories from the driver and his passengers about where they'd been and where they were going. He asked permission to search the vehicle, and he testified the driver said, "Yes." The driver also signed a consent form. Trooper Dutchover admits he and other officers who joined him in the search thought they might find illegal drugs. What they found instead was a strange cache of items that would be very useful to someone hiding from the law. There were several pre-paid cell phones, walkie-talkies, credit and gift cards, laptop computers, wigs, a variety of sunglasses and lots of cash; all of it in $100 bills. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jeffs' lawyers want judge to toss evidence seized during stop | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Nancy Perkins Deseret Morning News Originally published Thursday, June 14, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE — Attorneys for polygamist leader Warren Jeffs want a 5th District judge to throw out evidence seized during an extended traffic stop in Nevada that resulted in Jeffs' arrest last year. During a hearing Wednesday, Judge James L. Shumate ordered attorneys from both sides of the issue to provide legal briefs to the court by June 25. The judge specifically asked the lawyers to research Nevada law and federal laws that pertain to the legality of extending a traffic stop if an officer is unable to verify documents through the law enforcement computer database system. "I don't have any case law before me when the computer is down," Shumate said. "I want to know what Nevada law and federal law says about it (extending a traffic stop) under these rather peculiar circumstances." Jeffs is charged with two counts of first-degree felony rape as an accomplice. He is accused of performing a marriage between a 14-year-old girl and her 19-year-old cousin. In a ruling last month, Shumate ruled Jeffs competent to stand trial. Jury selection is scheduled to begin Sept. 7, with a two-week trial slated for Sept. 10-21 in St. George. Jeffs appeared healthy and alert during Wednesday's court proceedings. More than a dozen followers of the 51-year-old man who serves as the president of the Fundamentalist LDS Church attended the hearing and immediately stood when Jeffs entered the room. He turned and smiled at the entourage, nodding his head at several people and taking the time to look at each person individually. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Moving to suppress | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jeffs' attorneys ask that evidence be disallowed | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Patrice St. Germain The Spectrum Originally published June 14, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE - Attorneys in the Warren Jeffs case have until June 25 to submit memorandums before a judge decides if evidence from the traffic stop that brought the fugitive polygamist church leader into custody should be suppressed. Jeffs was back in 5th District Court on Wednesday in St. George for a motion hearing to suppress evidence collected from the Aug. 28, 2006, stop outside Las Vegas. The defense also is asking that contents of an interview Jeffs gave to FBI agents after the traffic stop be suppressed in his trial. He has been charged with two counts of rape as an accomplice. He has been accused of arranging the marriage between a 14-year-old girl and her 19-year-old cousin. Nevada Highway Patrol Trooper Eddie Dutchover was the only witness called Wednesday morning in the hearing before Judge James Shumate. Dutchover gave his account of that night's events and testified that the when he pulled over the Cadillac Escalade in which the leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints was a passenger, Jeffs was so anxious that the trooper himself became nervous. At the end of the hearing, Shumate said that because the traffic stop was on Interstate 15, he wanted prosecution and defense attorneys to submit their memorandums on Nevada and federal law by June 25. Because the traffic stop involved a warrantless search, the burden falls to the state to prove its case. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Judge weighs evidence on legality of Jeffs' traffic stop | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Patrice St. Germain The Spectrum Originally published June 27, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE - A memorandum filed by the Washington County Attorney's Office argues a traffic stop that resulted in the apprehension of Warren Steed Jeffs did not exceed the Nevada State Code, which imposes a 60-minute limit on investigatory detentions. But a memorandum filed by Walter Bugden, Jeffs' attorney, states that because the temporary license plate number was clearly visible - although the expiration date was partially obstructed - the stop was unreasonable at its inception. The motions for and against the suppression of evidence seized when Jeffs was arrested last year were filed at the request of Judge James Shumate, who said during a June 13 court hearing that he is no expert on Nevada law and directed attorneys to submit memorandums by June 25 on Nevada and federal laws pertaining to traffic stops before making a decision. Attorneys from both sides declined comment. At issue is the length of time Jeffs and his party were detained when Nevada Highway Patrol trooper Eddie Dutchover was unable to retrieve information on the vehicle and driver Isaac Jeffs because dispatch computers were not operational at the time of the stop. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Judge rules Jeffs' traffic stop legal | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| As result, evidence found by police can be used in his trial | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Linda Thomson Deseret Morning News Originally published Sunday, July 1, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| A judge has ruled that the Nevada traffic stop of the vehicle carrying fugitive polygamous leader Warren Jeffs was legal and that evidence subsequently discovered by police can be used in Jeffs' criminal trial. Defense attorneys had challenged the traffic stop, stating that Nevada's laws require license plates to be completely visible only if the plates are for Nevada vehicles. The license plate on the car in which Jeffs was traveling had a temporary Colorado registration tag that was partly covered by the license bracket. Fifth District Judge James Shumate ruled that Nevada Highway Patrol trooper Eddie Dutchover was justified in pulling over the vehicle and checking the occupants' identification, which ultimately led to Warren Jeffs' arrest. Jeffs, who heads the polygamous FLDS Church, was listed on the FBI's 10 Most Wanted List at that time. He is charged with two counts of first-degree felony rape as an accomplice in connection with a marriage ceremony he allegedly conducted between a 14-year-old girl and her 19-year-old cousin. Dutchover stopped the vehicle Aug. 28, 2006, because of the license plate. The trooper then noticed the driver's hands were shaking and inside there was a radar detector and global positioning device. Possessing such devices is legal in Nevada, but Dutchover knew from experience they often are used by people transporting illegal drugs. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jeffs' appeal is denied | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Utah Supreme Court gives no reason for decision | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Geoffrey Fattah Deseret Morning News Originally published Friday, July 6, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The Utah Supreme Court has shot down a request by attorneys for polygamist leader Warren Jeffs to weigh in on issues regarding his request for a change of trial venue and his being bound over on criminal charges. In a one-page order issued Thursday, the state's highest court offered no explanation for its rejection, only stating, "It is hereby ordered the petition for interlocutory appeal is denied." Jeffs' attorneys had filed the appeal last April, challenging a 5th District court judge's decision to bind over Jeffs to stand trial in St. George. Defense attorney Walter Bugden Jr. argued that Jeffs could not receive a fair trial in Washington County given the media attention in the case. Jeffs, the 51-year-old leader of the Fundamentalist LDS Church, is accused of performing a marriage between a 14-year-old girl and her 19-year-old cousin. He is charged with one first-degree felony count of rape as an accomplice. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Warren Jeffs petition denied | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Patrice St. Germain The Spectrum Originally published July 6, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE - A petition filed by Warren Steed Jeffs in Utah Supreme Court was denied Tuesday. Filed on April 18, the petition sought interlocutory review of three orders issued by 5th District Court Judge James Shumate denying Jeffs' motions for a change of venue, quashing the bindover and declaring unconstitutional Utah Code Ann. 76-5-406(11), which defines lack of consent for certain sex crimes against minors to include enticement. Justice Jill N. Parrish denied the request for review. Jeffs, 51, has been incarcerated in Purgatory Correctional Facility since he was apprehended in August outside of Las Vegas. He had been placed on the FBI's 10 Most Wanted List in May 2006. Jeffs faces two counts of rape as an accomplice in 5th District Court for allegedly arranging a marriage between a 14-year-old girl and her 19-year-old cousin against the wishes of the girl. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Polygamist leader drops Las Vegas fight over traffic stop items | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Ken Ritter The Associated Press Fox 10 - Phoenix Originally published July 9, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| LAS VEGAS (AP) -- Polygamist sect leader Warren Jeffs has dropped a Nevada federal court fight to prevent prosecutors from getting items seized from the vehicle he was in when he was arrested last year. A lawyer for the jailed leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints refers to the matter as "moot" in documents filed in U.S. District Court judge in Las Vegas. The lawyer, Richard Wright, did not immediately respond Monday to messages seeking comment. The declaration was filed June 27, nearly 10 months to the day after Jeffs was arrested on Interstate 15 outside Las Vegas and the FBI seized documents, computers, cash, debit cards and several electronic devices from a Cadillac Escalade driven by Jeffs' brother, Isaac Jeffs. Warren Jeffs, 51, is being held in a county jail in southern Utah, awaiting trial Sept. 10 in St. George, Utah, on state charges of rape as an accomplice. He is accused of arranging a 2001 spiritual marriage between a 14-year-old girl and her 19-year-old cousin. U.S. attorney's office spokeswoman Melodie Rydalch in Salt Lake City said Monday that the Las Vegas case was made part of a separate federal case pending in Utah against Jeffs. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jeffs drops federal court fight over FBI evidence | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Ben Winslow Deseret Morning News Originally published Tuesday, July 10, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Fundamentalist LDS Church leader Warren Jeffs' lawyers have dropped a federal court fight over evidence the FBI seized when it arrested the polygamous sect leader. A hearing was scheduled in a Las Vegas federal courtroom on Monday but was vacated when a motion to dismiss was filed by one of Jeffs' attorneys and the U.S. Attorney's Office in Utah. "The parties agree and stipulate that the instant case should be dismissed as moot," Jeffs' defense attorney Richard Wright wrote in the motion. That doesn't mean the battle over evidence is over. Instead, it is expected to formally shift to Utah, where Jeffs has been indicted by a federal grand jury on a charge of unlawful flight to avoid prosecution. "We think it makes sense to consolidate the case in Utah," said Melodie Rydalch, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney for Utah. Jeffs, 51, was on the FBI's Ten Most Wanted list until he was arrested in a traffic stop outside Las Vegas last August. Inside the Cadillac Escalade that Jeffs was riding in, FBI agents seized letters, documents, computers, prepaid credit cards, cell phones and more than $50,000 in cash, among other items. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Arizona files additional charges on Jeffs | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The Spectrum Originally published July 12, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE — Two separate Mohave County Grand Juries have indicted Warren Steed Jeffs on additional charges involving two separate alleged victims. A Mohave County Grand Jury indicted Warren Jeffs on May 10 on two counts of sexual conduct with a minor, both class 6 felonies, and two counts of incest, both class 4 felonies. A copy of the Indictment CR-2007-743 has been attached. A separate Mohave County Grand Jury indicted Jeffs on June 21 for two counts of sexual conduct with a minor, class 6 felonies and two counts of incest, class 4 felonies. A copy of the Indictment CR-2007-953 has been attached. The cases involve two separate victims. Jeffs will not come to Mohave County to face these charges or to have an initial appearance on them until his Utah case is resolved. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jailed polygamist leader Jeffs faces new sex charges in Arizona | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Bob Christie The Associated Press Pravda - Moscow Russia Originally published July 13, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| PHOENIX - The jailed leader of a polygamist sect has been indicted on new sex charges by an Arizona grand jury, adding to charges he already faces here and in Utah. Warren Jeffs, who heads the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, was indicted on eight new sex offense counts involving two young women, Mohave County Attorney Matt Smith said Thursday. Jeffs was served with the new indictments Wednesday in his jail cell in Hurricane, Utah, where he is awaiting trial on two felony counts of rape as an accomplice related to a 2001 arranged marriage between a 14-year-old girl and her cousin. He's also under federal indictment for unlawful flight to avoid prosecution. A call to Jeff's criminal attorneys in Salt Lake City was not immediately returned Thursday. He does not have an attorney yet to represent him in Arizona. The new Arizona charges also stem from his alleged arrangement of marriages between underage girls and adult men, Smith said. The indictment charges Jeffs with two counts of sexual conduct with a minor and two counts of incest for his alleged role in arrainging a marriage between a man in his early 50s and the man's 17-year-old female relative. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jeffs indicted on new charges | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Patrice St. Germain The Spectrum Originally published July 13, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| HURRICANE - Charges against Warren Steed Jeffs, 51, are rapidly mounting after more grand jury indictments were passed down in Mohave County, Ariz. Jeffs has been indicted on eight new sex offense charges on top of the three he was already facing in Arizona. Jeffs was served the warrant on the new charges by a member of the Purgatory Correctional Facility staff where Jeffs is being held without bail on his Utah charges of rape as an accomplice and is scheduled for jury trial in September. The new charges against Jeffs include sexual conduct with a minor as an accomplice with a child under 18 and incest as an accomplice and stem from alleged incidents in 2002 and 2003. The first grand jury charges in 2005 came about after nine months of investigative work by Mohave County Attorney Office investigator Gary Engels. Engels said the grand jury indictments in 2007 are new charges and not from the initial investigation almost three years ago. "This is new stuff and there is a possibility of additional charges," Engels said. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Warren Jeffs' confession tape could be silenced | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Brent Hunsaker ABC 4 News Originally broadcast July 16, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE, Utah (ABC 4 News) - This could be a critical week for Warren Jeffs and his future. With his trial approaching in a month and a half, this week attorneys will argue a flurry of motions. Attorneys for Warren Jeffs want some things kept secret and, they want to make certain arguments behind close doors. If made public, they claim the information could "pollute" a jury pool. So what kind of information are we talking about? Attorneys aren't saying, but sources tell ABC 4 that it may have to do -- at least in part -- with an alleged jailhouse confession made by Warren Jeffs to his brother Nephi. He supposedly told Nephi that he never was a prophet. Sources say there's a tape of that confession. The defense wants to make sure it's not presented at trial. Warren Jeffs' trial is set for September. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jeffs' Attorneys Seek to Keep Information from Being Argued in Open Court | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Sam Penrod Reporting KSL-TV Channel 5 Originally broadcast July 17, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| It will remain secret. That was a judge's ruling today involving certain evidence against polygamist leader Warren Jeffs. Today's hearing was over the issue of holding a motion hearing in the judge's chambers this Friday. The defense wanted to keep jailhouse statements from being admissible in court. Despite objections from the news media to keep the hearing before the public, the judge ruled the evidence is so sensitive that if it got out, it would compromise the entire case against Jeffs. The judge agreed in a couple of instances that the hearing will be public, but in one situation, the judge says it is of such a sensitive nature that arguments for the motion to suppress will be held in the judge's chambers behind closed doors. It's all about conversations and statements from Warren Jeffs that have been recorded while he has been in jail. Prosecutors want to use them against him at his trial. But Jeffs' defense was able to convince the judge that whatever was said would make it impossible for Jeffs to get a fair trial, so much so that the evidence will be argued behind closed doors. Fifth District Court Judge James Shumate said, "The court in its analysis has determined that the statements involved are of such a nature that to disseminate them during argument in any way, shape, or form would not only substantially impair Mr. Jeffs' right to a fair trial, but would place such a cloud over this litigation that the court could not feel confident in picking a jury anywhere in the state of Utah." Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jeffs Judge to Close Evidence Fight | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Judge in Polygamy-Leader Case to Close Court in Evidence Fight Amid Fair-Trial Fears | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The Associated Press ABC News Originally published July 17, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE, Utah (AP)- A judge said he will close the courtroom Friday to hear arguments over evidence in the case of the leader of a polygamous sect accused of sex crimes. Fifth District Judge James Shumate said Warren Jeffs could be denied a fair trial even if prosecutors are told they can't use the evidence at the Sept. 10 trial. At issue are statements Jeffs made in jail. Shumate said disclosure of the statements in news accounts would place "such a cloud" over the case that he "could not feel good about picking a jury" anywhere in Utah, The Salt Lake Tribune reported on its Web site. The judge made the decision Tuesday after hearing arguments privately in his office. The attorneys included Jeff Hunt, who represented a media coalition, including The Associated Press, and urged Shumate to open the hearing to the public Friday. Jeffs, 51, is accused of two counts of rape as an accomplice for his role in a 2001 spiritual marriage between a 14-year-old girl and her 19-year-old cousin. He is head of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, which practices polygamy and arranged marriage. Shumate said he will open the courtroom during arguments over the possible trial testimony of two former FLDS members who have extensive knowledge of the church and Jeffs. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Remarks by Jeffs to stay sealed | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Judge says that taped statements would 'cloud' case | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Nancy Perkins Deseret Morning News Originally published Wednesday, July 18, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE — Recorded jailhouse statements made by polygamist leader Warren Jeffs will remain under seal, a 5th District judge ruled Tuesday. "Those statements are of such a nature that to disseminate them in any way, shape or form would not only impair the right of the defendant to a fair trial but would place such a cloud over this litigation that I would not feel confident in picking a jury anywhere in the state of Utah," Judge James L. Shumate said after reviewing the statements in his chamber with attorneys. Defense attorney Walter Bugden called Jeffs' jailhouse statements potentially "very, very inflammatory." The Deseret Morning News reported earlier that Jeffs, in a jailhouse conversation with one of his brothers, had said he was not a prophet and had never been a prophet. Shumate will hear arguments between the state and defense on Friday in his chambers over whether the jailhouse statements should be admissible as evidence in Jeffs' trial. The judge left open the possibility that he would release redacted transcripts of the jailhouse conversations once the trial is over. Also on Friday, Shumate will hear arguments from the defense team over whether to allow the jury to hear from two potential prosecution witnesses, Richard Holm and Jethro Barlow. Both men are former members of the Fundamentalist LDS Church, which now is headed by Jeffs, whom they allege began to control church members' lives in a "sinister" and "intrusive" manner. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jeffs back in court | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Patrice St. Germain The Spectrum Originally published July 18, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE - What's said in jail stays in jail. At least in the case of Warren Jeffs, the leader of the polygamous Church Of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. A 5th District Court judge ruled Tuesday that conversations Jeffs has had in his cell since he was imprisoned in Purgatory Correctional Facility may not be used in the presence of the public or media Friday when he returns to court. The judge, James L. Shumate, did rule, however, that testimony from Jethro Barlow and Richard Holm may be given in an open courtroom. Shumate said disclosing Jeffs' jailhouse statements to the public would not only impair his right to a fair trial, it would also "place such a cloud" over the court proceedings that he would not feel confident about picking a jury. Following Shumate's ruling, Jeffs' attorney Walter Bugden said the judge made a fair decision. "It's very, very inflammatory," Budgen said. He declined, however, to comment if the statements were of the confessional nature. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Warren Jeffs is arrested at Purgatory for more Arizona Charges | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Bookings Washington County Sheriff's Office washeriff.state.ut.us Originally published July 20, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Birth Date: 12/03/55 Address : Hildale, UT
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| Jeffs tapes will stay sealed | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Nancy Perkins Deseret Morning News Originally published Saturday, July 21, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE — Recorded jailhouse statements made by polygamist leader Warren Jeffs will remain under seal and cannot be used against him during a September trial, ruled a 5th District judge on Friday. "The motion of the defense to limit statements is granted," Judge James L. Shumate ordered after meeting behind closed doors with attorneys to hear arguments on the statements. The recordings have been under the court's protection, along with motions involving their content, for several weeks. Shumate left open the possibility, however, that the statements could be introduced at trial if the state is able to prove their probative value outweighs any prejudicial harm to the defendant. Warren Jeffs again appeared in court to be healthy and alert. His brother, Nephi, who was with him the night he was pulled over by a Nevada trooper and arrested, was there, as was his mother, Marilyn Steed, who smiled at Jeffs, mouthing "hi" when she saw him. More than a dozen followers attended the hearing, with Jeffs nodding to each one as he made eye contact with them. Prosecution efforts to allow the testimony of two potential witnesses, Richard Holm and Jethro Barlow, during the trial was put on hold for an evidentiary hearing. Both men will be required to attend a hearing in open court on Aug. 20 so that Shumate can listen to their potential testimony. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ruled inadmissible | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Judge deems Jeffs' prison conversations off limits | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Ken Peterson The Spectrum Originally published July 21, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE - Fifth District Judge James L. Shumate ruled Friday that the prosecution would not be able to use jailhouse statements made by Warren Jeffs when they present their case at his trial in September. However, Shumate left a small crack in the door where the Washington County Attorney's Office may be able to use the statements in its rebuttal after the defense presents its case, if the statements become relevant in light of the defense's evidence. Shumate reserved the right to make his determination at the time of the trial. Additionally, Shumate ruled that the testimony of two prosecution witnesses, Jethro Barlow and Richard Holm, would be heard by the court in a subsequent hearing before a decision can be made whether their testimony would be allowed at trial. Defense counsel Tara Isaacson argued that Barlow and Holm were two disgruntled former members of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, which practices the tenets of polygamy, who left or had been asked to leave the church and would offer criticism as to how Jeffs ran the church. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Next Jeffs court date set for Aug. 20 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The Spectrum Originally published July 25, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE — Two former members of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints will appear in court on Aug. 20 so a judge can determine if their testimony in the Warren Jeffs trial would be relevant. Last week, 5th District Court Judge James Shumate presided over a hearing to determine if the prosecution should be allowed to call Jethro Barlow and Richard Holm, both former FLDS members, as witnesses against Jeffs, who is charged in Utah with two counts of rape as an accomplice for his alleged role in arranging a marriage between an underage girl and her 19-year-old cousin. Jeffs’ attorneys argued last week that the testimony of Barlow and Holm would be irrelevant to the case. Shumate will bring the men into court on Aug. 20 to hear their testimony. He will then decide if they may be witnesses during the trial. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jeffs in for last motion hearing | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Patrice St. Germain The Spectrum Originally published August 20, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| HURRICANE - A motion hearing scheduled for today is the last scheduled hearing in the state's case against Warren Steed Jeffs until a jury trial begins in September. The hearing scheduled in 5th District Court is supposed to determine if the testimony of two prosecution witnesses, Jethro Barlow and Richard Holm, will be allowed at trial. Holm and Barlow are both former members of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, of which Jeffs, 51, is the leader. Jeffs, the self-proclaimed prophet of the FLDS Church, is facing two charges of rape as an accomplice for his alleged role in arranging the marriage between a 14-year-old girl and her 19-year-old cousin. In a hearing a month ago, Deputy County Attorney Ryan Shaum argued that the witnesses were important to the state's case and had direct knowledge of Jeffs' alleged criminal conduct. Walter Bugden, one of Jeffs' attorneys, said he is anticipating the trial will start on Sept. 7. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Witness: Jeffs held 'absolute control' over marriages, couples' intimate relations | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Patrice St. Germain The Spectrum Originally published August 20, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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ST. GEORGE — Jethro Barlow, a former member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, testified this morning that FLDS leader Warren Jeffs held such strong hold over his followers that he even controlled intimate behavior between husbands and wives in the polygamous community. Barlow said Jeffs used threats and promises to wield "absolute control" over marriages, the dissolution of marriages and even the intimate acts between husbands and wives. His testimony was part of a pre-trial hearing to determine whether he and another former FLDS church member will be allowed to take the stand in the case against Jeffs. Jeffs, the self-proclaimed prophet of the FLDS church, faces charges of rape as an accomplice for allegedly arranging the marriage of a 15-year-old girl and her 19-year-old cousin. Jury selection for the trial is scheduled to begin in 5th District Court on Sept. 7.
