Child bride wanted to preserve 'eternal salvation,'

[Amelia]

Child bride wanted to preserve 'eternal salvation,' court told

From Amanda Townsend

CNN

16 Sept, 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."

http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/law/09/14/jeffs.trial/index.html

[Gene]

Hello all,

This is going on in Washington County, Utah were I live. The poligamist communities of Hilldale, UT., Centennial Park, Ut., and Colorado City AZ. are within 25 miles of my home in Hurricane, UT.. Warren Jeffs is being held in the Purgatory Correctional Facility 2 miles away. Polygamists, (FLDS-Fundamentalist Latter Day Saints) an off-shoot of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, (LDS-Mormans)have be openly practicing their religion in these areas for over a hundred years. I've lived in this area for 20+ years now, but when I first moved to St. George, UT. in 1986 I was amazed that this was allow even though it was illegal. Members are easily distinguished by their dress and make no effort to hide it as they shopped and worked in non-polygamists city in southern Utah. Until recently not much was made or said about this, but public concern about child brides has caused local law inforcement agencies to act. These communities pretty much kept to themselves and outsiders were not accepted. As members left the FLDS many of their hidden practices became public, prosecution for illegal activities have become more prevelant. The following is the article from our local newspaper on the trial.

Jeffs' trial gets under way

Both sides give opening statements in Warren Jeffs trial

By PATRICE ST. GERMAIN

patrices@thespectrum.com

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.

Jane Doe IV also sought out an attorney before she went to police or to therapy about the alleged rape and has a pending civil lawsuit against Jeffs.

Washington County Attorney Brock Belnap laid out a different picture of the Jane Doe, who is now 21 years of age.

Belnap said when Doe found out she was to be married when she was 14, she went to Jeffs asking him to reconsider because she felt she was too young to marry.

Once she found out that the man she was to marry was her cousin, a person she described in the preliminary hearing as "a bully," she again pleaded with Jeffs.

Several weeks following the marriage, Doe was undressed and forced to have sex with her husband, Belnap said.

"She went to Mr. Jeffs and he told her to repent and go back (to her husband) and give to him mind, body and soul," Belnap said. "As her Priesthood Head, it was her duty to submit to him."

Showing a picture of an unhappy Doe before her wedding day, Belnap then flipped to a photograph of the "honeymoon" room with a heart on the bed and a sign with the couple's name sealed for time and all eternity.

The room, one that Doe shared with her two sisters, was transformed while she was in Caliente, Nev., getting married to her cousin, which Jeffs officiated.

"She left as a child and was expected to move in with her adult cousin," Belnap said.

Doe testified briefly Thursday afternoon before court was adjourned for the day.

Doe said that Jeffs had always been an authority figure in her life.

Growing up, Doe said the teachings of Jeffs on audio tapes were played in school and in her home.

Girls were taught obedience. Girls were instructed to be a mother, keep a home, follow directions and "keep sweet."

During Doe's testimony, several audio tapes of Jeffs' teachings were played.

One talked about how once a girl was given to a man, she belonged to him and she must obey him.

Doe explained that to not follow or obey your husband was a way to lose your salvation and your way into the Celestial Kingdom.

Another tape said that the purpose of plural marriage was for more children.

The trial will resume Friday with Doe again on the witness stand.

Jeffs was flown to the courthouse in a state helicopter and was seen being escorted into the courthouse in a green and white striped prison uniform with a bulletproof vest and in shackles.

Judge James L. Shumate told the jurors that until deliberations begin, none of the jurors will know who will be the eight selected to render a verdict.

Numerous family members of Jeffs were in court Thursday afternoon when opening statements began and all stood when Jeffs was escorted into the courtroom.

Jeffs nodded and smiled at the various family members.

If Jeffs is found guilty, he may face five years to life for each count and still faces similar charges in Arizona and has a federal charge.

The following are websites that have information about the FLDS.

http://helpthechildbrides.com/stories/rubyjess.htm

http://www.childbrides.org/cpac.html

Gene

[Gail]

I thought I had heard of that name before (Jeffs). This article kind of explains it, but has he been in the news before?

[Amelia]

Here is a picture of some of the "wives" from Centennial Park. Is it just me or do they all look like Russan immgrants?

[Amelia]

Quote:

I thought I had heard of that name before (Jeffs). This article kind of explains it, but has he been in the news before?

[Amelia]

Defense argues religious persecution in closing of rape trial of leader of polygamous sect

By Jennifer Dobner

ASSOCIATED PRESS

September 21, 2007

ST. GEORGE, Utah – Authorities who claim the leader of a polygamous sect committed rape by coercing a 14-year-old girl to marry her cousin are persecuting him because of his religion, a defense attorney said Friday before the case was given to the jury.

Jurors, who were questioned about their opinions on polygamy before being chosen for the trial, listened as lawyer Wally Bugden told them the practice was the crux of a feeble case against his client, Warren Jeffs.

“His church, his religious beliefs is what's on trial here and it's being dressed up as a rape,” Bugden said.

