Jeffs to appear in court today
 
By Patrice St. Germain
patrices@thespectrum.com
Warren Jeffs

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."

Bail, however, will not be addressed today, Filter said, because a bail hearing is an evidentiary hearing and that's not scheduled. Jeffs is currently being held without bail.

Attempts to reach Jeffs' Salt Lake City attorneys, Walter Bugden and Tara Isaacson, were unsuccessful Tuesday.

Las Vegas attorney Richard Wright, who along with Bugden and Isaacson met with Jeffs on Sept. 9, is also on the court calendar as representing Jeffs.

Washington County Sheriff Kirk Smith said Jeffs' transport to court will be handled based on protocol for high-profile cases and said he is not anticipating any problems. When asked if Jeffs or any of his followers had caused any problems since his incarceration at Purgatory Correctional Facility, Smith said there have been none.

The number of Jeffs' followers is estimated to be as few as 6,000 to as many as 10,000, most of whom live in the twin cities of Hildale, Utah, and Colorado City, Ariz., which was previously called Short Creek.

The area has been home to polygamists since the early 1900s. The church has expanded its property holdings and now has compounds is Eldorado, Texas; Mancos, Colo.; Pringle, S.D.; and British Columbia, Canada.
 
TheSpectrum.com
Originally published September 27, 2006
 
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