For the latest, please check this Web site regularly. Also, read tomorrow's edition of The Spectrum & Daily News. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Former FLDS members' testimony allowed in Jeffs trial | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Patrice St. Germain The Spectrum Originally published August 20, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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ST. GEORGE — Jethro Barlow and Richard Holm, former members of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, will be allowed to testify in the upcoming case against Warren Jeffs, leader of the FLDS Church. Barlow and Holm were in court today, giving a glimpse of the testimony they may be asked to give when Jeffs goes to court to face charges of rape as an accomplice. Holm testified how under Jeffs’ leadership much of the lives of church members were controlled, even as to when and why husbands and wives could have sex. Earlier in the day, Jethro Barlow, testified that FLDS leader Warren Jeffs held such strong hold over his followers that he even controlled intimate behavior between husbands and wives in the polygamous community. Barlow said Jeffs used threats and promises to wield "absolute control" over marriages, the dissolution of marriages and even the intimate acts between husbands and wives. His testimony was part of a pre-trial hearing to determine whether he and another former FLDS church member will be allowed to take the stand in the case against Jeffs. Jeffs, the self-proclaimed prophet of the FLDS church, faces charges of rape as an accomplice for allegedly arranging the marriage of a 15-year-old girl and her 19-year-old cousin. Jury selection for the trial is scheduled to begin in 5th District Court on Sept. 7.
For more, please see tomorrow’s edition of The Spectrum & Daily News. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Testimonies will be allowed | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Two former FLDS members will be allowed to testify in Jeffs' trial | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Patrice St. Germain The Spectrum Originally published August 21, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE - Fifth District Court Judge James L. Shumate ruled Monday that two former members of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints may give limited testimony during the jury trial of Warren Steed Jeffs. Jeffs, 51, the leader of the FLDS church, which practices polygamy as one of its tenets, is scheduled for a jury trial next month on two counts of rape as an accomplice for allegedly arranging a marriage between a 14-year-old girl and her 19-year-old cousin. Following the hearing, Shumate ruled that the two former members - Richard Holm and Jethro Barlow - may testify about Jeffs' position of authority in the church, but not about how his leadership differed from former leaders because it is not relevant to the charges against him. Shumate said because of Jeffs' standing in the community, he was an important person in the life of the alleged victim, identified only as Jane Doe IV, therefore, the testimony of Holm and Barlow about Jeffs' role in the community was relevant to the case. Doe testified in previous hearings that she pleaded with Jeffs that she did not want to get married and, later, have intimate relations with her husband. Doe was married to her cousin in 2001 when Jeffs took over leadership of the church from his ailing father. Questions posed to Holm and Barlow focused on the timeframe from 1998 to 2001 when church leadership went from Rulon Jeffs, Warren Jeffs' father, to Jeffs himself following his father's stoke and failing health. Both men testified that Warren Jeffs controlled the lives of his followers so completely that he even instructed men on when and why sexual relations would take place. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jeffs' attorneys argue over definition of 'amen' | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The Spectrum Originally published August 29, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE — Attorneys for Warren Steed Jeffs filed a memorandum in support of defendant's motion in limine Tuesday regarding if the utterance "amen" either affirmed or adopted a statement of a speaker at a church meeting. The speaker, Sam Barlow, spoke at a church meeting about marriages of underage girls and that changes in the law were attempts by the Utah and Arizona legislatures to tie the hands of the prophet and "impede on the Lord’s work." Judge James L. Shumate had asked attorneys on the case to file memorandums on the use of the word "amen." Jeffs' attorneys said his utterance of "amen" to the anti-government statement bears no logical relationship to the crime charged, which is rape as an accomplice for Jeffs' alleged role in arranging a marriage between a 14-year-old girl and her 19-year-old cousin. The memorandum states that the utterance of "amen" at a church service is often more of a reflex or a courtesy rather than a conscious adoption of the speaker’s statements. Even assuming Jeffs' adoption of the statement, the memorandum reads that the statement is no way encourages non-consensual sex among church members. The complete text of the memorandum may be found at: http://www.utcourts.gov/media/hpcases/. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Prosecutors want FLDS marshal's words used against Jeffs | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Ben Winslow Deseret Morning News Originally published August 29, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| At a church meeting presided over by Warren Jeffs, the Fundamentalist LDS Church leader stood and declared his faith was "under attack." "There is a combined effort — the state of Utah and the state of Arizona — to come against our prophet and this people — trying to stop the word of God," he said in a transcript of a tape recording from April 2002 published in court papers. "I'll call on Brother Sam Barlow to give this report with any instructions he feels impressed to give," Jeffs said. It's former Colorado City town marshal Sam Barlow's tape-recorded comments that Washington County prosecutors want to use against Jeffs in next month's trial. In court papers filed today in St. George's 5th District Court, they urge a judge to allow the statements to be used during the trial. "The evidence is offered to show that Warren Jeffs knew and intended that sexual intercourse involving minors was contemplated within 'the principle of marriage by revelation,"' Washington County Attorney Brock Belnap wrote in the memorandum. Jeffs, 51, is charged with first-degree felony rape as an accomplice. He is accused of performing a marriage between a 14-year-old girl and her 19-year-old cousin. Jeffs was briefly on the FBI's 10 Most Wanted list until his capture in August 2006. According to the transcript filed in the court papers, Barlow laid out what prosecutors in Utah and Arizona were planning to do about "the principle of marriage by revelation." "If a baby is born, then that baby become (sic) evidence," he told FLDS members. "If a father and mother have registered the birth of that baby, it shows that age of the mother, who the father is, and that a baby was born. And the deduction is that there was some sort of sexual activity previous to that time. That's fairly good logic." Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jeffs' lawyers oppose 'amens' | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Ben Winslow Deseret Morning News Originally published August 29, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Fundamentalist LDS Church leader Warren Jeffs' defense team is trying to get the word "amen" kept out of the polygamist's trial next month. In papers filed in St. George's 5th District Court late Tuesday, defense attorney Wally Bugden said prosecutors planned to introduce an utterance that Jeffs had made at an FLDS Church meeting. It's an effort to show that Jeffs supported a speaker's opposition to government efforts to regulate or interfere with underage marriages. "Jeffs' utterance of 'amen' to the anti-government statement bears no logical relationship to the crime charged," Bugden wrote. "First, the utterance of amen is at best an ambiguous response to the speaker." In their memorandum in support of a motion to limit or exclude evidence, defense attorneys claim it's hearsay and that by highlighting the "amen," prosecutors are trying to portray FLDS members — including Jeffs — as unlawful. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 'Amen' debated in Warren Jeffs case | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Patrice St. Germain The Spectrum Originally published August 30, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| HURRICANE - Attorneys for Warren Steed Jeffs filed a memorandum Tuesday stating that uttering "amen" does not affirm or adopt a statement. Walter Bugden, Jeffs' attorney, filed the memorandum in response to a request by Judge James L. Shumate during an Aug. 20 motion hearing. Bugden said in the motion that Jeffs' utterance of "amen" to an antigovernment statement bears no logical relationship to the crime charged, which is rape as an accomplice, for Jeffs' alleged role in arranging a marriage between a 14-year-old girl and her 19-year-old cousin. The memorandum also states that the utterance of "amen" at a church service is often more of a reflex or a courtesy rather than a conscious adoption of the speaker's statements. Michael Popich, of Westminster College in Salt Lake City who is a teacher of comparative theology, said for the primary religions, "amen" is an endorsement of beliefs. Popich said amen with the translation from Hebrew is "so be it." Used in the context at issue in Jeffs' court case - during a priesthood meeting - Popich said those present are accepting or endorsing the statement by saying "amen." "In that context, it's very definitely endorsement," Popich said. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jury selection begins Friday in trial of polygamous sect leader | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Jennifer Dobner The Associated Press Las Vegas Sun Originally published September 6, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SALT LAKE CITY (AP) - Just over a year after fugitive Warren Jeffs was arrested in a traffic stop outside Las Vegas, the polygamous sect leader goes on trial in southern Utah, accused of coercing the 2001 marriage and rape of a 14-year-old follower by her 19-year-cousin. Jeffs, 51, leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, is charged with two counts of first-degree felony rape as an accomplice for his role in the religious union. The selection of jurors begins Friday at a St. George convention center where 300 people will be asked to fill out a multipage questionnaire to help determine their suitability to hear the case. On Monday, attorneys will conduct individual juror interviews behind the closed doors of 5th District Judge James Shumate's office. Opening statements in the trial are planned for Wednesday. For a conviction, jurors must decide that Jeffs intentionally and knowingly encouraged the girl's cousin to commit unlawful sex with the 14-year-old against her will, according to proposed jury instructions prosecutors have filed with the court. But impaneling an impartial jury of eight could be difficult, some observers and legal experts say. For nearly two years prior to his August 2006 arrest in a Cadillac Escalade on Interstate 15, Jeffs was on the run from police and the subject of hundreds of news stories, which only escalated after the arrest. "There's been so much media coverage it's going to be difficult to find people that have not already formed an opinion," Provo attorney Randy Spencer said. "That could put the defense at a disadvantage. The people that they find who claim to not have much knowledge of the case may not be typical peers." Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jury selection begins in trial of polygamist sect leader accused of rape as an accomplice | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Emanuella Grinberg Court TV Originally published September 7, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE, Utah (AP) — Jury selection began Friday in the rape case against a polygamous sect leader, with attorneys asking 300 people to fill out a questionnaire to help determine their suitability. Questions on the 75-item survey were to be made public later Friday in the trial of Warren Jeffs, 51, leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Jeffs is charged with two counts of first-degree felony rape as an accomplice for his alleged role in coercing the 2001 marriage and rape of a 14-year-old follower by her cousin. Jurors in St. George, near the Arizona and Nevada lines, will be asked to decide whether Jeffs knowingly encouraged the girl's 19-year-old cousin to commit unlawful sex with her against her will, according to proposed jury instructions prosecutors have filed with the court. Jeffs attracted considerable media coverage as a fugitive for nearly two years and after his August 2006 arrest during a traffic stop outside Las Vegas. "There's been so much media coverage it's going to be difficult to find people that have not already formed an opinion," Provo attorney Randy Spencer said. "That could put the defense at a disadvantage. The people that they find who claim to not have much knowledge of the case may not be typical peers." And although the case is not related to polygamy -- the religious marriage between the girl and her cousin was monogamous -- jurors might see the practice of plural marriage as the elephant in the room. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jury selection starts today in Jeffs trial in St. George | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Nancy Perkins Deseret Morning News Originally published September 7, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE — The process of selecting a jury that will decide whether jailed Fundamentalist LDS Church leader Warren Steed Jeffs is guilty of arranging the marriage of an underage girl to her 19-year-old cousin starts today. Two weeks ago, 300 Washington County residents received a summons from 5th District Court to appear for jury duty in the Jeffs case, scheduled to begin next week. Jeffs is charged with two first-degree felony counts of rape as an accomplice. The large jury pool is needed, Judge James L. Shumate has said, so that an impartial jury can be seated for the trial that is expected to last nearly two weeks. Polling data that had been presented by Jeffs' defense team showed 52 percent of the 210 Washington County respondents believed Jeffs was guilty or likely guilty of the charges filed. Those results were not enough to persuade Shumate to move the trial to Salt Lake County, where the population is approaching 1 million. Today, potential jurors will gather at the Dixie Center in St. George to fill out a questionnaire prepared jointly by the defense and prosecution. On Monday, jurors will be taken 50 at a time into the Washington County Courthouse to learn whether they have been dismissed or are being retained for further questioning. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jeffs trial to begin | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jury selection begins today; man charged with rape as an accomplice | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Patrice St. Germain The Spectrum Originally published September 7, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| HURRICANE - After waiting in jail for a year, Warren Steed Jeffs, the self-proclaimed leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, will finally get his day in court. Jury selection for the trial, expected to last until Sept. 21, begins today in the state's case against Jeffs, who is facing two first-degree felony charges of rape as an accomplice. The two charges in 5th District Court against Jeffs, 51, stem from his alleged role in the marriage of a 14-year-old girl and her 19-year-old cousin. The girl, only identified as Jane Doe IV, testified last year during the preliminary hearing that April 17, 2001, the day she was wed to her first cousin in a spiritual marriage in Nevada, was "the darkest time in her entire life." Walter Bugden, one of Jeffs' attorneys, said previously that he and his client view the case against Jeffs as religious persecution. In a recent court hearing, two former members of the church, Jethro Barlow and Richard Holm, testified that Jeffs controlled the lives of his followers so completely, that he even instructed men on when and why sexual relationships would take place. "Warren Jeffs told us sexual conduct could only take place to bring forth children and to study to make sure it was the right conditions (for a woman to get pregnant)," Holm said. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Polygamous sect leader 'an accomplice to rape' | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Tom Leonard in New York The London Telegraph Originally published September 7, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The leader of a polygamous sect has gone on trial today in a case that is expected to reveal the inner workings of one of America's most bizarre and secretive groups. Followers believe Warren Jeffs presides over their salvation Warren Jeffs, a self-proclaimed prophet and president of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, an extreme offshoot of the Mormons, is accused of coercing the marriage and rape in 2001 of a 14-year-old followerer by her 19-year-old cousin. Jeffs, 51, is charged with two counts of first-degree felony rape as an accomplice for his role in the religious union. Jury selection for the trial in Salt Lake City, Utah, began when 300 potential jurors in the Mormon state were asked to fill out a questionnaire designed to reveal their views on polygamy and so their suitability to hear the case. Jeffs was a fugitive for nearly two years and investigators believe he was sheltered by some of his group's estimated 10,000 members, who live mainly in two isolated towns in Utah and Arizona. The sect split from the official Mormon Church after the latter renounced polygamy and continues to believe plural marriage promises glorification in heaven. The arranged marriages often involve underage girls and older men. In order to head off any competition for wives, sect elders have been accused of forcing younger men to leave the group, cutting them off from further contact with their families. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Fallen Prophet: Polygamy on Trial | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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ANDERSON COOPER 360 DEGREES CNN Originally broadcast September 7, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome to this 360 special report, "Fallen Prophet: Polygamy on Trial."
