I knew it would be a short one, but two minutes? That’s the time it took to conduct the open court hearing for polygamous church leader Warren S. Jeffs today. The hearing was delayed about 45 minutes while attorneys met in chambers with 3rd District Judge Terry Christiansen, where they negotiated several things we then [...]
The Utah Supreme Court said in a ruling released today that the FLDS waited too long to challenge state control and reformation of the United Effort Plan Trust. Here is the story, which I am continuing to update. Also, I will update this blog post with reaction throughout the day. Margaret Cooke, UEP Trust advisory [...]
Wonder what defense attorney Wally Bugden thought about the Anderson Cooper show on the Utah Supreme Court ruling? I did. I ask and here is what Bugden said: The notion that the jury instructions were a mere technicality is astounding. The legal pundit said the same thing. Unbelievable. If the jury received improper instructions, it [...]
FLDS spokesman Willie Jessop made the following statements to The Salt Lake Tribune about the Utah Supreme Court decision overturning two felony convictions of Warren S. Jeffs: The vindictive prosecution of this case put anyone with religious beliefs that contradict the mainstream in jeopardy. I think it is very tough when you have people who [...]
Elissa Wall, the state’s star witness in the criminal trial of polygamous sect leader Warren S. Jeffs, held a press conference this afternoon at the Matheson Courthouse in Salt Lake City. Here are her comments, as reported by my colleague Jason Bergreen: “You can label the facts whatever your perspective may be,” Wall said. “But [...]
UPDATED AT 2:15 with comments from Warren Jeffs’ attorneys. This decision is available elsewhere on the Tribune’s website, but I am providing a link here to the Utah Supreme Court ruling released this morning overturning Warren Jeffs’ criminal convictions and remanding the case for a new trial. I am just back from a press conference [...]
NOTE: All photos are property of The Salt Lake Tribune and may not be used or republished without permission.
Trent, as some of you know, is in Vancouver covering the Winter Olympics so the Tribune sent photographer Francisco Kjoleseth to last Wednesday’s Utah Supreme Court hearing. The Deseret News was the pool photographer, which means their photographer was the only one allowed inside the courtroom to shoot photos — which must then be shared [...]
The Utah Supreme Court has added an extra 10 minutes for each side to give arguments in the UEP Trust case, to be heard on Feb. 17. That means each side gets 30 minutes. The court wants to know how the Trust side plans to divvy up its allotment. Here’s the order.