Jeffs, 51, is not charged with polygamy. The church he leads endorses polygamy and represents itself as an offshoot of the mainstream Mormon church, which disavows any connection and renounced polygamy in 1890 as a condition of statehood.

Jurors deliberated for about two hours without reaching a verdict. They are scheduled to reconvene Monday.

[Neil D]

Quote:

Here is a picture of some of the "wives" from Centennial Park. Is it just me or do they all look like Russan immgrants?

Actually, they do look like conservative Adventist women from the self-supporting institutions, like Wildwood, Uchipines, ect.

But I didn't imply anything.....just that they look like them...or dress like them...oh, heck, you're right..imported Russian Brides...

[Gene]

Warren Jeff was found guilty.

After three days of deliberation a jury convicted the polygamous-sect leader of rape-by-accomplice.

The following link is to the video form a local news station, that show most of what went on with the jury.

http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=1867868

Guilty Verdict Puts Utah Polygamists on Notice

September 25th, 2007 @ 6:30pm

(AP Photo/Douglas C. Pizac, Pool)

John Hollenhorst Reporting

This could very well mark a turning point in the history of polygamy in Utah, even though Warren Jeffs wasn't actually charged with polygamy.

The double-barreled verdict puts the subculture on notice that arranged marriages with unwilling underage brides can provoke severe legal consequences.

After three days of deliberation a jury convicted the polygamous-sect leader of rape-by-accomplice.

Warren Jeffs could now get life in prison for pressuring a 14-year-old girl and her 19-year-old cousin into a religious and sexual union more than six years ago.

A switch of jurors Tuesday morning doesn't seem to have affected the outcome. The original jury of eight had already decided to convict Jeffs Monday on count one. The jurors holing out for acquittal on count two changed their votes Tuesday, giving the prosecution a double victory, Jeffs guilty on two counts of rape as an accomplice.

He was flown by helicopter about an hour after the verdict to the Purgatory Jail, which is about 12 miles away. He's expected to be sentenced in a few weeks and faces five years to life in prison on each count.

All along his defense attorneys predicted he couldn't get a fair trial, and that it was a religious persecution. But a private investigator who helped generate the legal action disputed that claim. "Warren Jeffs' attorneys fought everything every step of the way and nobody can say Warren Jeffs didn't get a fair trial. He got more than a fair trial," private investigator Sam Brower said.

This verdict was definitely a vindication for Elissa Wall, the victim in the case, who was 14 years old at the time the crime took place.

Tuesday, the 21-year-old Wall stepped forward to the microphones to talk about the verdict

Elissa Wall, victim in Jeffs trial "This has not been easy for us. The easy thing would have been to do nothing, but I have followed by heart and spoken the truth," she said.

A lot of people believed that the crucial turning point in the trial was the closing argument last Friday by prosecutor Brock Belnap. He also spoke Tuesday just before Wall did. "In my mind, Elissa is a pioneer. There always has to be someone willing to go first. She stood and took the stand and withstood attacks on her creditability and reputation with honor and with dignity," he said.

Wall also went out of her way Tuesday to tell her own mother that she loves her, realizing that many of her relatives are still members of the Warren Jeffs group and loyal to Jeffs, and troubled by her role in this case.

"I have very tender feeling for the FLDS people, there is so much good in them. I pray they'll find the strength to step back and re-examine what they've been told to believe and follow their hearts," she added.

Wall also used the verdict to send a message to those who might be sexually abused because of the marriage practices of the FLDS church. "I know how hard it is, but please stand up and fight. Fight for your voice and power of choice. I will continue to fight for you," she said. "This trial has not been about religion or a vendetta. It is simply about child abuse and preventing further abuse."

It's that idea of underage child brides that has been a big issue for a lot of people, and there was celebration in some quarters after this verdict. "I'm so elated because I was so proud of those girls [and] the courage it took for them to send a message to Colorado City. It sounds like the jury got that message," Elaine Tyler of The Hope Organization said.

Richard Holm, a former follower of Jeffs, said, "There are so many victims, so many people that he's hurt, that I'm extremely glad to see the system work. It was brought into the hands of the law and he had to face his accusers, some of them. He was given a fair trial and I'm happy to hear the verdict."

"You can't have a religion that says can you violate the law," explained investigator Gary Engels, from Mohave County, Ariz.

Now that the trial is over, Jeffs is facing 5 years to life in prison on each of the two counts. Those could be run consecutive consecutively, which means he'd have to serve one sentence and then start another sentence.

Sentencing in this case is scheduled for Nov. 20 at 1:30 p.m., but once sentencing is done on that he could face more legal trouble because he's facing eight or 10 charges in Arizona.

What this all means for the future of the FLDS community is unclear. All indications are that new leadership is emerging to fill the gap, but thousands of people remain loyal to Jeffs' teachings and the teachings of the church.

Gene

[Amelia]

I heard part of the young womans testimony and in it she said that Jeffs referred to himself as "God in human form". Talk about your delusions of grandeur! YIKES