By now, the name Warren Jeffs is familiar to you. To his followers, he's a prophet who holds the keys to salvation. To his accusers, however, he is pure evil. Now either way, his fate is about to be decided in a courtroom in southern Utah. The polygamist leader and one time fugitive is accused of arranging the marriage of a child bride, which prosecutors say makes him an accomplice to rape. Jury selection for Jeffs' trial begins next week. In the hour ahead, we're going to look at the case against Jeffs and hear from the prosecution's star witness, a brave young woman now under police protection. We'll also go inside the secretive sect that Jeffs leads. Is it a cult or a calling? We'll hear from women and men who managed to break free from the Fundamentalist Latter Day Saints. Plus, the elusive, some say sinister figure at the center of all of it -- Warren Jeffs. Who is he really? And why do thousands of people believe that God speaks through him? All of that is in the hour ahead. We begin with Warren Jeffs' sect -- FLDS, a group that split from mainstream Mormonism more than 100 years ago over the issue of polygamy. (voice-over): It's a religion that began not in ancient times, but in 1820 in upstate New York, when a boy named Joseph Smith said he had a revelation from God. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Potential-witness list released for Jeffs' trial | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wednesday is start date if jury is formed by then | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Nancy Perkins and Ben Winslow Deseret Morning News Originally published September 8, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE — Attorneys for jailed polygamist leader Warren Jeffs released a long list of potential witnesses on Friday that includes family members and friends of the woman known in court filings as "Jane Doe IV." Jeffs is charged with two first-degree felony counts of rape as an accomplice for his 2001 role in joining Doe, then 14, and her 19-year-old cousin together in a spiritual marriage. The bride testified during a preliminary hearing that she didn't want to marry her cousin and objected to having a "husband and wife" relationship with him. Fifth District Judge James L. Shumate instructed about 230 people who arrived at the Dixie Center in St. George about the jury selection process before asking them to be sworn in and fill out a questionnaire. The original jury pool of 300 had already been whittled down after more than 30 people were earlier excused by the judge for various reasons and another 30 or so didn't show up to answer the 75 questions posed to the group. The judge dismissed another seven people on Friday following an initial introduction and screening of the film, "Selected to Serve." Among the potential jurors were elderly men and women, one of whom was sobbing while filling out the form before she was released by the judge. Each person was assigned a time to report to court next week when individual interviews will be conducted by the attorneys and judge. If a panel of eight jurors and two alternates can be seated, the trial is expected to begin on Wednesday and last until Sept. 21. Attorneys also addressed several pre-trial motions before Shumate on Friday afternoon. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Juror pool thinning | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Patrice St. Germain The Spectrum Originally published September 8, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE - The jury pool of 300 potential jurors in the state's case against Warren Steed Jeffs, leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, is already down to about 230 jurors. Because of the number of jurors, the questionnaire administered to the group was held Friday morning at the Dixie Center. Nancy Volmer, public information officer for the Utah Courts, said some in the jury pool had been excused either through juror qualification or requesting to be excused or as no-shows. Volmer said the most jurors previously called in a trial was in the state's case against Todd Mulder, which was earlier this year, when over 200 jurors were called. But having questionnaires by potential jurors filled out at the courthouse rather than by mail isn't unusual in high-profile cases, Volmer said. "We have seen that in other cases," Volmer said. Questions asked of prospective jurors ranged from religious and organizational affiliations to asking if jurors or their immediate family had any experience with members of the FLDS Church. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Warren Jeffs: Prophet or monster? | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Daphne Bramham CanWest News Service National Post Originally published Saturday, September 8, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Is Warren Jeffs a monster or a man of God? Is he one of the most dangerous men in the United States or a side show on the freakish fringe of America? That's some of what jurors in St. George, Utah, will have to sort out over the next two weeks as they try to determine whether the prophet of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is guilty of two counts of being an accomplice to the rape of a 14-year-old girl. He faces a maximum penalty of life in prison. Mr. Jeffs is the "prophet" of the 15,000-member church that includes about 600 adherents in Bountiful, B.C. The Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (FLDS) is the largest polygamous group in North America, although it represents fewer than half the estimated number of fundamentalist Mormon polygamists in the state of Utah alone. Fundamentalist Mormons broke away from the mainstream church in 1890, when the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints renounced the earthly practice of polygamy. The principle of plural marriage was set out by Mormonism's founder Joseph Smith as a direct order from God and it remains in the mainstream church's holy book, The Doctrines and Covenants, as article 132. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In Polygamy Country, Old Divisions Are Fading | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Kirk Johnson The New York Times Originally published September 10, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE, Utah, Sept. 7 — For generations of rural religious polygamists like those Warren S. Jeffs once led, this was the big town and the citadel of sin all in one. St. George, founded on the southern route to California in wagon train days, was the place to buy groceries or spend an occasional night out. But it was also the local fortress of mainstream Mormonism, which is vehement in its opposition to polygamy. The polygamists, in turn, looked down on Mormons as apostates who lost their way more than 100 years ago by denouncing polygamy, and thus the teachings of the church’s founder, Joseph Smith, in a political compromise to achieve statehood for Utah. Now Mr. Jeffs is being tried on felony charges that he was an accomplice to rape in arranging polygamous marriages between under-age girls and older men, and the jury is being drawn from a pool of St. George residents. The trial is expected to throw a sharp light on polygamy and on the culture of Mr. Jeffs’s group in particular, the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which is estimated to number about 10,000 people throughout the West. Jury selection began Friday, and Mr. Jeffs, 51, could face life in prison if convicted. The old and bitter history of intra-Mormon relations hangs over everything here. But many people said the divisions were not what they once had been. Even as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, as the Mormon Church is known, has cracked down on polygamy in recent years, an intermingling of cultures has begun to bubble up here, opening hearts and minds in greater understanding, if not quite tolerance. Economics, not religion, is driving the change. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jury selection in Jeffs case starts new phase today | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The Spectrum Originally published September 10, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The jury selection process continues today in 5th District Court in the case against polygamist church leader Warren Jeffs. About 300 potential jurors met and filled out questionnaires Friday at the Dixie Center in St. George. Today begins the questioning process by attorneys. The questions will be asked inside the chambers of Judge James Shumate. Eight jurors are expected to be seated for the case, along with two alternates. About 230 of the original 300 could be questioned in an effort to find impartial jurors in the case against Jeffs, who has been charged with rape as an accomplice in connection with an alleged marriage between a teenage girl and her older cousin. Check back later for updates on today's court action, and see tomorrow's print edition of The Spectrum & Daily News for complete coverage. See photo | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| As trial begins for Warren Jeffs, jurors are asked if they can set aside religious beliefs | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Emanuella Grinberg Court TV Originally published September 10, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE, Utah — Potential jurors in the trial of polygamous sect leader Warren Jeffs were asked Friday if they could set aside their feelings about his controversial religious beliefs and focus on whether he "enticed" a teen bride to consummate her marriage to her cousin. Jeffs, the so-called "prophet" and leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (FLDS), faces five years to life in prison if convicted of two counts of rape as an accomplice for allegedly forcing a 14-year-old follower to marry her 19-year-old cousin and have sex with him. On Friday, his trial began with a pool of 300 prospective jurors from Washington County, Utah, appearing in Fifth District Court to fill out a questionnaire screening them for bias or hardship. One of the main topics in the 11-page questionnaire, which prosecutors and defense lawyers will use to help narrow the pool to the eight jurors who will decide Jeffs' fate, addressed the prospective panelists' familiarity with the FLDS, a group that broke from the mainstream Latter-Day Saints, or Mormons, more than a century ago over the issue of polygamy. Although Washington County contains the city of Hildale, one of the main FLDS settlements, it is unclear whether any of its 6,000 residents appeared for jury selection in Jeffs' trial. But, in a jurisdiction where the dominant religion of Mormonism often clashes with the FLDS, the nature of the survey's questions implied that issues of faith could present biases for and against Jeffs. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tough job picking a jury for Jeffs | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Leader of North America's largest polygamist sect has few 'peers' as questionnaire disqualifies many | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Daphne Bramham Vancouver Sun Originally published Tuesday, September 11, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE, Utah - Defendants are promised a jury of their peers, but getting one is impossible if you are a notorious leader of a breakaway polygamist sect. Warren Jeffs is charged as an accomplice to the rape of a 14-year-old girl. He is alleged to have arranged and presided over the marriage of the girl to her 19-year-old first cousin and then counselled the husband to impregnate his wife. The leader of the largest polygamist group in North America was captured only after he was placed on the FBI's 10 Most Wanted list alongside Osama bin Laden. So who should sit in judgment of Warren Jeffs, the prophet of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, whose followers believe he is God's mouthpiece on Earth and a possible god himself? That's what Judge James Shumate, Washington County prosecutors and Jeffs's lawyers are going to extraordinary lengths to determine. They have done something that would be impossible in Canadian courts given our privacy laws and the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. To ensure that he gets an unbiased jury, the lawyers crafted an 11-page, 75-question survey to weed out any undesirables from a pool that started at 300 on Friday and was down to 230 before the questionnaires were even handed out. Another 45 were dismissed Monday based on their written answers. By the end of the day, of the 74 people who appeared, only nine were deemed eligible to go on to the next round when the defence and prosecution each have four pre-emptory challenges -- meaning that they can exclude them without providing any reason. There is now a real possibility that out of 300, there may not be enough people left in the pool to meet the judge's threshold of 28 for the final round of challenges. And if there are not enough people, the trial will have to be moved -- just as Jeffs's lawyers predicted last spring when they asked that the case be heard in Salt Lake City. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Polygamist's trial on rape charges set to start | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Patrice St. Germain and Dennis Wagner USA Today Originally published Tuesday, September 11, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE, Utah — After waiting in the Purgatory Correctional Facility for a year, Warren Steed Jeffs, self-proclaimed leader of the polygamous Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, is about to go on trial on two charges of rape as an accomplice. The charges against Jeffs, 51, do not stem from his church's practice of polygamy, but from Jeffs' role six years ago in the marriage of a 14-year-old girl to her 19-year-old cousin. The girl, identified as Jane Doe IV, testified last November during a preliminary hearing that April 17, 2001, the day she was wed to her first cousin, was "the darkest time in her entire life." Walter Bugden, one of Jeffs' attorneys, says he views the case against Jeffs as religious persecution. The polygamous sect is not affiliated with the mainstream Mormon church, which outlawed polygamy in 1890. Doe testified during the hearing in November that about a month after the marriage, her husband had what she called "husband-wife relations" with her against her will. Doe said that she went to Jeffs repeatedly asking to be released from the marriage and that he told her to be obedient without question. The trial should get underway by the end of the week, depending on when a jury is seated, and last about a week. Bugden said Jeffs merely encouraged the couple to love one another and have a family. "This is no different from the advice that leaders of every religion give to newlyweds," he said. "There is no rape in this case. Officiating at a wedding ceremony does not make Mr. Jeffs an accomplice to rape." Under Utah law, a 14-year-old cannot legally marry even with the consent of parents, and a marriage between first cousins is null and void unless the parties are 65 years of age or older or the parties are 55 years of age and unable to reproduce. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jury pool narrowed down in Jeffs trial | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Nancy Perkins Deseret Morning News Originally published September 11, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE — Attorneys on Monday narrowed down the jury pool in the trial of jailed polygamist leader Warren Jeffs, following a long day of individual questioning before 5th District Judge James L. Shumate. Jeffs is charged with two first-degree felony counts of rape as an accomplice for his role in conducting a spiritual marriage between an unwilling 14-year-old girl and her 19-year-old cousin. Of the initial 300 potential jurors summoned to fill out questionnaires Friday, about 70 either failed to appear or were excused from jury duty that day. Those remaining were asked to arrive at the courthouse Monday morning and afternoon, in blocks of 50 people, for one-on-one interviews. Those assigned to the morning session arrived at 9 a.m. and were taken into the courtroom to wait their turn in Shumate's small office. Although 50 people were expected, 19 had already been excluded based on answers given in their questionnaires. During the afternoon session, another 26 of the 50 people assigned to that time slot were excused before the meeting began. At the end of the day, seven people were dismissed from a field of 29 possible candidates. Another nine people were qualified to be in the final selection process, which left 13 people who were not interviewed on Monday because of time constraints. They will be interviewed first thing Tuesday morning when another group of 50 potential jurors will show up at the courthouse. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jury selection continues in Warren Jeffs' case | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Patrice St. Germain The Spectrum Originally published September 11, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE - The process of questioning potential jurors in the case against Warren Steed Jeffs began Monday in 5th District Court with nine people being deemed as qualified for the jury pool while more than 50 were excluded. During the voir dire process, which is the questioning of prospective jurors by the judge and attorneys to determine if a person is biased or cannot deal with issues fairly, media representatives were allowed to sit in but were ordered by Judge James Shumate not to reveal what the questioning consisted of or the answers of perspective jurors. Jeffs, 51, the leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, which has the tenet of practicing polygamy, has been charged with two counts of rape as an accomplice for his role in arranging a marriage between a 14-year-old girl and her 19-year-old first cousin in 2001. Shumate's office was crowded during the process with three people from the prosecution, three attorneys who are representing Jeffs, a court clerk and recorder, three bailiffs, the potential juror and a media representative, along with Jeffs. Wearing a dark suit with a white shirt and light tie, Jeffs sat in the corner listening to the potential jurors answer questions that expanded on several questions that appeared on the questionnaire the jurors answered Friday. Nancy Volmer, Utah Courts public information officer, said 300 people were requested to answer the questionnaire. About 10 percent of those people were excused either through juror qualification or those requesting to be excused. Another 35 to 40 failed to show up. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jury selection resumes in FLDS leader's trial | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Nancy Perkins Deseret Morning News Originally published September 11, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE — The jury pool is shrinking quickly in FLDS leader Warren Jeffs' upcoming trial on two felony counts of rape as an accomplice. During the second day of individual questioning of potential jurors, attorneys excluded two people, a man and a woman. Of the 300 people summoned to answer a jury questionnaire, only 230 continued to the next phase of questioning that began on Monday in Fifth District Court. That number has steadily declined as attorneys from both sides dismissed people based on their written answers in the questionnaire or after conducting one-on-one interviews. Jeffs, 51, has listened intently and smiled at a few of the people undergoing interviews. So far, only nine potential jurors have been qualified for the jury pool that must include 28 people, according to Judge James L. Shumate, who is presiding over the case. The interviews were closed to the public, although news reporters from various news agencies took turns watching the process. Also, Shumate on Tuesday clarified an earlier decision that prohibited news media from reporting anything that was said during the interviews. His clarification came following of an emergency motion filed by attorneys representing the Utah Media Coalition, which includes the Deseret Morning News. In a notice released Tuesday morning, Shumate requested that the news media exercise discretion in reporting what they observe and hear during the interviews. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Prospective jurors interviewed in polygamist's trial | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Jennifer Dobner The Associated Press KMSB TV - FOX Channel 11 - Tucson Originally published September 11, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE, Utah (AP) -- A majority of 100 prospective jurors were dismissed Monday as a judge began the slow process of interviewing people in the trial of a polygamous-sect leader charged with being an accomplice to rape. Fifth District Judge James Shumate scratched at least 69 people, based on their answers to a questionnaire or for family or medical reasons. More than 200 people filled out a questionnaire Friday, the first step in the selection process. The interviews were closed to the public, although news reporters took turns watching in Shumate's chambers Monday. The judge, however, prohibited the news media from reporting the nature of the questions or the responses. More prospective jurors were expected to be interviewed Tuesday. Warren Jeffs, 51, head of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, is charged with two counts of rape as an accomplice. A woman says she was 14 in 2001 when Jeffs encouraged her 19-year-old cousin to have sex with her against her will after the young couple's spiritual marriage in a Nevada motel. The trial is set for Wednesday here in southwestern Utah. Shumate has said he'll postpone it and move the trial 300 miles north to Salt Lake City if he can't find an impartial jury. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| More jurors questioned today for Jeffs case | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The Spectrum Originally published September 11, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jury selection continues today in 5th District Court in St. George in the case against Warren Jeffs. The 13 remaining potential jurors who weren’t questioned by attorneys and the judge yesterday are in court this morning. Another 39 jurors are expected to be called in this afternoon. Judge James Shumate is seeking 28 jurors for a pool that will be narrowed to eight for the trial, along with four alternates. The case is scheduled to begin later this week. Jeffs, the leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, has been charged with rape as an accomplice in connection with the marriage of a 14-year-old girl and her older first cousin. The scene around the Washington County courthouse was full of activity this morning as news crews from across the nation flocked to prepare for the beginning of the case, which is expected to last seven days once the trial phase starts. Security also is high around the perimeter of the courthouse and is expected to remain until after the trial. Earlier today, Shumate modified an order that had prevented reporters from writing about questioning of potential jurors. The media still is not allowed to report the identities of potential jurors or any personal information about them, which is common in a court case. Check back later at www.thespectrum.com for more information as it becomes available. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Attorneys Agree On 15 Jurors In Jeffs Trial | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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KTNV Channel 13 - Las Vegas Originally broadcast September 11, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Opening statements in the trial of polygamist sect leader Warren Jeffs could begin Wednesday in Utah. So far, attorneys have agreed on 15 jurors. The judge says he needs a pool of at least 28 people in order to make final selections and seat a jury by tomorrow. Eight jurors and four alternates are needed to try Jeffs. He is charged with rape as an accomplice, for allegedly arranging the marriage between a 14 year old girl and her 19 year old cousin. Keep it tuned to Channel 13 Action News for the latest on this trial. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jury selection continues in polygamous-sect leader's trial | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Jennifer Dobner The Associated Press The San Diego Union-Tribune Originally published September 11, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE, Utah – Jury selection for the trial of a polygamous-sect leader resumed Tuesday with potential jurors interviewed in the judge's chambers. Warren Jeffs, the head of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, is charged with two felony counts of rape by accomplice in the arranged religious union of a 14-year-old follower and her 19-year-old cousin in 2001. After considering more than 100 over two days, only 15 people had been qualified for the final jury pool by midday Tuesday. The majority were excused by 5th District Judge James Shumate based on responses to an 11-page questionnaire. He and attorneys planned to speak to at least 52 people Tuesday. Shumate said he needs a final pool of at least 28 people to pick eight jurors and four alternates for opening statements Wednesday. The people questioned so far have ranged in age from 20s to retirees, from skilled-trade workers and homemakers to professionals and others in white-collar jobs. Most seem to know know something about Jeffs and his case, but the level of information varied. One person knew that police found "wigs and computers and money" inside Jeffs' car during his arrest in August 2006, while some said they hadn't followed the case beyond the capture. Most have also said believed they could be a fair juror, and many expressed a certain tolerance for the religious practices of the FLDS church, which include polygamy. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Opening Statements in Warren Jeffs' Trial May Begin Thursday | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Edward Lawrence, Reporter KLAS-TV Channel 8 - Las Vegas Originally broadcast September 11, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jury selection continued Tuesday, for a third day, in the trial of polygamist leader Warren Jeffs in St. George, Utah. Jeffs is the polygamist leader of the Fundamentalist LDS church. Prospective jurors met in the judges chambers. Finding people hasn't been easy because of the sensitive nature of the trial with its polygamist roots and allegations of young women being forced into marriage with older men. So far, only 20 people have qualified for consideration. Eight jurors and four alternates are needed. They have 15 jurors left to interview, so jury selection will continue Wednesday. The belief is that opening statements should start Thursday. Jeffs faces two counts of rape as an accomplice for arranging the marriage of an underage girl and an older man. Three hundred potential jurors filled out questionnaires on Friday. On Monday, only 76 were called for one-on-one interviews with attorneys because of limited courthouse space. The remaining juror pool will be questioned Tuesday and Wednesday. By court order, the media cannot show their faces on television. None of the members of the public were allowed to hear the questioning, but that did not stop former members of the FLDS church from showing up. Flora Jessop, former FLDS member, said, "It's not okay to let these guys walk away. Women don't have the right to say no. Ever." Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sect leader facing rape trial to use faith as his defence | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Ian Munro Herald Correspondent in New York and agencies The Syndey Morning Herald - Sydney, Australia Originally published September 11, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| THE US is both religious and religiously tolerant, but if the nation's founding fathers could have imagined someone like Warren Jeffs, they may not have been so ready to embrace freedom of worship. Jeffs, 51, the leader of a polygamous Mormon sect, is about to stand trial for being an accomplice to the rape of a 14-year-old girl. He is reputed to have dozens of wives, some inherited from his father. The girl was married to her 19-year-old cousin in 2001, and the marriage consummated weeks later, all at Jeffs insistence. She will be the principal witness against Jeffs, who took over formal leadership of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints when his father died in 2002. As the church's leader, or "prophet", Jeffs claims to be in direct contact with God and therefore determines who can marry whom. The girl reportedly twice told Jeffs she did not want to marry or have sex. He is allleged to have told her it was her spiritual duty and that it was sanctioned by God. In addition to the girl, two men are expected to give evidence about Jeffs's interference in their sexual relations with their wives, and about his instructions to persist with underage weddings regardless of state law. By Jeffs's reasoning, to oppose him is to oppose the will of God, although divine guidance failed him in August last year. He had been on the run when police stopped him for having an illegible car number plate, and he was arrested. While the trial is about justice for one woman, it is also likely to excite public interest for its insights into the 12,000-strong community Jeffs leads. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| What Part of "No" Don’t You Understand? | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Kathleen Flake, Associate Professor, Religious History On Faith Newsweek and The Washington Post Originally published September 11, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| What else is there to say to religious extremists besides "no"? No, you are wrong. No, whatever merit there might have been to your aspirations or your complaint, your violent means have nullified it. No, you will fail eventually, as do all who attempt to coerce the conscience. However much these words need to be said to those who murdered 2,974 people on a single day six years ago and are still committing mayhem, I am not that someone. These words need to be said within Islam, by Muslims to extremist Muslims; just as they need to be said within all human communities oriented to an ideal – religious or secular. In religious matters, too, we must think globally, but act locally, if we are to have any effect. It is, first, at home that we must contradict the perverse idealism of the ideological extremist, religious or otherwise. If we can’t talk our own off the ledge, we have little say -- authoritatively anyway -- to others. So, whether your folk are blowing up women’s clinics, practicing white or black supremacy, or one of the other favored expressions of religio-political extremism, I invite you commemorate September 11 by saying "no" to extremism among your own, not just to others. My own is Mormonism and, though it is a relatively new and small tradition, it is intense and full of the kind of pitfalls that characterize revelatory communities. Many extremists have been drawn to it and many others have been drawn away from it into extremism. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Despite leader's trial, sect slow to evolve | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| As polygamist Warren Jeffs faces accomplice-to-rape charges, only little progress is seen at the enclave he once controlled on the Arizona-Utah border. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Nicholas Riccardi Los Angeles Times Originally published September 12, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| COLORADO CITY, ARIZ. -- -- Progress is measured slowly here. To Isaac Wyler, it is a sign of the times that he can sit at a picnic table at a park. Three years ago, when Wyler was exiled from a polygamist sect that dominates this slice of the Arizona-Utah border, the park and everything in town was under control of the group's prophet, Warren Jeffs. Wyler, 41, was told he had no right to stay in his home or be out in public. This week, Jeffs was put on trial, charged with two counts of being an accomplice to the rape of a 14-year-old girl whose wedding to a 19-year-old cousin he presided over. And Wyler hopes his nightmare here is coming to an end. "It's like the end of a long tunnel," he said. "You're finally starting to see the light." For years, dissidents from the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints complained that Jeffs was a virtual monarch in this isolated stretch of red-rock country. They alleged that he ordered girls to marry, demanded that men add new brides to their families and expelled people from the 10,000-strong group for seemingly no reason, severing them from their families. For years, Arizona and Utah officials were reluctant to take on the sect, which the Mormon Church has disavowed. But in 2005, Arizona appointed a receiver for the Colorado City school district, park and other properties. Authorities pursued Jeffs on sex-crimes allegations; the prophet fled and became one of the FBI's 10 most wanted. He was arrested last year in a Cadillac Escalade outside Las Vegas. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Arguments filed over Jeffs' recorded statements | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Nancy Perkins Deseret Morning News Originally published September 12, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE — Prosecutors in the Warren Jeffs trial want to use a recorded "revelation" uttered by Jeffs that warns followers of a "conspiracy" facing the polygamous sect. The statements, made by Jeffs in 2003 to a group of men, were recorded and transcribed, according to a motion filed in 5th District Court on Wednesday. Prosecutors argue that the statements should be allowed as evidence because they show Jeffs' mental state when it comes to performing underage marriages. The defense has filed a motion to exclude the comments. A transcript of the recorded revelation is included in the motion. In it, Jeffs states, "a secret combination was in place between the apostates everywhere, many of them, and the government officials, and also traitors and half-hearted men, false brethren among the Priesthood people. And that conspiracy involved the passing of these laws, to call us criminal by performing marriages, so-called 'under-age' marriages." Prosecutors are focusing on several statements made by Jeffs, who reportedly said, "no person, no court, no government, no people on the face of the whole earth has the right or authority to bring God into question what He has His Prophets do in the Celestial Law among his Priesthood people on His consecrated lands." Members of the Fundamentalist LDS Church refer to the practice of plural marriage as the doctrine of Celestial Law or the Everlasting Covenant. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jurors asked to look into Jeffs' eyes | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Patrice St. Germain The Spectrum Originally published September 12, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE - During voir dire questioning of potential jurors Tuesday, Walter Bugden, one of Warren Jeffs' attorneys, asked jurors if they could look Jeffs in the eyes and presume him innocent. One potential female juror quickly glanced at Jeffs and said she could and said she had the same conversation with herself on Monday amid brief laughter in the room where the questioning was held. "I can't talk to anyone else (because of jury instructions)," the woman said in response to the laughter. "I have a lot of compassion for anyone sitting in that seat (Jeffs' position)." Potential jurors were questioned by Bugden and Craig Barlow, a member of the prosecution team, on their knowledge of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and their feelings about the church's core principals of plural marriage and marriage through revelation. Jeffs, 51, will be on trial on two counts of rape as an accomplice for allegedly arranging a marriage between a 14-year-old girl and her 19-year-old cousin. By Tuesday night, 20 of the 28 potential jurors Judge James L. Shumate wants in the qualified jury pool, had been found. Several potential jurors commented that they had family members who were married through an arranged marriage and others said although they did not agree with the concept of plural or arranged marriages, they understood it was the FLDS church's belief and said it did not bother them. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jeffs' jury selection continues | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| County attorney files to admit statement on under-age marriage | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The Spectrum Originally published September 12, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE – The jury selection process is continuing at 5th District Court this morning as 15 potential jurors are scheduled for their voir dire appearances. As of Tuesday evening, 20 of the 28 qualified jurors Judge James L. Shumate wants for a pool had been selected. The pool of 28 will be narrowed down to eight jurors and four alternates in the trial against Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints prophet Warren Steed Jeffs. Jeffs, 51, will go on trial for two counts of rape as an accomplice for his role in arranging a marriage between a 14-year old girl and her 19-year old cousin. The girl, identified as Jane Doe IV said in the preliminary hearing in November that April 17, 2001, the day she was married in a spiritual marriage conducted by Jeffs was "the darkest time in her entire life." In other court news, the Washington County Attorney’s Office filed a memorandum in opposition to motion in limine to exclude statements regarding prosecution. The memorandum says that the state opposed the defendant's motion to exclude certain statements made by the defense because they are admission of a party opponent that constitute evidence of Jeffs' mental state with respect to the performance of underage marriages. The performance of an underage marriage is a key piece of evidence in the state’s case. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Witness list at Jeffs trial almost a family affair | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Daphne Bramham Vancouver Sun Originally published Wednesday, September 12, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE, Utah - Mothers will be pitted against daughters, sons against fathers when the trial of Warren Jeffs, the polygamous prophet, begins possibly on Thursday. The splitting of families on the witness lists echoes the fissure Jeffs has caused in the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (FLDS) and also the deep and unbridgeable gap between those who still believe in the FLDS and those who don't. The FLDS is a breakaway sect of the mainstream Mormon church that has about 8,000 members in the twin towns of Hildale, Utah, and Colorado City, Ariz., a thousand or more in Eldorado, Tex., and about 600 followers in Bountiful, B.C. FLDS members continue to practise polygamy and believe only men with multiple wives enter the highest realm of heaven. They believe their prophet speaks directly to God and gets revelations about who should marry whom. Jeffs is charged with two counts of being an accomplice to the rape of a 14-year-old girl who he assigned to marry her 19-year-old first cousin. After the marriage, Jeffs is alleged to have counselled the husband on several occasions to impregnate his child bride. He is not on trial for polygamy, or for exercising absolute control over his followers. But it would be impossible for the state to make its case without establishing the context within which the assignment marriage was made and establishing in what kind of a community the 14-year-old was born, raised and educated. The victim -- known as MJ in the court -- is now in her early 20s. In addition to her testimony, the prosecutors have listed as potential witnesses two of her sisters, her father and her brother. The defence have her mother and another sister on their list, presumably to contradict what MJ and the other family members say. MJ's husband -- the man who allegedly raped her -- is also on the defence list as is the husband of one sister whose testimony will support MJ's allegations. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Utah Jurors Dismissed in Polygamist Case | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Many Potential Jurors Are Disqualified in Trial of Polygamous Sect Leader Warren Jeffs | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Jennifer Dobner The Associated Press ABC News Originally published September 12, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE, Utah - Prospective jurors in the trial of a polygamous-sect leader have expressed some firm views about polygamy and arranged marriage opinions that were strong enough to weed out the majority of people summoned to the courthouse. After Tuesday's session, more than 200 people have been considered to hear the criminal case against Warren Jeffs. But the judge and attorneys so far have declared only 20 qualify for the final pool. Jeffs, the head of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, is charged with two felony counts of rape by accomplice in the arranged religious union of a 14-year-old follower and her 19-year-old cousin in 2001. Although a handful of people were dismissed because of medical, family or professional reasons, most were excused based on their responses to an 11-page questionnaire. Defense attorneys argued months ago that intense media coverage of the case in Washington County had spoiled any possible jury, justifying a change of venue. Fifth District Judge James Shumate said he'd move the trial 300 miles north to Salt Lake City only if an impartial jury can't be found. Shumate wants a final pool of at least 28 people to pick eight jurors and four alternates. Fifteen people were told to report to his chambers Wednesday for interviews. The outcome will determine if another batch of 50 prospective jurors will be called, court spokeswoman Nancy Volmer said. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jeffs jury pool up to 24 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The Spectrum Originally published September 12, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE — Jury selection in the case against Warren Steed Jeffs continued this afternoon in 5th District Court. By today's lunch break, 15 potential jurors left over from Tuesday’s pool had been whittled down with some excused and some added to the qualified jury pool, which is now up to 24. Judge James L. Shumate wants a qualified jury pool of 28 jurors, which will then be narrowed down to eight jurors and four alternates. Another 33 potential jurors were called to court after lunch and 27 were dismissed with six remaining to complete the voir dire process. Once 28 qualified jurors are found and the final 12 selected, opening statements will begin. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jeffs jury pool set | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Trial begins tomorrow | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The Spectrum Originally published September 12, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE – Following three days of questioning, a qualified juror pool of 28 potential jurors has been found for the state’s case against Warren Steed Jeffs. Jeffs, 51, faces two counts as rape as an accomplice for his role in allegedly arranging a marriage between a 14-year-old girl and her 19-year-old cousin in 2001. Jeffs is the leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Days Saints, whose followers practice principal doctrines that include plural and arranged marriages. Thursday morning in 5th District Court, the 28 people in the jury pool will be narrowed down to eight jurors and four alternates. According to Utah Courts public information officer Nancy Volmer, the potential jurors will be brought in at 9 a.m. for the final selection. The selected jurors for the Jeffs trial will be released while Judge James L. Shumate rules on pending motions. The jury will be back in court at 1:30 p.m. for jury instructions, opening arguments and witness testimony. For more, please see tomorrow's edition of The Spectrum & Daily News. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jurors chosen for polygamist 'Prophet's' trial | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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From Amanda Townsend CNN Originally published September 12, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SAINT GEORGE, Utah (CNN) -- Polygamist sect leader Warren Jeffs was flown by helicopter to the Utah courthouse where his trial on rape-accomplice charges begins Thursday with lawyers laying out their cases for the jury. Jeffs, shackled and wearing a bulletproof vest over green and white striped jail garb, was escorted under heavy security into court in St. George. Security around the courthouse has been tight because of the trial's high profile and Jeffs' influence as a religious leader. No followers, however, were present inside or outside the courthouse during the morning's jury selection. Jeffs had changed into a suit and silver tie for court and smiled at the pool of jurors. Seven women and five men were seated for the trial, which is expected to last two weeks. Attorneys for both sides will give their opening statements later in the afternoon. Jeffs is accused of coercing an unwilling 14-year-old girl to marry her older cousin. Prosecutors contend that Jeffs' role in placing the child bride in a marriage she did not want makes him responsible for her rape. The defense maintains that Jeffs and his followers believe the state is persecuting them for their religious beliefs. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jury to be seated Thursday in trial of polygamous sect leader | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Jennifer Dobner The Associated Press Houston Chronicle Originally published September 12, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE, Utah — A jury of eight people and four alternates will be chosen Thursday to hear the case against a Southern Utah polygamous sect leader charged with two felony counts of rape by accomplice. Fifth District Judge James Shumate, prosecutors and defense attorneys pared down an original pool of 300 Washington County residents to 28 people from whom the jury will be selected. The trial is expected to begin Thursday afternoon with jury instructions and opening statements, said Utah State Courts spokeswoman Nancy Volmer. Jeffs is the head of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. He is accused of using his influence as a church leader in 2001 to coerce a 14-year-old girl to enter into a religious union and have sex with her 19-year-old cousin over her objections. She has testified that Jeffs told her she risked her salvation if she refused. If convicted, Jeffs, 51, could spend the rest of his life in jail. Many had speculated it would be difficult to seat an impartial jury in Washington County because of extensive media coverage and because Jeffs' insular FLDS church is based only about 50 miles east in the twin border towns of Hildale, Utah, and Colorado City, Ariz. The sect also has built a large development in the remote West Texas town of Eldorado, about 40 miles south of San Angelo. At least one man from the jury pool was dismissed Wednesday after telling the judge he had read about jury selection in the St. George newspaper, The Spectrum, before reporting to the courthouse. Prospective jurors were told to avoid media reports. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jeffs' Instructional Tapes Could Play Role in Trial | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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John Hollenhorst Reporting KSL TV Channel 5 Originally broadcast September 12, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Court proceedings for polygamist leader Warren Jeffs crossed a major threshold today. The judge in the rape-as-an-accomplice case approved the last of 28 prospective jurors, paving the way for the trial to begin tomorrow. Today answered a question that's hovered over the case for two years: can enough unbiased jurors be found to sit in judgment? The judge ruled that 28 out of 300 originally called to jury duty are legally qualified. Tomorrow, attorney challenges will narrow them down to eight jurors and four alternates. It's possible the voice of Warren Jeffs will come back to haunt him. Jay Beswick is an anti-polygamy, anti-child-abuse activist. In the back of his pickup truck he has the 'Mother Lode' of Warren Jeffs audiotapes, more than 400 of them. Beswick started collecting the tapes years ago, but lately he hit paydirt. He obtained hundreds of devotionals intended for the FLDS faithful. He found the tapes mostly by working the Internet. Beswick said, "Especially the Texas polygamy blog, there's a lot of talk of apostates leaving that were trying to make money to get out of Colorado City. I began to buy the tapes and pay them anywhere from a dollar to five dollars per tape in order to access tapes." It's a bargain, he says, since Jeffs charged his followers six dollars a tape. "He sold them to the faithful, and they were supposed to listen to them on a daily basis to keep them close to the prophet, basically," Beswick said. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Polygamists, yes, but no new slogan seen at Utah Wal-Mart | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Alexandria Sage Reuters Shop Talk Originally published September 12, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wal-Mart’s new slogan: "Save Money. Live Better" was nowhere in sight on Wednesday at a supercenter in St. George, Utah, a state where big families are the norm and saving money a priority. "Wal-Mart is big here in Utah," said shopper Curtis Ilkenhans. "Everyone wants to save money and they’ve got a lot of kids." Neither managers nor employees had heard about Wal-Mart’s new advertising campaign, announced today, with one clerk asking this reporter: "Is it: ‘We all get raises?’" "It’s bad when the reporter knows more than we do," she said. Wal-Mart’s previous slogan, used for 19 years, was "Always low prices." The promise of saving money is a draw which makes this Wal-Mart the one-stop store of choice for the area’s polygamists, approximately 7,500 of whom live in the nearby communities of Hildale, Utah and Colorado City, Arizona. Reuters was in St. George to attend the upcoming criminal trial of polygamous sect leader Warren Jeffs, who is charged as an accomplice to rape for arranging an underage marriage. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Polygamist prophet is now a criminal defendant | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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From Amanda Townsend CNN Originally published September 12, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ARIZONA-UTAH BORDER (CNN) -- After 115 days on the FBI's most-wanted list and a year in solitary confinement in a jail called Purgatory, the leader of the nation's largest polygamist sect is going on trial in St. George, Utah. Warren Steed Jeffs, 51, holds the title of President and Prophet, Seer and Revelator of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, also known as the FLDS. He stands accused of being an accomplice to rape. The trial is in its fourth day of jury selection. The charges stem from Jeffs' alleged practice of arranging marriages between adult male followers and underage brides. The young accuser at the center of the trial is under police protection. "Jane Doe," as she is known in court documents, was 14 at the time she says Jeffs forced her into a "spiritual marriage" with a 19-year-old first cousin. The two were married in Las Vegas by the prophet. "The whole time I was there I was crying. I wanted to die. I was so scared," the reluctant child bride testified at a preliminary hearing. She told authorities her husband's demands for sex made her uncomfortable. But when she sought the advice of the prophet, she says he told her it was her spiritual duty to submit to her husband, who is her "priesthood head and leader." If she didn't, he warned, she'd lose her "salvation," according to an affidavit. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| US sect leader due to stand trial | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The trial is due to begin in Utah this week of a US polygamist sect leader accused of coercing a 14-year-old girl into marriage with her older cousin. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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BBC News Originally published Wednesday, 12 September 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Warren Jeffs, 51, has been in custody since August 2006, when he was arrested in Nevada after 15 months on the run. He has pleaded not guilty to two counts of being an accomplice to rape. If convicted, he could face life in jail. Mr Jeffs leads the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (FLDS) in Arizona and Utah. The sect leader went into hiding after being charged in Arizona with sexual misconduct for allegedly arranging marriages between minors and older men. He was on the FBI's Ten Most Wanted list at the time of his arrest, which came when he was pulled over during a routine check by traffic police near Las Vegas. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Arizona AG Watches Jeff's Utah Trial Closely | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Doug Ramsey KTAR News 92.3 - Phoenix Originally broadcast September 12, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The Warren Jeffs trial in Utah is being watched very carefully by the Arizona attorney general. Terry Goddard said the trial's start is almost anti-climactic because it took so long to catch Jeffs, and then a year of pre-trial preparations. But Goddard says it's an important moment for both Arizona and Utah. "This is someone who has, in my opinion, systematically flaunted the law and abused many of his followers and is being held accountable to the laws that prohibit that abuse," Goddard said. Jeffs also faces charges in Arizona. Goddard will have observers at the trial in preparation for Arizona's prosecution. "I'm not ready to predict what's going to happen, but I do know that regardless of the outcome in Utah there will be another trial on similar charges in Mohave County, Arizona, in Kingman," Goddard said. Goddard said his office is working with the Mohave County Attorney. "We're going to do everything we can to provide him backup when it comes to trial in Arizona," Goddard said. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Inside the World of Warren Jeffs | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Greta Van Susteren On the Record Fox News Originally broadcast Wednesday, September 12, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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GRETA VAN SUSTEREN, HOST: Former assistant DA Jim Hammer was in the courtroom today for the Warren Jeffs trial, and he came face to face with the polygamist leader. Jim joins us live outside the St. George, Utah, courthouse. Jim, tell me, how was it today? What did you see and what did you learn?
JIM HAMMER, FORMER ASST. SAN FRANCISCO DA: Well, like you said, Greta, I was face to face for the first time with Warren Jeffs as I was led in the judge's private conference room where this voir dire was happening. I was one of two media representatives. The questioning went on — and we've talked about that the case is not about polygamy or his religious faith. More than half of the questions, Greta, dealt asking the jurors about polygamy, about their own religious faith and about their views about Jeffs' own FLDS. But probably the most shocking moment, Greta, was when his defense attorneys told some of the jurors that they would hear evidence not just that Jeffs presided over the wedding of the accuser in this case and her alleged rapist, but that he got direct revelations from God about who should marry whom in this community. Shocking stuff in that courtroom today. VAN SUSTEREN: Jim, how about the responses to those questions and the people who responded in any particular way, were they — are they going to remain as part of the panel or not? HAMMER: Well, I'll tell you, it's been very tough sledding in there. I watched four different jurors during two different sessions. Of the four, Greta, three got kicked off. And I've got to say, the judge in this case, who I met for the first time today, is very actively involved in this, and I'll tell you, is bending over backwards to make sure that there's a fair jury. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jeffs jurors winnowed; trial to start | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Nancy Perkins Deseret Morning News Originally published September 13, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE — Polygamist sect leader Warren Jeffs will know by midmorning which of 28 Washington County residents will become part of the jury that will determine his fate. After four days of reviewing questionnaires filled out by 230 of the 300 county residents summoned to jury duty, attorneys interviewed jury candidates on an individual basis. Dozens of potential jurors were dismissed before reaching that process, and more were excused after undergoing the one-on-one interviews. Fifth District Judge James Shumate and attorneys on both sides took part in questioning the potential jurors, asking them to clarify their written answers or expand on them. Several possible jurors said during interviews that they knew Jeffs was the prophet or leader of the Fundamentalist LDS Church, which teaches its members that polygamy is a sacred duty. A few people were tossed out early in the interviews after admitting they recently read or watched news accounts of the case. One of the final potential jurors interviewed was a middle-aged man from Ivins, a small community outside of St. George. When questioned about his attitude toward polygamy, the man, who said he was an active member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, said he wasn't for it or against it. "I don't really have an answer for that," he said. "It might be a good thing for some people." Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Knowing too much about jurors not always the best | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Utah is so keen for Warren Jeffs to have a fair trial that extraordinary measures have been taken | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Daphne Bramham Vancouver Sun Originally published Thursday, September 13, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE, Utah - The trial of Warren Jeffs, leader of the largest polygamist group in North America, will start this afternoon. It has taken four days to whittle the jury pool from 300 to 28. Prospective jurors have answered 75 written questions and been interviewed for an average of 15 minutes each to weed out any with strong opinions about polygamy, Jeffs, the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, arranged marriages and even the government. This morning, lawyers will reduce the 28 to eight jurors and four alternates and clean up some pre-trial motions before the real work begins. Even though polygamy is illegal in Utah and against the state's constitution, Jeffs is not charged with that. He has pleaded not guilty to two counts of being an accomplice to the rape of a 14-year-old girl by her 19-year-old first cousin. Jeffs married the pair in a religious ceremony and allegedly counselled the husband to impregnate the girl. The extensive questioning of prospective jurors is unheard of in Canada. Even individual interviews are unusual in the United States. But Utah is so keen for Jeffs to have a fair trial that extraordinary measures have been taken. Judge James Shumate, the prosecutors, defence lawyers and Jeffs himself all know a great deal about the jurors. Not only have they quizzed people about their biases, religious or moral qualms and media-instilled ideas about Jeffs and the FLDS, they have also pummelled them with questions about whether they truly believe Jeffs is innocent until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt. One prospect was asked to look Jeffs in the eye and say that. It would never happen in Canada. But does it ensure a fairer trial? Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Down to 28 jurors | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Patrtice St. Germain The Spectrum Originally published September 13, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE - After three days of questioning potential jurors, 28 people have been found to sit in the jury pool in the case against Warren Steed Jeffs. Beginning today at 9 a.m., the final jury selection will begin in 5th District Court to find eight jurors and four alternates. Following the jury selection, Judge James L. Shumate will excuse the jury and address any pending motions before having the jury return at 1:30 p.m. for jury instructions, opening arguments and the first witness. Jeffs, 51, the leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, will be on trial for two counts of rape as an accomplice for allegedly arranging the marriage between a 14-year-old girl and her 19-year-old cousin in 2001. During the questioning of potential jurors, several points were brought up that expanded on the jury questionnaire, which was filled out by approximately 230 people on Friday at the Dixie Center. Walter Bugden, one of Jeffs' attorneys, spoke about the FLDS church's core principles, which include plural marriage and marriage through revelation and that the revelation is done through the prophet of the church, who is Jeffs. Jurors in the case will receive a definition of terms, including the definition of rape, criminal responsibility for conduct of another and the elements of the offense of rape as an accomplice. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Polygamy trial begins in Utah | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Reports of underage sex support state's case against Warren Jeffs | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Story by ABC News 49 ABC KTKA - Topeka, Kansas Originally broadcast Thursday, September 13, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Today, jurors will hear opening statements in the trial of Warren Jeffs, the polygamist leader and self-proclaimed prophet who faces life in prison if he's found guilty of forcing young girls to marry older men. Candi Shapley is just one of the women who told ABC News' her story about life under Jeffs. She says he married her off in hotel at just 16 years old. Her husband was 12 years older and already had another wife. She says he forced her to have sex. "One time, he actually held me down, covered my mouth, you know, ripped my clothes off. And that was because I told him I didn't, I wasn't ready to have children," Shapley said. Stories like Shapley's put Jeffs on the FBI's Most Wanted list and on trial in Utah. He is the leader of the fundamentalist Church of Latter Day Saints. His followers live in hidden desert enclaves, where they say religious freedom protects their right to have multiple wives. He is on trial for marrying off a young teen and encouraging her to have sex. "He's telling her if you don't have sex with this person, you're going to hell," said Criminal Defense attorney Monica Lindstrom. The state's case rests on the testimony of Jane Doe IV, a former sect member who told prosecutors about her marriage to a cousin when she was just 14, calling it "the darkest time of my entire life." "People throughout the community are going to be very bitter about her testifying against their religious leader," Private Investigator Sam Brower said. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Utah trial elicits scorn, support for polygamy | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The trial of the leader of the largest polygamist sect in the United States is forcing people in Utah, where polygamy has a long history, to confront a practice that many would prefer stay hidden. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Alexandria Sage Reuters Manawatu Standard - Fairfax, New Zealand Originally published Thursday, 13 September 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Opening statements are expected to begin on Thursday in the trial of Warren Jeffs, the self-proclaimed prophet of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, a secretive sect of 7500 members who practice polygamy or what they call plural marriage. He is accused of being an accomplice to rape by masterminding a marriage between a 14-year-old girl and her cousin. The case has brought fresh national attention to polygamy and renewed debate in Utah about the practice. Reactions in the state vary from embarrassment and disbelief to support and pleas for tolerance. The Mormon religion, which is headquartered in Salt Lake City, originally promoted polygamy and its founder, Joseph Smith, took at least two dozen wives. But the church renounced it in 1890 and now strongly opposes the practice. As the Jeffs case brings it back into the open, many in Utah scorn what they see as a backward tradition, a view that supporters deem is unfair. "The ones that are hardest on us are the ones who had it in their background in the first place," said Ross Chatwin, a former sect member with only one wife who has criticised Jeffs but supports the polygamous culture. "It's almost like it's an embarrassment to them – they wished it never happened. They want it to go away and they want it to disappear." Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jeffs trial judge says polygamy isn't the issue | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Jennifer Dobner The Associated Press The Denver Post Originally published September 13, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| St. George, Utah - The judge overseeing the trial of a polygamous-sect leader said Wednesday that polygamists often see themselves involved in a civil-rights struggle, similar to blacks who "refused to sit in the back of the bus" in the 1950s. Fifth District Judge James Shumate's explanation occurred during an interview with a prospective juror in the case of Warren Jeffs, the head of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, during a discussion of the legality of polygamy. Polygamy advocates have long contended that the freedom to practice plural marriage as part of their religion is a civil-rights matter. Jeffs is charged with two felony counts of rape by accomplice in the arranged religious union of a 14-year-old follower and her 19-year-old cousin in 2001. Polygamy is not an issue in the case, but FLDS members practice polygamy, believing it brings exaltation in heaven, and it probably will emerge at trial. Polygamy is "held as an intentional act of civil disobedience, just as in the civil-rights era when some members of our African-American community refused to sit in the back of the bus," Shumate said. But polygamy, he said, "cannot be allowed by jurors to be a focus of concern." Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Warren Jeffs trial jury chosen | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Daphne Bramham Vancouver Sun Originally published Thursday, September 13, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| It took only 15 minutes to choose eight jurors and four alternates in the trial of Warren Jeffs, the leader of the largest polygamous group in North America. Jeffs is charged with two counts of being an accomplice to the rape of a 14-year-old girl. Jeffs arranged the marriage of the girl to her 19-year-old first cousin. Among the jurors are five men and seven women. This afternoon, the jury will receive their instructions from Judge James Shumate, hear opening statements from prosecution and defence and possibly the first witnesses. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Final jury selected in Jeffs case | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Nancy Perkins Deseret Morning News Originally published September 13, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE — After a half hour of deliberations, a jury has been seated in the trial of polygamist sect leader Warren Jeffs. The panel of seven women and five men were sworn in and instructed to avoid discussing the case, going to any location mentioned in the case, or expressing any opinion about it until final deliberations begin. Judge James Shumate dismissed the jury until 1:30 p.m., when the trial will begin with jury instructions and opening statements. The judge will hear several pre-trial motions from attorneys this morning that deal with admissibility of certain evidence and other matters. The final jury was selected from a qualified roster of 28 potential jurors culled from an initial pool of 300 candidates. Eight jurors and four alternates were named, although the jurors were not informed which slot they were assigned. Among those selected are several members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; a young mother with small children at home; an unmarried man in his 20s who works at a store selling children's clothing; a middle-aged woman who works in management; and a Realtor, who said he is now working a second job because the market has slowed in Washington County. Jeffs, 51, actively participated in the jury selection process. He smiled at the jurors when he entered the courtroom and discussed the candidates with his attorneys, referring often to notes he took during the individual interviews held earlier this week. Shumate cautioned the news media that the seated jury and those who were called, but not chosen for duty, cannot be approached until the trial is over. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Opening statements scheduled in trial of polygamist sect leader Warren Jeffs | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Emanuella Grinberg Court TV Originally published September 13, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE, Utah (Court TV) - Opening statements are scheduled for Thursday afternoon in the trial of a polygamist sect leader accused of coercing a reluctant teen bride into consummating her marriage to her cousin. After three days of jury selection, prosecutors and defense lawyers in the case of Warren Jeffs whittled down a pool of 300 prospective jurors to 28 finalists on Wednesday. On Thursday, lawyers selected a final panel of five men and seven women. The jury, which includes at least two Mormons, at least one Catholic and one member of the Greek Orthodox Church, will convene in Fifth District Court in St. George, Utah, to hear evidence in Jeffs' trial on two counts of rape as an accomplice. Judge James Shumate said he would have moved the selection process to another jurisdiction had they not been able to find unbiased jurors in Washington County, where Jeffs' Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is based in Hildale, Utah, and Colorado City, Ariz. Jeffs, 51, faces five years to life in prison if convicted of enticing a 14-year-old follower to marry her 19-year-old cousin and have sex with him against her wishes. As the prophet of the FLDS church, which broke from mainstream Mormonism over the issue of polygamy more than a century ago, Jeffs' followers believe that God reveals to him who should be married and when the marriage should occur. The alleged victim in this case claims that, when she voiced her objections to Jeffs over the union, he told her she would face eternal damnation if she did not fulfill her duties as a wife. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Polygamist leader goes on trial over teen cousins' marriage | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The Associated Press USA Today Originally published September 13, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE, Utah (AP) — Seven women and five men were selected as jurors Thursday to decide whether the leader of a polygamist sect coerced a 14-year-old girl into marrying her older cousin. Warren Jeffs, the head of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, which broke away from the Mormon church, is charged with two counts of rape by accomplice in the girl's marriage to her 19-year-old cousin. The girl has testified that Jeffs told her she risked her salvation if she refused to enter the religious union in 2001. Jeffs, 51, was a fugitive for nearly two years and was on the FBI's Most Wanted list when he was arrested during a traffic stop outside Las Vegas. If convicted, he could spend the rest of his life behind bars. Jeffs has led the FLDS church since 2002. Followers see him as a prophet who communicates with God and holds dominion over their salvation. Former church members say the one-time school principal reigns with an iron fist, demanding perfect obedience from followers. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Media objects to "sealed motion" in Jeffs trial | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The Spectrum Originally published September 13, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE — Attorneys representing a media coalition that includes The Spectrum & Daily News are in court at this hour arguing that a sealed motion filed by the defense in the Warren Jeffs case is "procedurally improper and contrary to the constitutional principles established" in case law. The argument is being presented as a continuing effort to open all pertinent and relevant information related to the Jeffs trial to the public. All that is known about the document in question is that it was filed in 5th District Court on Wednesday. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Trial Begins for Polygamist Warren Jeffs | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jeffs Accused of Coercing 14-Year-Old Into Having Sex With Her Cousin | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Christopher Francescani and Mary Harris ABC News Originally published September 13, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE, Utah, Sept. 13, 2007 — Opening statements are expected to begin this afternoon in the Utah trial of Warren Jeffs, the leader of a desert-based polygamous community, who is accused of forcing a 14-year-old girl to have sex with her 19-year-old cousin. Jeffs, 51, head of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, is charged with two counts of rape by accomplice. The accuser testified at a preliminary hearing that Jeffs had insisted that if she didn't marry and have sex with her older cousin, she risked her own salvation. One of the key tenets of FLDS, as it's known locally, is the belief that the group's men must have at least three wives to achieve salvation in the afterlife. Women in the sect seek salvation by submitting unquestioningly to their husbands, fathers and Jeffs, their prophet, according to published teachings and law enforcement officials. Arranged marriages between male church elders and young teenage girls have long been commonplace, say critics and former members of the sect. "I think a lot of people think of this as a polygamy case or a religious case, but this case is really about child abuse," Sam Brower told ABC News. Brower, a private investigator hired by a number of former sect members who have claimed in civil lawsuits that Jeffs' abused them, has been investigating sect activities for four years. "A 14-year-old little girl that was placed into an illegal sham marriage, an incestuous marriage with her first cousin. This case is about child abuse," Brower said. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Trial Begins for Polygamist Warren Jeffs | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Wade Goodwyn Legal Affairs - Morning Edition National Public Radio Originally broadcast September 13, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The trial of Warren Jeffs is under way in St. George, Utah. Jeffs is the leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, the nation's largest polygamist sect. The trial centers on the arranged marriage of an underage teenager to her cousin. But the prosecution's case against the 51-year-old polygamist is not considered a certainty. The Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints believes that in order for men to reach the highest degree of glory in heaven, they must have at least three wives. The man designated as the group's prophet holds enormous sway because it is he who decides whether a follower is worthy of more wives. This power is at the heart of the prosecution's case against Jeffs. "That's their theory, is that he wielded a great deal of religious mind control over his followers. And that his word was the equivalent of the word of God, so if they didn't obey him, they were disobeying God," says Aric Cramer, a Utah criminal defense attorney who has followed the case. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Morning Buzz: Sept. 14, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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News Desk U.S. News & World Report Originally published September 14, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The trial of polygamist sect leader Warren Jeffs began yesterday with testimony from the teenage bride pressured by Jeffs at age 14 to marry her 19-year-old cousin. Jeffs, the leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, is being tried on two felony counts of rape by accomplice for pressuring the underage girl to marry to preserve her salvation. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Witnesses shed light on life of polygamists | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jeffs trial gets under way with opening statements | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Nancy Perkins Deseret Morning News Originally published September 14, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE — Testimony offered Thursday during the first day of the Warren Jeffs trial offered a rare public glimpse into the insular workings of a polygamous sect and its leader. The state's star witness in the case, now a 21-year-old woman, testified she grew up as a member of the Fundamentalist LDS Church and considered Jeffs to be an authority figure in her life. Jeffs routinely taught lessons on the FLDS priesthood history, current church doctrine and other topics to students at the Alta Academy in Salt Lake City where she was a student, she testified. Faithful members of the FLDS Church consider Jeffs to be their current prophet. Jeffs' father, Rulon Jeffs, was the previous prophet, a man who "was as God to us," the key witness testified. Many of Jeffs' lessons were recorded and often played during the home economics class attended by the young girls or during other classes. "We were taught that obedience to our leaders must be complete, with willingness and sweetly, without question," the woman testified. "They (the prophet and church leaders) would lead us into the Celestial Kingdom, or heaven." Those who did not obey the prophet were told they would lose their chance at salvation, she said. Washington County Attorney Brock Belnap told the jury of seven women and five men that they would hear about the woman's childhood and a 2001 marriage at age 14 to her 19-year-old first cousin. "When she told him she wasn't old enough to marry, he (Warren Jeffs) told her to do it anyway," Belnap said during the prosecution's opening statement. "When she found out (the marriage was to be) to her first cousin, she pled to Warren Jeffs, can't it be someone else?" Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sect Leader's Rape-By-Proxy Trial Begins | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rape by Association? Leader of Polygamist Sect Goes on Trial Over Teen Cousins' Marriage | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Jennifer Dobner The Associated Press ABC News Originally published September 14, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE, Utah (AP) - Seven women and five men were selected as jurors Thursday to decide whether the leader of a polygamist sect coerced a 14-year-old girl into marrying her older cousin. Warren Jeffs, the head of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, which broke away from the Mormon church, is charged with two counts of rape by accomplice in the girl's marriage to her 19-year-old cousin. The girl has testified that Jeffs told her she risked her salvation if she refused to enter the religious union in 2001. Jeffs, 51, was a fugitive for nearly two years and was on the FBI's Most Wanted list when he was arrested during a traffic stop outside Las Vegas. If convicted, he could spend the rest of his life behind bars. Jeffs has led the FLDS church since 2002. Followers see him as a prophet who communicates with God and holds dominion over their salvation. Former church members say the one-time school principal reigns with an iron fist, demanding perfect obedience from followers. Opening statements are expected Thursday after more than three days of jury selection. The trial is expected to last through next week. Many had speculated it would be difficult to seat an impartial jury in Washington County because of intense media coverage and because Jeffs' insular FLDS church is based only about 50 miles east in the twin border towns of Hildale, Utah, and Colorado City, Ariz. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Until proven guilty | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Both sides give opening statements in Warren Jeffs trial | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Patrice St. Germain The Spectrum Originally published September 14, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE - During the defense team's opening statements, attorney Tara Isaacson said that at the conclusion of the trial, the jury would not only come to realize that Warren Jeffs did not encourage or command John Doe IV to rape his wife, but that a rape didn't take place. Walking around the 5th District courtroom, Isaacson paused at Jeffs and with a hand on his shoulder, looked at the jury and said, "This man is innocent." Jeffs, 51, the leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, is on trial on two counts of rape as an accomplice, a first-degree felony. The charges stem from Jeffs' alleged role in arranging a marriage between a 14-year-old girl and her 19-year-old first cousin, which took place on April 17, 2001. Outlining the case for the 12 jurors on a screen, Isaacson said what the case is about is if Jane Doe IV was really raped, a core question, and if Warren Jeffs encouraged the rape or if he even knew of the rape. Isaacson also commented on how Jane Doe admitted that she "sugared up" to her husband - consenting to sex when she wanted to do something or needed money. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Polygamist Leader Goes on Trial | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Jennifer Dobner The Associated Press ABC News Originally published September 14, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE, Utah (AP) - The leader of a polygamous sect insisted a 14-year-old girl surrender her "mind, body and soul" to an older cousin, despite her objections to being married, a prosecutor said Thursday. Warren Jeffs, leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, is charged with rape by accomplice in the case. As his trial opened, prosecutors said he told the girl she risked salvation if she refused to enter a religious union with her 19-year-old cousin. The girl first had sex with her cousin months after their ceremonial marriage in a Nevada motel, Washington County prosecutor Brock Belnap said. When she later complained to Jeffs, he replied: "'Repent. Go home and give yourself mind, body and soul to your husband.' And she did," Belnap said. The jury will see pictures of the girl having her wedding dress sewn, Belnap said. "She'll be smiling, but you'll understand that pictures don't necessarily say what was going on in her heart." Jeffs, 51, was a fugitive for nearly two years and was on the FBI's Most Wanted list when he was arrested during a traffic stop outside Las Vegas in August 2006. If convicted, he could spend the rest of his life in prison. Jeffs has led the FLDS church since 2002. Followers see him as a prophet who communicates with God and holds dominion over their salvation; ex-church members say he reigns with an iron fist, demanding perfect obedience from followers. Defense attorney Tara Isaacson said the alleged victim's cousin will testify that no rape occurred. She said other couples belonging to Jeffs' FLDS church will talk about how he counsels them about marriage. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Key Witness Testifies in Polygamist Leader's Rape Trial | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 'Pressure to Marry Is Different From Pressure to Submit to Rape,' Defense Says | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By CHRIS FRANCESCANI ABC News Originally published September 14, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE, Utah, Sept. 14, 2007 — Even jailed, accused of rape and incest, facing a raft of civil lawsuits and another criminal trial in Arizona, polygamist sect leader Warren Jeffs' presence looms large in this remote, hauntingly beautiful stretch of Utah desert. He arrived at court Thursday morning in a county helicopter, wearing a bullet proof vest over his well-tailored black suit and silver tie. Outside the courthouse, heavily-armed members of the Washington County Sheriff's Department took up surveillance posts throughout the neighborhood - on street corners, high up on bluffs overlooking the city and barely disguised inside unmarked white pickup trucks in nearby parking lots. But as opening arguments began in a trial in which Jeffs is accused of coercing a 14 year-old girl into having sex with her 19-year first cousin, it became apparent that the biggest threat to the self-proclaimed prophet of the 10,000 strong Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints may be a shy, soft-spoken, young woman with purple nail polish and silver hoop earrings. The prosecution's star witness, known in court papers as Jane Doe IV, testified only briefly Thursday, but opening arguments provided a preview of her story. The sect's longtime practice of arranged marriages between fertile young teenage girls and older men came to a head in 2001 when the woman, now 21, was allegedly instructed to wed her first cousin. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bride wed at 14 testifies in Jeffs trial | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Dennis Wagner The Arizona Republic Originally published September 14, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE, Utah - The woman who says she was coerced into marital sex with her first cousin by a polygamous-sect leader testified Thursday that she was indoctrinated from childhood in absolute obedience to church leaders. The testimony came in the trial of Warren Jeffs, prophet of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, who is charged with rape as an accomplice for his role in the consummated marriage of a 14-year-old to her adult relative in 2001. In Utah's 5th District Court, the woman, now 21, described how Jeffs had been her schoolteacher and religious leader, instilling the FLDS belief in "celestial marriages" as a key to salvation. The Arizona Republic is identifying her only as Jane Doe because of the rape allegation. Under questioning from Washington County prosecutor Craig Barlow, Doe said, "The prophet was God to us. He was God on Earth," and church members were to obey his word "as though we were led by a hair." She said Jeffs taught that women must submit to their husbands and view them as patriarchs and priestly heads. "I was to obey him without question, as I would the prophet." The witness said she could not refuse sex or disobey in any other way or she would lose her family on Earth and be denied heaven in the afterlife. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Polygamist sect leader 'God to us' | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Woman testifies Warren Jeffs used religion to coerce her into marrying cousin when she was 14 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Jennifer Dobner The Associated Press Toronto Star Originally published September 14, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE, Utah – A young woman who says that the leader of a polygamous sect coerced her into marrying a cousin when she was 14 testified yesterday that she was raised always to obey if she wanted to preserve her salvation in heaven. Now 21, she was the first witness in the trial of Warren Jeffs, leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, who is charged with rape as an accomplice. The prosecutor contends Jeffs, 51, knew the girl objected to the 2001 ceremony and subsequent sexual relations but still commanded her to surrender "mind, body and soul" to a 19-year-old man. "And she did," Washington County prosecutor Brock Belnap told the jury. In addition to being a high-ranking church counsellor in 2001, Jeffs had served as the girl's teacher and principal while she attended an FLDS-run school in Salt Lake City, providing children with principles of the faith. In 2002, Jeffs became church president, or "prophet," succeeding his father. "He was always an authority figure in my life," she said of Jeffs. "The prophet was as God to us. He was God on Earth and his counsellors were pretty much the same, so they had jurisdiction over us." The Associated Press generally does not name people alleging sexual abuse. The woman will return to the witness stand today. Prosecutors played a tape of a marriage lesson recorded by Jeffs in 1997 to stress the point that obedience by women was expected. "Give yourself to him, that means full obedience to righteous principles. No halfway, no holding back," Jeffs said on the tape. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sect leader goes on trial over child rape charges | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Alexandria Sage The Scotsman - UK Originally published September 14, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| A SELF-PROCLAIMED prophet of a polygamous Mormon clan in an isolated desert enclave on the Utah and Arizona border went on trial yesterday, accused of arranging a marriage between an unwilling 14-year-old girl and her cousin. Warren Jeffs, 51, has pleaded not guilty to two felony counts of being an accomplice to rape, which carry a maximum life sentence. He has been in prison since August 2006 after 15 months as a fugitive on the FBI's most-wanted list. The Jeffs trial is the long-awaited crux in authorities' efforts to control the 7,500-strong enclave of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (FLDS) in the twin towns of Hildale, Utah, and Colorado City, Arizona - a dusty, red-rock area 100 miles north-west of the Grand Canyon. For years, the group has lived virtually free of outside interference from authorities, although exiled or escaped members reported crimes such as welfare and tax fraud, underage marriages and sexual abuse. But three years ago, Utah's attorney-general convened a taskforce to uncover crimes in polygamous communities, including abuse of minors and other sex offences. Although polygamy is banned under Utah law, authorities say prosecuting so-called plural marriages is impractical. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Teen Bride Describes Her Wedding Day | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Jennifer Dobner The Associated Press MSNBC Originally published September 14, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE, Utah - A former follower of a polygamous-sect leader sobbed on the witness stand Friday as she described the terror and despair she felt on the eve of her wedding at age 14, and said she became intensely depressed after having sex. "I kept thinking I felt like I was getting ready for death," she testified on the second day of the trial of Warren Jeffs, leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Jeffs is charged with two felony counts of rape as an accomplice. Prosecutors contend he used his religious authority to coerce the ceremonial marriage and pressure the teen bride to have sex with her 19-year-old cousin against her objections. In her testimony Friday, the woman, now 21, said she was shocked when she learned she had been selected for the marriage by Rulon Jeffs, Warren Jeffs' father, the church prophet at the time who is now dead. The woman said she pleaded with Rulon Jeffs to delay the marriage until she turned 16 or to be given to another man. Her efforts to avoid the union failed, said the woman, who is not being identified by The Associated Press because she is alleging sexual assault. She testified that Warren Jeffs told her: "Your heart is in the wrong place; this is what the prophet wants you to do." The marriage took place on April 23, 2001, in a motel in Caliente, Nev., owned by FLDS members. Describing her emotions during the wedding ceremony, the woman said: "Trapped. Extremely overwhelmed. Immense pressure." She said she hung her head and cried in despair when pressed by Jeffs to say "I do" and had to be coaxed to kiss her new husband. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 'Jane Doe' Testifies as Trial of Polygamist Leader Begins | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By John Dougherty The New York Times Originally published September 14, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE, Utah, Sept. 13 — The prosecution’s star witness in the trial of the fundamentalist Mormon polygamist leader Warren S. Jeffs testified on Thursday that she was taught to either obey church leaders without question or face dire consequences. "We would forfeit our chance at the afterlife" by disobeying religious leaders, testified the woman, who in 2001 at age 14 married her 19-year-old first cousin in a religious ceremony performed by Mr. Jeffs. The woman, identified only as Jane Doe, told the jury that the fundamentalist Mormon religious leaders were considered by followers to be "gods on earth." How much control Mr. Jeffs had over the girl is crucial to the outcome of the case, which has drawn international attention to the fundamentalist Mormon polygamist community based in the adjacent towns of Hildale, Utah, and Colorado City, Ariz., about 50 miles east of St. George. Mr. Jeffs, 51, is charged with rape as an accomplice. The prosecution asserts that he coerced the girl to unwillingly consummate a "spiritual marriage," while the defense argues that she was not raped and that Mr. Jeffs never encouraged her to submit to unwanted sexual relations. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jeffs' taped sermons may play key role | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Ben Winslow Deseret Morning News Originally published September 14, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE — Jay Beswick throws back a blanket in the back of his pickup truck in the parking lot of the 5th District Courthouse, revealing hundreds of cassette tapes. Their titles read like a collection of Fundamentalist LDS Church leader Warren Jeffs' "Greatest Hits," sermons and lectures by the self-proclaimed prophet dating back to the 1990s. Beswick has spent years collecting the tapes, which he says he made available for Washington County prosecutors to use in Jeffs' trial. "Everything's contained in these tapes," Beswick said Thursday. Audio recordings of Jeffs' sermons and lectures are expected to figure into the prosecution's case. At the opening of his trial Thursday, prosecutors played a portion of one lecture Jeffs presented to girls concerning marriage. Elaine Tyler also handed over about 100 tapes of Jeffs' sermons to prosecutors. The director of the nonprofit HOPE Organization, which helps women and children leaving the FLDS enclaves of Hildale, Utah, and Colorado City, Ariz., said she gave them to law enforcement authorities looking into Jeffs and the FLDS Church. "We gave them willingly," she said Thursday night. "It's evidence. It's out of the mouth of Warren." Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Polygamist leader's trial begins | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Nicholas Riccardi Los Angeles Times Originally published September 14, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE, UTAH -- -- A 14-year-old girl was told to submit her "body and soul" to her cousin, whom she'd been forced to marry, a prosecutor said Thursday at the trial of a polygamous sect leader charged with being an accomplice to rape. Washington County prosecutor Brock Belnap told jurors in opening statements that Warren Jeffs essentially forced the alleged victim into her wedding bed. He ordered the girl to marry her cousin, then 19, and turned down her request to get out of the union after she complained of being "touched" inappropriately, Belnap said. Jeffs is charged with two counts of rape by accomplice, and could be sentenced to life in prison if convicted. Defense attorney Tara Isaacson countered that Jeffs, 51, had merely counseled the girl to "make this marriage work" and that his teaching forbade forced sex. "He didn't ever counsel her to submit to rape," Isaacson said. The trial comes amid a crackdown by state authorities on the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, a roughly 10,000-member sect based along the Utah-Arizona border. Jeffs was a fugitive for nearly two years, and landed on the FBI's 10-most-wanted list before being arrested while driving outside Las Vegas in August 2006. The reclusive sect believes polygamy is the key to salvation and that Jeffs, whom followers call "the prophet," is the earthly embodiment of God. Jeffs took over the church leadership from his father in 2002. The alleged victim, now 21, testified Thursday that Jeffs was both a principal and teacher at her elementary school in Salt Lake City. She said that in 1999, Jeffs excommunicated her father and moved her and many of her 24 siblings to a ranch in southern Utah. There, her new family -- a household of 45 led by another man -- played tapes of Jeffs' teachings throughout the day. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rape trial of polygamist sect leader underway in Utah | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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AFP Channel NewsAsia - Singapore Originally published 14 September 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SALT LAKE CITY, United States : The rape trial of a polygamist sect leader got underway Thursday with prosecutors alleging he ordered a 14-year-old girl to marry and have sex with a cousin despite her protests. Warren Jeffs, 51, the leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, which broke from the Mormon Church because of differences over polygamy, denies two charges of acting as an accomplice to rape. Jeffs, a self-proclaimed prophet whose followers believe he is descended from Jesus, was arrested in August last year outside of Las Vegas after being included on the FBI's "Ten Most Wanted" list. He could face five years to life in prison if he convicted at the court hearing in Saint George, 303 miles (488 kilometers) south of Salt Lake City. The rape case against the religious leader is based on a teenage witness known only as "Jane Doe." At an earlier hearing to determine whether the case should proceed to trial, the girl testified that she had been distraught at learning she was to marry her 19-year-old first cousin. Prosecutor Brock Belnap told jurors on Thursday that after the girl had raised objections to the marriage, Jeffs said she had a "duty to go forward and replenish" and that her "heart was in the wrong place." "Mr Jeffs told a 14-year-old girl, who had told him she thought she was too young to get married, that it was her obligation," Belnap added. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In Jeffs trial, teen bride says she married out of fear of isolation, damnation | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Emanuella Grinberg Court TV Originally published September 14, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE, Utah — A woman who was married at 14 to her older cousin told a jury Thursday that she married at the instruction of Warren Jeffs, the leader of a polygamous sect, and out of fear of eternal damnation. As the first witness to take the stand in the case against Jeffs, the woman, now 21, said that Jeffs, her schoolteacher and spiritual adviser, taught that her purpose in life was to be obedient and submissive to her husband. "I was a mother to his children. I would keep home for him. I would be committed to him," testified the woman, dressed in a black pantsuit with her long blond hair pulled back with a headband. "We were to follow as though led by a hair." Jeffs, the leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, faces a potential life sentence on two counts of rape as an accomplice for allegedly encouraging the follower to marry and have sex with her 19-year-old cousin against her wishes. The woman said that growing up, she was taught to regard boys as "snakes" and to "keep the bars up" when it came to any kind of physical contact before marriage. Once married, it was the husband's job to teach his wife about sex, a subject the witness claimed to be entirely ignorant of before her husband made unwanted advances toward her. Those who dared to defy any of the church's teachings risked extreme social isolation in this life, she said, and eternal damnation in the next. "You could lose your home, your family, your family could suffer consequences," testified the woman, who is identified as Jane Doe IV in court filings. "You could also lose your chance at salvation." Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sect Bride Testifies of Coercion | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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TIME Magazine Originally published Friday, September 14, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| A former follower of a polygamous sect leader claims she was acting to preserve her eternal salvation when she obeyed his command and married her cousin at age 14. Now 21, the woman was married in a 2001 religious ceremony to her 19-year-old cousin, then followed the counsel of Warren Jeffs to submit to her husband "mind, body and soul." Jeffs, 51, leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, went on trial Thursday on two counts of rape as an accomplice for using his church authority to coerce the marriage. The bride was the first witness in the trial and was expected to return to the stand Friday. On Thursday, she testified that Jeffs has long been an authority figure in her life. In 2001, he was a high-ranking church counselor and had been the girl's teacher and principal at an FLDS-run school, teaching children principles of the faith. In 2002, Jeffs became church president, or "prophet," succeeding his father. "The prophet was as God to us. He was God on Earth and his counselors were pretty much the same, so they had jurisdiction over us," she said. The Associated Press generally does not name people alleging sexual abuse. Prosecutors played a tape of a marriage lesson recorded by Jeffs in 1997 to emphasize the point that obedience by women of the faith was expected. "Give yourself to him, that means full obedience to righteous principles. No halfway, no holding back," Jeffs said on the tape. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Witness recounts 'complete despair,' betrayal in testimony against polygamist leader Jeffs | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Nancy Perkins Deseret Morning News Originally published September 14, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE — The star witness in the state's case against polygamist-sect leader Warren Jeffs testified on Friday she felt "complete despair" the night before her arranged marriage at age 14 to a first cousin. "I was completely emotional," the now 21-year-old woman testified. "I felt betrayed by the people I trusted most." Among those trusted people was Jeffs, who was then the first counselor to the Fundamentalist LDS Church's prophet, Rulon Jeffs, Warren Jeffs' father. "Warren completely overlooked the fact that it was something that I did not want to do or was willing to do," she testified. Jeffs conducted the wedding at a Nevada motel in April 2001, with the girl's mother and other family members in attendance. Jeffs married two other couples that day, including another 14-year-old bride. Members of the FLDS Church practice the concept of placement marriages, which are arranged by the sect's prophet after he receives a revelation naming the couple. Couples often do not know each other or are not told which person they are going to marry until a few days before the wedding. The woman testified she was shocked to learn she was expected to marry her 19-year-old first cousin, a boy she knew and didn't like. "I told my mother I didn't want to marry him. I was crying quite a bit," she testified. She told the same thing to her stepfather, she said, and sought an appointment with the faith's prophet, Rulon Jeffs. "I knelt down next to Rulon Jeffs and told him I was too young, I was asking to wait at least two years, or to at least find someone else other than my first cousin," she testified. "He said to me, 'Follow your heart, sweetheart,' and I was so relieved. It was as if someone finally listened to me, was giving me a chance." Following that meeting, she testified, Warren Jeffs spoke to his father and then returned to tell her that her heart was "in the wrong place." Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Second Day of Testimony in Warren Jeffs' Trial | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Edward Lawrence, Reporter KLAS-TV Channel 8 - Las Vegas Originally Originally broadcast September 14, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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(Sept. 14) --
A woman who says polygamist leader Warren Jeffs forced her to marry and have sex with her cousin countinued telling her story to jurors Friday. The now 21-year-old gave a tearful testimony about her forced marriage to her cousin. Jurors also heard tape recordings of Jeffs talking about how women must be obedient to men in marriage. FLDS leader Warren Jeffs is on trial for rape as an accomplice for forcing the marriage.
(Sept. 13) -- The first day of testimony in the Warren Jeffs trial is over in a southern Utah courtroom. The jury of seven women and five men were seated. As opening statements started, the victim listened while her current husband -- who helped her escape from the polygamist community -- held her hand. Jeffs is the leader of the Fundamentalist LDS church, which believes in polygamy. He was arrested last year in Las Vegas for two counts of rape as an accomplice. The charges stem from an arranged marriage between an underage girl and an older man. Warren Jeffs sat in court emotionless, as he has throughout the court process. He tried to make eye contact with each of the seven women and five men seated for the final jury. The prosecution portrayed Jeffs as a man who arranged marriages and taught girls from a very young age to obey his wishes, as well as any man Jeffs thought the girl should marry. Washington County, Utah District Attorney Brock Belnap says the victim went back to Jeffs several times pleading to get out of the marriage. The prosecution says Jeffs commanded her to give herself to her new husband mind, body, and soul. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Religious Beliefs Should Not Protect Polygamist Warren Jeffs From Being Convicted, Says Pitt Law Professor | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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News From Pitt Press Release University of Pittsburgh Originally published September 14, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Patricia Lomando White 412-624-9101 (office); 412-215-9932 (cell) laer@pitt.edu PITTSBURGH - Religious beliefs should not protect polygamist Warren Jeffs from being convicted as an accomplice to rape, says University of Pittsburgh law school associate professor Elena Baylis. "While the government does have to accommodate people's religious beliefs to some extent, the right to religious freedom is not absolute," notes Baylis. "So, where do we draw the line?" Baylis asks. The popular HBO show "Big Love" has people debating whether polygamy between consenting adults should be permitted. But the forced marriage and rape of a child - as allegedly took place in this case - is not a question of consensual, adult religious practice. According to Baylis, no one would argue that the government must accommodate such behavior, whether it is based on religion or not. A graduate of Yale University's law school, Baylis is an expert in the rights of minority religious and ethnic groups under international and U.S. law. She teaches Pitt courses on religion and law and in minority group protections and has written articles and spoken on these topics in the United States and abroad. ### 9/14/07/tmw | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Girl, 14, begged US polygamy leader not to be wed | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Alexandria Sage Reuters China Daily - Beijing Originally published September 15, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE, Utah - The leader of the largest U.S. polygamist sect who arranged a marriage between a 14-year-old girl and her 19-year-old cousin, told the girl it was her religious duty to give herself "mind, body and soul" to her husband, a Utah court heard on Thursday. In opening statements at the trial of Warren Jeffs, 51, prosecutors said the "prophet" of the breakaway Mormon clan was an accomplice to two counts of rape after orchestrating a 2001 marriage between the girl and her cousin. "(The accuser) will testify she got down on her knees and begged -- 'He's my first cousin, I think I'm too young, I don't want to be rebellious but can't we find someone else or postpone it?'" prosecutor Brock Belnap told jurors. "What Warren Jeffs told her is: 'Your heart is in the wrong place. This is your mission and duty to do'," Belnap added. The court has requested that the girl, now 21, not be identified. Jeffs, head of the 7,500-strong Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, or FLDS, has pleaded not guilty to two felony charges of being an accomplice to rape. Each charge carries a potential sentence of between five years and life in prison. No charges against the accuser's husband have been filed. The case has galvanized the attention of this small city of golf courses and retirees, and pushed the issue of polygamy into the spotlight -- a practice the early Mormon church once embraced but rejected in 1890. Jeffs, a tall, gaunt man who was brought to court by helicopter on Thursday wearing a bullet proof vest, sat calmly during the proceedings in a dark suit and tie. But re-entering the courtroom after a short break, he broke into a wide smile as a group of about 12, mostly male, members of the FLDS stood as a symbol of respect for their leader. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rape trial of 'Polygamy Prophet' kicks off in USA | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Andrew Gumbel in Los Angeles The Independent - London Originally published 15 September 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The leader of a fundamentalist Mormon sect, who is believed to have more than 70 wives, yesterday denied being an accessory to rape when he arranged the marriage of an unwilling 14-year-old girl to a man who was already married. The trial of Warren Jeffs, the self-style "prophet" of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Church of Latter Day Saints, is the first concerted effort by officials in Utah and Arizona to crack down on the culture of polygamy and anti-modernist teachings which thrive in a bizarre community on the border between the two states. Jeffs succeeded his father as the leader of the sect in the twin towns of Hilldale and Colorado City in 2002. He quickly fell foul of the law because of his strict authoritarian rule and his extreme version of the old Mormon belief in polygamy, which was abandoned by the mainstream church as official policy years ago. He is on trial in St George, Utah – 35 miles from his home – accused of being an accessory to rape. He has also been indicted in Arizona on a further eight charges, including incest and sexual involvement with a minor. If convicted, he faces anywhere from five years to life in prison. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Polygamist sect leader's rape trial begins in Utah | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Agence France Presse The Taipei Times - Taiwan Originally published Saturday, September 15, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| AFP, SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH - The rape trial of a polygamist sect leader got under way on Thursday with prosecutors alleging he ordered a 14-year-old girl to marry and have sex with a cousin despite her protests. Warren Jeffs, 51, the leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, which broke from the Mormon Church because of differences over polygamy, has denied two charges of acting as an accomplice to rape. Jeffs, the self-proclaimed prophet whose followers believe he is descended from Jesus, was arrested in August last year outside of Las Vegas after being included on the FBI's "10 Most Wanted" list. He could face five years to life in prison if he is convicted at the court hearing in Saint George, 488km south of Salt Lake City. The rape case against the religious leader is based on a teenage witness known only as "Jane Doe." At an earlier hearing to determine whether the case should proceed to trial, the girl testified that she had been distraught at learning she was to marry her 19-year-old first cousin. Prosecutor Brock Belnap told jurors on Thursday that after the girl raised objections to the marriage, Jeffs said she had a "duty to go forward and replenish" and that her "heart was in the wrong place." "Mr Jeffs told a 14-year-old girl, who had told him she thought she was too young to get married, that it was her obligation," he said. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jeffs witness says she never wanted union | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Nancy Perkins Deseret Morning News Originally published September 15, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE — The star witness in the state's case against polygamist leader Warren Jeffs testified through tears on Friday that the first time she had sex with her 19-year-old husband, she "felt like a horrible person." "I didn't understand why he had done what he had done," the now 21-year-old woman said of the night a few weeks after her marriage at 14 to her cousin. "In my mind, it was evil. I didn't know he had to do that sort of thing to have a baby. I lay there shocked. I felt dirty and used." Jeffs, 51, is charged with two first-degree felony counts of rape as an accomplice for his role in conducting the marriage and counseling the girl, who grew up a member of the Fundamentalist LDS Church, which Jeffs leads. The trial is under way in 5th District Court. The young woman said that while her new husband slept, she went to a bathroom and swallowed two bottles of over-the-counter pain reliever. "I didn't want to go to my mother. I thought she would judge me; think I was evil, wrong," the woman testified. "I thought about what happened, and I wanted to die." Later that night, she said, she threw up the medication. Within days, the couple traveled to Canada to visit family. During that trip, she was "offish" to her husband and tried to avoid even talking to him, she testified. "I tried to be cordial to him. I knew people were watching me and if I didn't at least show how it should have been, I knew I would suffer the consequences," she said. It was during that trip, after sharing some details of her unhappiness with a sister, that she decided to ask Jeffs to be "released" from the marriage. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Teen bride in Jeffs trial says before wedding, she felt like she was 'getting ready for death | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Emanuella Grinberg Court TV Originally published September 15, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE, Utah — A woman wiped away tears on the witness stand Friday as she described the "horror and despair" she felt the night before her arranged marriage to a first cousin conducted by polygamist leader Warren Jeffs. "I kept thinking that I was getting ready for death," testified the woman, who was 14 years old when prosecutors allege Jeffs coerced her into marrying and having sex with a 19-year-old cousin in the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (FLDS). "I felt trapped and betrayed." Lawyers for Jeffs, 51, claim he never told her to unwillingly submit to sex with her husband. Jeffs says he counseled her in a manner consistent with the beliefs of the FLDS, which teaches women that a life in service to their husband will lead them to the "celestial kingdom" of heaven. On the witness stand Friday, the woman identified a photo of herself sullenly modeling her white wedding dress, as well as other pictures documenting what she described as a loveless marriage built on her fear of eternal damnation. "My life revolved around that ceremony. In that society, it's what we live for. It's what we keep ourselves clean for," the witness said, as several of Jeffs' followers, including three women, listened to the testimony in the gallery with their heads bowed. "He was my ticket into heaven. If I was not a good priesthood wife, I would not go to heaven." A few days before the April 23, 2001, wedding, the woman said, she met with Jeffs' father, Rulon Jeffs, the leader and prophet of the FLDS at the time, to try to convince him to change his mind. "I didn't want to defy him, but I was asking for at least two more years, or to find someone who wasn't my cousin," the woman, now 21, testified before a packed courtroom audience. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jane Doe IV testifies | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Patrice St. Germain The Spectrum Originally published September 15, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE - Jane Doe IV said she knew nothing about sexual intercourse, how babies were made or male anatomy when she was married. The first time Doe's husband took her against her will, she was so upset afterward and felt so dirty that she couldn't even go to her mother, who lived in the same house, who Doe considered her best friend and confidant, she said. Instead, Doe retreated to a bathroom were she swallowed a bottle of ibuprofen and Tylenol, she said. "I wanted to die," Doe tearfully testified. "I didn't want to deal with (her husband), the prophet, Warren (Jeffs), Fred (Jessop) or my mother. I was so hurt by them." The events leading up to and including Doe's marriage at age 14 to her 19-year-old first cousin in April 2001 are still so painful to Doe that during her testimony Friday morning, Doe broke down sobbing and asked Judge James L. Shumate for a short break to compose herself. Doe was the first witness called in the state's case against Warren Steed Jeffs, 51, on two charges of rape as an accomplice for his alleged role in arranging the marriage between the young girl and her cousin. Doe talked about growing up in the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, whose principle doctrines are plural and arranged marriage where sex was not talked about and how a woman grew up believing that the only way to heaven was through her "priesthood head," whom upon marriage, was the woman's husband. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Young bride tried suicide, Jeffs trial told | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Dennis Wagner The Arizona Republic Originally published September 15, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE, Utah - The woman who alleges that polygamous-church leader Warren Jeffs coerced her into an underage wedding with an adult cousin testified Friday that she attempted suicide minutes after her wedding was consummated. "My whole entire body was sobbing and just shaking because I was so scared," said the woman, describing her reaction to sexual intercourse with the cousin she was forced too wed. "It hurt. . . . I felt like a horrible person. I didn't know why he had done what he just did. And I felt evil." The woman, now 21, is being identified only as Jane Doe because the trial of Jeffs involves charges of rape. She testified that after submitting herself to sex with her new husband at Jeffs' direction, she went into the bathroom and found bottles of ibuprofen and Tylenol. "I took both bottles," she said. "The only thing I wanted to do was die. Just die." Doe said she vomited minutes later. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Polygamist Prophet’s Trial Begins in US | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Child Health News Medindia Health Network - Chennai, India Originally published Saturday, September 15, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Fundamentalism seems to be on the rampage everywhere. It is well known Christian fundamentalism is having a field day in the so-called Mecca of liberal values. The trial of self-proclaimed prophet and polygamist, Warren Jeffs, seems to reveal in appalling detail the stranglehold of US cult leaders on their own communities. After 115 days on the Federal Bureau of Investigation's most-wanted list and a year in solitary confinement in a jail called Purgatory, the leader of the nation's largest polygamist sect has begun in Utah, in the western part of the country. Warren Steed Jeffs, 51, holds the title of President and Prophet, Seer and Revelator of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, also known as the FLDS. He stands accused of being an accomplice to rape. The trial is in its fourth day of jury selection. The charges stem from Jeffs' alleged practice of arranging marriages between adult male followers and underage brides. The young accuser at the center of the trial is under police protection. "Jane Doe," as she is known in court documents, was 14 at the time she says Jeffs forced her into a "spiritual marriage" with a 19-year-old first cousin. A reluctant child bride told a Utah jury Thursday that she was trying to preserve her eternal salvation when she obeyed Jeff’s command. She said she disliked her cousin because he once had sprayed her with a water hose on a freezing day. "I preferred to stay away from him," she stated. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| He was as God to us, woman tells court at sect leader's rape trial | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Dan Glaister in Los Angeles Guardian Unlimited - Manchester, England Originally published Saturday September 15, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The key witness in the trial of the American polygamist sect leader Warren Jeffs has testified that she had been indoctrinated to believe she must obey church leaders to preserve her place in heaven. "We were to follow them obediently as though we were led by a hair," she told the court. Jeffs is being tried in St George, Utah, on charges of rape as an accomplice. If convicted he could spend the rest of his life in prison. Prosecutors allege that Jeffs knew that the girl, then aged 14, objected to her 2001 marriage to her 19-year-old cousin. But when she tried to end the marriage Jeffs told her that she would forfeit her "chance at the afterlife" should she disobey him. The trial of the 51-year-old leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (FLDS) promises to shed light on the workings of the 10,000-strong breakaway Mormon group. The group practices polygamy, which is illegal; the Mormon church disavowed the practice in 1890. The FLDS, however, maintains that a man must have three wives to reach the highest realms of heaven. Mr Jeffs assumed the role of "prophet" or leader of the sect in 2002, succeeding his father. He was on the run, and on the FBI's most wanted list, before being arrested in Las Vegas in 2006. The woman told the court that Mr Jeffs "was always an authority figure in my life. The prophet was as God to us. He was God on earth and his counsellors were pretty much the same, so they had jurisdiction over us." Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Alleged Rape Victm Testifies to Suicide Attempt | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 'My Whole Entire Body Was Shaking and I Was So, So Scared,' Jane Doe Witness Testifies. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By CHRIS FRANCESCANI ABC News Law & Justice Unit Originally published September 16, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In a Utah courtroom Monday morning, a woman who says she was raped by her first cousin after being forced to marry him at the age of 14 will be cross-examined by the defense in the most anticipated showdown yet in the trial of polygamist sect leader Warren Jeffs. The woman, now 21 and known in court papers as "Jane Doe IV," testified Friday that after a month of unconsummated marriage, her husband told her it was "time for you to be a wife and do your duty." Afterwards, she said, she tried to commit suicide by swallowing two bottles of over-the-counter painkillers. With Jeffs looking on impassively from the defense table, she told a rapt courtroom that as her new husband undressed her, she told him, "I can't do this. Please don't." "I was sobbing," she said. "My whole entire body was shaking and I was so so scared. He didn't say anything. He just laid me onto the bed and had sex." Afterwards, she testified, "I went into the bathroom and there was a couple bottles of painkillers ... and I took both bottles. The only thing I wanted to do was die. I just wanted to die." She said she eventually realized what she had done "and tried to throw up." Defense attorneys told a jury of seven women and five men in opening arguments that Jeffs merely married the couple, as was his practice as leader of the sect, and never specifically discussed intercourse with the woman. "Pressure to marry is different from pressure to submit to rape," defense lawyer Tara Isaacson said. She also said that Doe has a pending civil lawsuit against sect leaders, including Jeffs, and went to an attorney before going to police or a therapist. Isaacson also said that the woman has admitted that she eventually "sugared up" to her husband -- consenting to sex when she wanted to spend time away from him with friends or family, or wanted spending money. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Child bride wanted to preserve 'eternal salvation,' court told | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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From Amanda Townsend CNN Originally published September 16, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE, Utah (CNN) -- A reluctant child bride told a Utah jury Friday that she was trying to preserve her "eternal salvation" when she obeyed a command by polygamist sect leader Warren Jeffs to marry her cousin at age 14. Referred to in court as Jane Doe, the young woman was married in a 2001 religious ceremony officiated by Jeffs to the cousin, then 19. She said she disliked him because he once had sprayed her with a water hose on a freezing day. "I preferred to stay away from him," she said. Later, miserable in her marriage, she testified she sought a meeting with Jeffs, and she told him she couldn't see herself having a family with her husband and "could not do what they expected me to do." She begged to be released from the marriage, she said. But Jeffs told her she needed to repent and to "go home and give myself to [my husband]," she testified, and he gave her a book of teachings. Afterward, she said, she was extremely depressed, saying Jeffs "was the only one who could get me out, and he wouldn't." Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Defense to begin questioning witnesses in Jeffs trial | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Nancy Perkins Deseret Morning News Originally published September 17, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE — Testimony resumes today in the trial of polygamist sect leader Warren Jeffs, who is charged with two first-degree felony counts of rape as an accomplice. Jeffs, 51, is accused of conducting a 2001 marriage ceremony between an unwilling 14-year-old girl and her 19-year-old first cousin. Jeffs leads the Fundamentalist LDS Church, whose doctrine includes polygamy and arranged marriages. The now 21-year-old woman took the stand last week, testifying that Jeffs pressured her into marrying her cousin and would not listen to her when she complained about the marital relations that followed. The trial is being heard in 5th District Court in St. George. "I was too young to be in a marriage. I was not happy or comfortable to have that kind of experience with him (her husband)," she testified on Friday. "When I did have to be with him, I would put my mind out of it." The woman testified that she felt "dirty and used" following her first sexual experience with her new husband and that night downed two bottles of over-the-counter pain pills. She later threw up the medication. During opening statements on Thursday, defense attorney Tara Isaacson told the jury that they would hear from the girl's former husband and other young couples whom Jeffs married. Isaacson also reminded the jury that under Utah law, a 14-year-old could legally consent to sex under certain circumstances and that Jeffs could not have known if sex between the couple was nonconsensual. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Defense Grills Jeffs Accuser in Polygamy Trial | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Witness in Trial of Polygamous Sect Leader Says She Didn't Tell Family She Was Forced Into Sex | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Jennifer Dobner The Associated Press ABC News Originally published September 17, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE, Utah (AP) - A defense attorney picked over the testimony of a key witness in the trial of a polygamous sect leader Monday, looking for discrepancies in her story about being forced to marry an older cousin when she was 14. Prosecutors contend Warren Jeffs, 51, used his influence to push the girl into a ceremonial marriage with her 19-year-old cousin. Jeffs, president of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, is charged with two counts of rape as an accomplice. The bride, now 21, said under cross-examination that she never told her mother about unwanted sex during the marriage of more than three years. "I never told anyone," she said. Defense attorney Tara Isaacson challenged the claim that the woman had sex under duress. "Isn't it true you said you had to sugar-up the situation to get things you wanted?" Isaacson asked. The woman replied that she began to use sex to extract privileges from her husband, including money, visits to see family and other trips. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Warren Jeffs Trial Begins in Utah | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Rachael Bell Crime Library - New York, NY Originally published September 18, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE, Utah (Crime Library) - After one year in Purgatory Correctional Facility at Purgatory Flats, Utah, Warren Jeff's trial began. He faced two first degree felony counts of rape as an accomplice for purportedly arranging a 2001 marriage between a young 14-year-old girl referred to as "Jane Doe" and her 19-year-old cousin. Nancy Perkins and Ben Winslow of the Desert Morning News reported that "the bride testified during a preliminary hearing that she didn't want to marry her cousin and objected to having a 'husband and wife' relationship." She eventually left her husband and went to the police seeking help. Warren faces five years to life in prison if he is found guilty of the charges. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Witness breaks down recalling polygamy sect wedding | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Alexandria Sage Reuters Malaysia Star - Malaysia Originally published September 18, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE, Utah (Reuters) - A young woman broke down in tears in a Utah courtroom on Friday as she recounted feeling trapped and overwhelmed about a marriage arranged by a polygamous sect when she was 14. The woman, now 21, testified she had never been kissed or had a boyfriend before the 2001 wedding to her 19-year-old cousin and had locked herself in the bathroom after the ceremony. The wedding was presided over by Warren Jeffs, 51, the leader and self-described "prophet" of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, or FLDS, a breakaway Mormon sect that practices polygamy. Jeffs is on trial on two counts of being an accomplice to rape, a charge he denies. Asked how she felt during the wedding ceremony in a Nevada hotel, the woman replied: "Trapped. Extremely overwhelmed. Immense amounts of pressure -- lots of pressure. So scared and upset." The witness, who cannot be identified, broke down in tears soon after and a short court recess was called. Jeffs -- who faces between five years to life in prison for each charge -- has not been charged with polygamy, but the case has focused attention on the practice and his secretive, conservative sect, whose approximately 7,500 members live in an isolated desert enclave at the Utah-Arizona border. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Polygamist feared arrest if girl fled, witness says | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Warren Jeffs thought if a 14-year-old left a marriage he forced, he could face prosecution, the girl's sister testifies. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Nicholas Riccardi Los Angeles Times Originally published September 18, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE, UTAH -- -- The leader of a polygamous sect being tried on charges that he coerced a 14-year-old girl to marry her cousin feared prosecution for presiding over underage unions if the girl fled her marriage, her sister testified Monday. Rebecca Musser told jurors that Warren Jeffs asked her to encourage her younger sister to be happy in her marriage, citing changes to laws on underage marriage in Utah and Arizona, where his Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is based. Musser said Jeffs told her that "if this marriage fell apart or didn't stay together, it could cause some problems." Jeffs is charged with two counts of coercing the rape of the bride by ordering her to marry her 19-year-old cousin and rejecting her pleas to dissolve the union after the marriage was consummated against her will. If convicted, he could face up to life in prison. The FLDS has roughly 10,000 members, who see leader Jeffs as their prophet. The sect is disavowed by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which banned polygamy in 1890. Earlier Monday, Jeffs' attorney asked the alleged victim whether she explicitly told Jeffs she was being abused in her marriage. "Did Warren Jeffs ever tell you directly to submit to Allen for sex against your will?" defense attorney Tara Isaacson asked the witness, referring to her former husband, Allen Steed. "No," the witness, now 21, replied. She added later that it was taboo in FLDS to use the word "sex" and that when she complained about her husband to Jeffs, she said her husband was "touching" her. During the cross-examination, Isaacson tried to cast Jeffs as ignorant about what was going on in the couple's bedroom. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Witness in trial of polygamous-sect leader says she didn't tell family she was forced into sex | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Jennifer Dobner The Associated Press The Standard-Times - New Bedford, Massachusetts Originally published September 18, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE, Utah — A defense attorney picked over the testimony of a key witness in the trial of a polygamous sect leader Monday, looking for discrepancies in her story about being under overwhelming pressure to marry an older cousin when she was 14. Prosecutors contend Warren Jeffs, 51, used his influence to push the girl into a ceremonial marriage with her 19-year-old cousin. Under cross-examination the bride, now 21, said she never told her mother about unwanted sex during the marriage of more than three years. "I never told anyone," she said. Defense attorney Tara Isaacson challenged the claim that the woman had sex under duress. "Isn't it true you said you had to sugar-up the situation to get things you wanted?" Isaacson asked. In response, the woman said she began to use sex to extract privileges from her husband, including money, visits to see family and other trips. Jeffs, president of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, is charged with two counts of rape as an accomplice. Jurors last week heard two days of emotional testimony from the woman, who said she sobbed through the wedding in a Nevada motel and had to be coaxed by Jeffs and her mother when asked to say "I do." The Associated Press is not identifying the woman because she is alleging sexual abuse. Isaacson portrayed the older cousin as a loving husband who was trying to make the marriage work, giving his teen bride love notes and flowers. He has not been charged. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 'Uncle Fred arranged marriage,' sister says at Jeffs trial | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Nancy Perkins Deseret Morning News Originally published September 18, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE — Fred Jessop, the stepfather of the woman accusing polygamist leader Warren Jeffs of rape as an accomplice, insisted his daughter marry a cousin she despised, an older sister testified in 5th District Court on Monday. "Fred put the marriage together, but Warren could have stopped it," Rebecca Musser testified during cross-examination by defense counsel Wally Bugden. "Fred insisted and Warren upheld it." Jessop, who died in 2005, was the second counselor in the Fundamentalist LDS Church, along with Warren Jeffs, who served as first counselor to his father, Rulon Jeffs, who was the prophet. Jeffs, 51, is charged with two first-degree felony counts of rape as an accomplice. He is accused of conducting the ceremony that united the then-14-year-old girl with a cousin that she testified earlier she hated, and of counseling the girl to submit to her husband, "mind, body and soul." Musser, who at 19 married Jeffs' 86-year-old father in 1995, said she was "horrified" to learn her younger sister would undergo an arranged marriage. "She was only 14, and I asked my mother if it was really true and if Uncle Fred was sure it was going to happen," Musser testified. "She was very emotional, crying, saying she didn't want to do this. I tried to encourage her if she went to the authorities of the church they might help her." Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Woman: Jeffs never directly mentioned sex when he pressured her to marry cousin at age 14 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Emanuella Grinberg Court TV Originally published September 18, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE, Utah — A woman who claims that polygamist leader Warren Jeffs pressured her into marrying and having sex with her cousin conceded Monday that Jeffs never directly ordered her to submit to sex with her husband. The woman, who was 14 years old when she entered into an arranged marriage with her first cousin, told jurors at Jeffs' trial that, although the subject of sex never came up directly, the implication was there when Jeffs urged her to "repent" and be a good wife to her then-19-year-old husband. "Isn't it true that Mr. Jeffs never told you to have sexual intercourse with Allen?" defense lawyer Tara Isaacson asked the woman during her third day on the witness stand. "We didn't use the words 'sexual intercourse' in our society," said the woman, referring to the community of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, which Jeffs has led since 2004. Utah prosecutors allege that Jeffs used his religious influence to coerce the then-teenager into marrying and having sex with her cousin against her will. Jeffs, 51, faces five years to life in prison if convicted of two counts of rape as an accomplice. In two days of direct examination last week, the woman, now 21, described a strict upbringing in a patriarchal society, where girls are taught from a young age that living in absolute obedience to their husbands assures them eternal salvation. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Another mistake by Jeffs | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Opinion Deseret Morning News Originally published September 18, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Your report of the Warren Jeffs case brings to light an additional charge that should be brought against the defendant: Marriage of first cousins is illegal in current Utah law unless both individuals are sterilized.
Lon Pearson Sandy | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sister testifies in Jeffs' trial | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Patrice St. Germain The Spectrum Originally published September 18, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE - The sister of the alleged victim in the Warren Jeffs trial said when she saw the girl about 18 months following her marriage to her 19-year-old cousin at age 14, she was very depressed, tired all the time and very sad. "She was just a terrified little girl," Doe's sister testified Monday. The sister, who lived in Canada at the time of her sister's marriage, said the girl, identified in court as Jane Doe IV, talked to her about her husband touching her when she didn't want to be touched. Lead prosecuting attorney Ryan Shaum with the Washington County Attorney's Office questioned the sister about what exactly Doe had told her. "She (Doe) didn't use (the word) sex," the sister said. "In the FLDS religion, we don't use those words and the girls don't know what sex is before they are married." Doe was the first witness called in the state's case against Jeffs, the prophet of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints who faces two counts of rape as an accomplice for allegedly arranging Doe's marriage. Earlier in the day, Doe was cross-examined by defense attorney Tara Isaacson. Isaacson questioned Doe about other people in her life at the time of her marriage in April 2001 who had influence over and who she spoke with about the arranged marriage. Doe said "Uncle Fred" (Fred Jessop), her stepfather, and her mother talked to her about the marriage and that her mother told her she had no other choice but to marry. But Doe also said that both her mother and Jessop told her to talk to the prophet, who at that time was Rulon Jeffs - Warren Jeffs' father. Doe testified on Friday that she had spoken to Rulon Jeffs and he told her to "follow her heart." Following the meeting, she said, Warren Jeffs told her "your heart is in the wrong place." Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jeffs prosecutors rest case after playing recorded sermon | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Jennifer Dobner The Associated Press Houston Chronicle Originally published September 18, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE, Utah — Prosecutors played a 30-minute sermon Tuesday and then rested their case against a polygamous-sect leader charged with sex crimes in the arranged marriage of a 14-year-old girl and her older cousin. Speaking to the faithful in 2002, Warren Jeffs said the sect's principles were under attack by Utah and Arizona authorities, a reference to increased scrutiny of ceremonial marriages involving minors. But the tape was mostly a speech by Sam Barlow, a member of Jeffs' church and former marshal in Colorado City, Ariz., a small community on the Utah-Arizona border dominated by members of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, which has a large complex in the West Texas town of Eldorado, about 40 miles south of San Angelo. "We are born to this conflict," said Barlow, who also talked about pressure from authorities. "We cannot shirk it or turn away from it for a moment." Jeffs, 51, president of the FLDS church, is charged with two felony counts of rape as an accomplice in southern Utah's 5th District Court. Prosecutors contend Jeffs used his influence to push the 14-year-old girl into a ceremonial marriage with her 19-year-old cousin in 2001 and force her to have sex. Before playing the tape, prosecutors did not explain to jurors why they were hearing it. And at one point on the recording, Barlow seemed to counter the belief that FLDS girls must obey their elders and enter into marriage. "There is no woman that is required to be married to a man that she does not want to be married to," Barlow said. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Court won't dismiss breakaway Mormon "prophet" case | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Patrice St. Germain Reuters Yahoo! News Originally published Tuesday, September 18, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE, Utah (Reuters) - A Utah judge rejected a motion to dismiss charges against a self-described "prophet" of a breakaway Mormon sect that practices polygamy after prosecutors rested their case unexpectedly early on Tuesday. Warren Jeffs, 51, the leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, is on trial on two counts of being an accomplice to rape after he presided over a wedding of a 14-year-old girl. Since the start of testimony on Thursday, the court heard from the woman who said she wanted to die after being forced into sex at age 14 in the arranged marriage. The woman said she begged her husband not to touch her as he undressed her one night soon after their wedding. When asked by a defense lawyer on Monday why she was smiling in a honeymoon photo, she said she was scared and under pressure. "Am I smiling -- yes. Is that how I felt inside? Absolutely not," said the victim, now 21, whose identity has been withheld because of the nature of the alleged crime. Two of the young woman's sisters have also testified -- one of whom was a wife of Jeffs' father when he was 86 and she was 19. One called her sibling "just a terrified little girl." Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| State rests in Jeffs case; judge denies defense motion to dismiss | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Nancy Perkins Deseret Morning News Originally published September 18, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE — Attorneys for Warren Jeffs lost a bid in 5th District Court today to have the case against the 51-year-old polygamous sect leader dismissed. Defense attorney Wally Bugden made the motion to dismiss the charges after prosecutors rested their case in the trial that began Thursday. Judge James Shumate denied the motion. Jeffs, who is charged with two first-degree felony counts of rape as an accomplice, leads the Fundamentalist LDS Church and its 7,500 members. He is accused of conducting a 2001 spiritual marriage between an unwilling 14-year-old girl and her 19-year-old first cousin. The girl, now 21, testified that she did not want to marry her cousin and that she was pressured into going through with the wedding by Jeffs, her family and other members of the closely knit community. The woman testified she sought a meeting with Jeffs to tell him that her new husband was touching her in ways that she didn't like and asked for a release from the marriage. She said Jeffs denied her request, telling her she should repent and return to her husband and submit to him, "mind, body and soul." Two of the woman's older sisters, both of whom grew up in the FLDS Church and have left the religion, testified on Monday. One sister testified that the girl's stepfather, Fred Jessop, arranged the marriage and that Jeffs supported the decision. All three women testified that they did not believe it was possible for a woman to refuse to marry or have sex with her husband. During today's testimony, the defense called two current FLDS members to the stand, seeking to clarify some of the church's doctrines when it comes to marital relations and the role men and women play in the faith. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Defense Begins in Polygamist's Trial | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Jennifer Dobner The Associated Press ABC News Originally published September 18, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE, Utah - Defense attorneys for a polygamous-sect leader charged with sex crimes in the arranged marriage of a 14-year-old girl and her older cousin began their case Tuesday, trying to debunk the contention that his church places women in submissive roles. Warren Jeffs, 51, president of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, is accused of using his influence to push the girl into a marriage with her 19-year-old cousin in 2001 and forcing her to have unwanted sex. He is charged with two counts of rape as an accomplice. The prosecution ended its presentation, and then Jeffs' lawyers called nine church members as witnesses, arguing against the idea that men and church leaders have more power than women. Testimony from the young bride, now 21, and her two sisters, as well as sermons from Jeffs played for the jury, have suggested that women are without a voice in FLDS marriages and that they must submit to their husbands "mind, body and soul." Defense witness and church member Jennie Pipkin, 26, told jurors her experience was different. She testified she twice sought Jeffs' counsel in 2005 after unwanted sexual advances from her husband. She said she became "empowered" to ask Jeffs for help after reading one of his sermons that directs men to engage only in sexual relations that are invited by their wives. "I realized that I was supposed to be in charge. The invitation for sexual relations is supposed to be mine," said Pipkin, who runs her own Internet marketing business and has five children. Another witness, Keneth "Ben" Thomas, said force is not taught in FLDS culture. He said that men hold authority but that they are taught to lead with the best interests of the family. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Followers testify for their 'Prophet' | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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From Amanda Townsend CNN Originally published Tuesday, September 18, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE, Utah (CNN) -- Followers of polygamist "prophet" Warren Jeffs began testifying in his defense Tuesday after prosecutors rested their case in the sect leader's rape-accomplice trial. A man and a woman each told the jury that women in the sect, the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, or FLDS, have the right to refuse their husbands' advances. Jennie Pitkin, 26, said Jeffs even released her from her marriage after her husband continued to "touch" her against her wishes. Pitkin said she was "placed" in a marriage at her request at age 17. After having five children, she told her husband she wanted a "time out," she said. When he didn't listen, she said she prayed, and researched FLDS teachings until she found a February 14, 1999, sermon by Jeffs. "A man should only have those maritial relations with a wife if she invites it," Jeffs said in the sermon, according to testimony. It was only then, she said, that "I realized I'm supposed to be in charge." The young woman's testimony differed sharply from accounts from the three prosecution witnesses -- a reluctant child bride and two of her sisters. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Warren Jeffs is no man of God | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Opinion The Arizona Republic Originally published September 18, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Regarding the trial of polygamist leader Warren Jeffs:
In the name of God, how many crusades, battles, vindictive actions and acts of vengeance have been undertaken? And in the name of God, Warren Jeffs, how many young soulful spirits have you broken, how many women have you debased, how many female children have you sacrificed? Radical sects can always be identified by the way they treat the females in their midst. In such societies, education for women is disallowed; how then could you be certain they would do your bidding and obey your laws. My heart aches for all the "Jane Does" who are the victims of force by this self-proclaimed prophet. My heart likewise aches for the "prophet's" unthinking followers whose minds were numbed from childhood. In the name of God, Warren Jeffs, where is your salvation? Mary Jo Rodriguez Sun City West | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The prosecution rests | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Patrice St. Germain The Spectrum Originally published September 19, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE - Unlike the children's rhyme about first comes love, then comes marriage, the faithful in the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints marry first, with the belief love will follow. Love and marital relations happen anywhere from two months to close to two years after the marriage in a religion where placement marriage is the norm and the women are expected to initiate intimate relations with their husbands, according to Tuesday's testimony in the Warren Jeffs trial. The FLDS prophet is charged with two counts of rape as an accomplice for allegedly arranging a marriage between a 14-year-old girl and her 19-year-old first cousin. According to witnesses who took the stand for the defense, forcefulness on the part of the husband is not part of the religion and a woman, although brought up to obey her priesthood head, only has to do so if he is deemed "righteous." The testimony came on a day when the prosecution rested its case against Jeffs. After playing a 30-minute recording from April 13, 2002 where former Colorado City Assistant Marshal Sam Barlow talked about how he believed the church's principle of marriage by revelation was under attack, the state rested. Defense attorney Walter Bugden asked for the charges against his client to be dismissed because the state's evidence had not proved that Jeffs had knowledge about any sexual relations between the alleged victim and her husband. Fifth District Court Judge James L. Shumate denied the motion to dismiss the first-degree felony charges against Jeffs, which carry a five-year-to-life sentence for each count. The defense team called in numerous witnesses - all members of the FLDS religion - to testify about their education, marriages and understanding of the beliefs of the church. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| To defend prophet, Jeffs' followers offer rare intimate testimony about their marriages, beliefs | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Emanuella Grinberg Court TV Originally published September 19, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE, Utah — Followers of polygamous sect leader Warren Jeffs made a rare public appearance in a Utah courtroom Tuesday to help defend their "prophet" from allegations that he used his authority to force a teen to marry her cousin and have sex with him. In a sea of pastel prairie dresses, seven teen brides in the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints took the witness stand to describe their own experiences with arranged marriages under Jeffs' guidance. Lawyers for Jeffs also called two male followers, or "priesthood heads" as they are called in the FLDS, in an effort to convince jurors that women in their faith choose whether to submit to their husbands. The testimony stood in marked contrast to claims from the woman at the heart of the case, who says that she felt the culture trapped her in an unwanted marriage from which Jeffs refused to "release" her. Jeffs, 51, faces five years to life in prison if convicted of two counts of rape as an accomplice. Washington County prosecutors rested their case Tuesday after three days of testimony from the alleged victim and her two sisters about growing up in the insular community of the FLDS, which Jeffs took over in 2004, after his father's death. The three women, all of whom have since left the church, described a culture that demanded from them absolute obedience to their husbands or the forfeiture of their eternal salvation. But nine FLDS members who testified Tuesday presented a different picture of life in the secluded polygamist communities of Hildale, Utah, and Colorado City, Ariz., where Jeffs is facing charges stemming from the arranged marriages. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Followers dispute that Jeffs allowed men to force sex | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The polygamist leader's teachings say it is up to women to initiate marital relations, witnesses say, contrary to a teen bride's claims. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Nicholas Riccardi Los Angeles Times Originally published September 19, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE, UTAH -- Three couples testified Tuesday that their polygamous sect, whose leader is on trial as an accomplice to rape in the arranged marriage of a 14-year-old girl, does not allow men to force themselves on their wives. Prosecutors have argued that principles of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, reinforced by self-proclaimed prophet Warren Jeffs, forced the girl into an unwanted marriage to her 19-year-old cousin. Once married, she and other relatives testified, the religion and Jeffs gave her no option to say no to her husband. But as the defense opened its case Tuesday, a parade of FLDS witnesses said that was not what the church taught. "I was very strongly taught that there was no force, and it was my opinion that it [sexual initiation] was when I decided," said Cristine Shapley, 21, who also said that she did not have sex with her husband for about four months after their wedding. Another woman testified that when her husband persisted in seeking sex, she turned him down and complained to Jeffs, who dissolved the marriage. The FLDS, which is based in southern Utah and Arizona, has been disavowed by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which banned polygamy in 1890. FLDS members believe any socializing with the opposite sex before marriage is prohibited. In presenting its case, the prosecution argued that the 14-year-old pleaded with FLDS leaders to reconsider the marriage but that Jeffs and others said no. The woman, who is now 21, testified that she later told Jeffs her husband was "touching her" in ways she didn't like. Jeffs told her to return to her husband, she said. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| FLDS followers testify | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Witnesses describe Jeffs as religious, caring and gentle | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Nancy Perkins Deseret Morning News Originally published September 19, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE — Jailed polygamist-sect leader Warren Jeffs was described on the witness stand Tuesday as a caring, gentle, religious man who counseled his flock to love one another in righteousness. Four couples and one woman testified that they were members of the Fundamentalist LDS Church, which Jeffs leads as the faith's prophet. Faithful FLDS members believe in the principle of plural or celestial marriage and that those unions are arranged by the prophet through a revelation from God. Several FLDS women testified that they were taught it is the wife's place to initiate intimate relations with her husband and that she can refuse such behavior. None of the couples sought intimacy on their wedding night, and in one case it was nearly two years before such behavior occurred. "It is up to the individual person's inspiration. You don't have to do things that you think is wrong," said Jennie Pipkin, 26, who said she sought a marriage at the age of 17. Pipkin said she also sought a release from her husband after having five children with him because he began to "nag" her for sex. Jeffs, she said, approved of her request. One woman, now 23, said she asked the prophet for an arranged marriage at the age of 17 and had to wait three years before she was placed with her 47-year-old husband. Each person testified they placed their faith in the FLDS prophet, who was Rulon Jeffs at the time, and in his son, Warren Jeffs, to receive inspiration and place them with the right person. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Cousin: I Never Forced Sex on Teen Bride | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| At Utah Sect Leader's Trial, Man Who Married Teen Cousin Says He Never Forced Her Into Sex | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Jennifer Dobner The Associated Press ABC News Originally published September 19, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE, Utah - The cousin of a woman who claims the leader of a polygamous sect forced them to marry when she was 14 said Wednesday he never forced himself on the teen bride. He also claimed she was the one who initiated sex. The testimony came during the trial of Warren Jeffs, 51, who is president of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Prosecutors claim he used his iron-fisted influence to force her into sex and marriage with her cousin in 2001. At times breaking into tears, the cousin spoke softly as he told jurors how she approached him after he fell asleep in his clothes following a 12-hour day at work. During his testimony, the woman, who is now 21, ran from the courtroom. "She woke me up and asked me if I cared about her and loved her," he testified. "I told her that I did. She rolled up close to me and asked me to scratch her back. ... I felt like she was ready to go forward." Defense attorney Wally Bugden asked if he had to talk her into sex. "No sir, never," he replied. The cousin, who is now 26, has not been charged. Before he testified, he was warned that what he said could be used against him, but he shrugged off the warning. "I believe that every story needs two sides for the truth to come out," he told the court. The teen bride has testified that her objections to the marriage and her cousin's subsequent sexual advances were ignored by church leaders. She said Jeffs refused to release her from the marriage. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Teen bride's ex-husband denies rape allegation, says she initiated sex | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Emanuella Grinberg Court TV Originally published September 19, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE, Utah — The cousin of the teen bride at the center of the Warren Jeffs trial testified Wednesday that she initiated their first sexual encounter, contradicting the young woman's account that he raped her a few weeks after their arranged marriage, when she was 14 years old. Jeffs' defense rested after the testimony from Allen Steed, who waived his right against self-incrimination before taking the stand to deny he ever forced his young wife to submit to sex. Jeffs, 51, faces life in prison on two counts of rape as an accomplice for allegedly coercing the teen into marrying Steed and having sex with him against her will. Steed, a truck driver who recognizes Jeffs as the prophet of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, has not been charged in connection with allegations. In emotional testimony last week, the alleged victim said Jeffs refused to "release" her from the arranged marriage, despite her protests that she was too young and was uncomfortable about sex. Steed testified before a packed courtroom Wednesday that he and his young wife struggled to "love each other" from the first days of their marriage and spent many nights sleeping in separate beds. About three weeks after their wedding in a Nevada hotel in a ceremony conducted by Jeffs, Steed said his wife initiated their first sexual encounter. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Man who married teen bride says he didn't force sex | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Jennifer Dobner The Associated Press Houston Chronicle Originally published September 19, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE, Utah — The two people at the center of a criminal case against a polygamous-sect leader have painted dramatically different pictures of their arranged marriage. A young woman said she tearfully objected and was forced to have sex against her will when she was just 14. Her tears? Her husband didn't recall any during the 2001 wedding ceremony and insisted it was the teen bride who snuggled up to him to have her back scratched before their first sexual encounter. "I believe that every story needs two sides for the truth to come out," Allen Steed said Wednesday as he testified for the defense. Warren Jeffs, 51, is charged with two felony counts of rape as an accomplice for his role in the ceremonial marriage between the girl and Steed, a cousin who was 19 at the time. Washington County prosecutors contend Jeffs used his authority as a feared and respected church leader to force the religious and sexual union of Steed and the 14-year-old bride. The woman, now 21, said Jeffs, president of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, commanded her to obediently give herself to her husband "mind, body and soul." Steed, however, said Jeffs simply counseled patience, prayer and love. The defense team called 10 witnesses over nearly two days but it was Steed's testimony that clearly captured the jury's attention. Closing arguments were set for Friday. Jeffs could spend the rest of his life in prison if convicted. Like the couple's own stories, other witnesses on both sides offered different views of the FLDS culture and religious beliefs. Testifying for prosecution, the woman's two sisters said FLDS members, who number 10,000 on the Arizona-Utah border, live in a rigid, patriarchal society where obedience is expected and wives cannot question or refuse their husbands. Nine FLDS members, however, said just the opposite, describing a church where men are taught to lead with love and wives are treated as partners, not servants. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Spurned husband testifies for polygamist 'prophet' | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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From Amanda Townsend and Gary Tuchman CNN Originally published September 19, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE, Utah (CNN) -- The spurned husband whose arranged marriage is at the center of the rape-accomplice charges against polygamist sect leader Warren Jeffs took the witness stand to defend his prophet on Wednesday. Allen Steed, 26, told the jury he did everything he could think of to make his 2001 marriage to a 14-year-old cousin work. That included seeking the advice of Jeffs, then second-in-command of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, or FLDS. He said his bride, known in court as Jane Doe, was affectionate to him in private, but cold in public. He denied that he or Jeffs had forced sex on his bride, although he did acknowledge exposing himself to her in a park and being surprised when she took offense. "I could tell by her actions that she was surprised and I offended her." At that point, Jane Doe, her husband and one of her lawyers got up and walked out of the courtroom. Jeffs had counseled him, Steed said, telling him to take things slowly. "He told me that I had to learn to get her to love me to the point that she would obey me because she loved me," Steed, who was 19 when he wed Jane Doe, told the jury. "It was a rough and rocky road, then we learned to love one another. I had to learn to love her, and she had to learn how to love me," he said. "And I'm sure it wasn't easy, knowing now what I didn't know then." Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Polygamist leader headed to area court | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Jim Seckler Mohave Daily News Originally published September 19, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| KINGMAN - The leader of a polygamist sect of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Colorado City may soon arrive in Mohave County. Warren Steed Jeffs, 52, faces 2007 charges of two counts of incest and two counts of sexual conduct with a minor in one case and two counts of incest and two counts of sexual conduct with a minor in a second case. The different cases involve two different alleged victims. It is unknown if the victims in the two cases will testify against Jeffs at his trial. He is also charged in this county with three counts of sexual conduct with a minor in a 2005 case, Mohave County Attorney Matt Smith said. Jeffs' trial on rape charges in St. George, Utah is in its second week. He also has a federal fugitive from justice warrant. Federal authorities may try him next on that charge after the Utah charges are resolved, Smith said. Once the case is brought to Mohave County, it will be heard before Superior Court Judge Steven Conn. The judge does not allow cameras in his courtroom. The trial will be heard before an eight-person jury so Jeffs’ hearing and trial will probably be held in Conn's Division 3 courtroom. A larger courtroom on the third floor of the courthouse is sometimes used for high profile cases. Security for the high-profile case will be tight with Kingman Police Department handling law enforcement in front of the courthouse. Spring Street, which runs in front of the courthouse, will likely be closed off for television vans or trucks, KPD Lt. Dean Brice said. In the first of the 2007 cases, Jeffs allegedly had sexual conduct with a minor as an accomplice and committed incest as an accomplice between May 1 and June 30, 2002 and between Aug. 15 and Sept. 15, 2002. The alleged crimes occurred in Colorado City. In the second case, he allegedly had sexual conduct with a minor as an accomplice and committed incest as an accomplice on Aug. 31, 2003 and between Sept. 1 and Sept. 30, 2003 also in Colorado City. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Defense rests in Jeffs case | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Patrice St. Germain The Spectrum Originally published September 19, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE – The defense rested its case this afternoon in the Warren Jeffs trial after hearing testimony through the morning from the man who the leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints allegedly forced a 14-year-old girl to marry. The man spoke tearfully when he testified about the end of the couple’s marriage. "I felt really, really bad," he said while dabbing at his eyes on the witness stand. "I would do anything to win her back. I tried everything I knew." The man talked about his marriage as Jeffs' attorney Walter Bugden led the questioning. He admitted he was never good at communication and admitted when he exposed himself to his young wife in a park in Hildale a short time after they were married, he could tell by her reactions she was offended. "I realized I had done something wrong," he said. During his testimony of what happened in the park, Doe left the courtroom in tears with one of her attorneys and her husband. John Doe said he exposed himself to his wife to help "move things along" and try to make her feel closer to him. Both Jane and John Doe have testified that neither knew about sexual relations before they married and sex education was not something taught in the community. Doe said he tried to be kind and considerate to his new bride and per the advice of the bishop, "Uncle" Fred Jessop, took things slowly. Yet between the time the couple was married on April 23, 2001, and left to go to Canada for a short trip in mid-May, the couple had sexual intercourse. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Claim of rape untrue, former husband asserts | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By Nancy Perkins Deseret Morning News Originally published September 19, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE — After calling just one witness, the defense rested its case in Warren Jeffs' trial Wednesday. The prosecution planned to call a rebuttal witness. Closing arguments are scheduled for Friday. The former husband of a teen bride testified Wednesday that he never forced her to have sex and that polygamist s | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
