Just before the Labor Day weekend, 5th District Judge G. Rand Beacham slipped out a decision in FLDS member Allen G. Steed’s attempt to get a rape charge dismissed. Beacham ruled that the statute of limitations had not expired when the state charged Steed following his testimony as a defense witness in Warren Jeffs’ trial [...]
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 [...]
Kirk Torgensen, chief deputy in the Utah Attorney General’s Office, spoke Tuesday at the National Organization For Victim Assistance conference, being held in Salt Lake City. His topic? “Polygamy Victimization.” Former plural wife Carolyn Jessop also spoke. More on her in the next post. But here is a recap of what Torgensen had to say. [...]
A Utah judge on Friday signed a warrant for the arrest of polygamous church leader Warren S. Jeffs on the Texas charges and set his initial appearance for Aug. 26. There is no bail for Jeffs. 08-20-10 Judge ROBERT ADKINS assigned. 08-20-10 Filed: Information 08-20-10 Case filed 08-20-10 Filed: From an Information. 08-20-10 Judge TERRY [...]
I’ve been busy this morning at a court hearing, so pardon the delay. Here is today’s story about Utah Gov. Gary Herbert signing off on the extradition paperwork for FLDS church leader Warren S. Jeffs: Herbert signs an extradition warrant for Jeffs By Brooke Adams Utah Gov. Gary Herbert Tuesday evening signed an extradition warrant [...]
An Arizona Judge Pro Tem knocked down UEP Trust fiduciary Bruce R. Wisan’s “claim of rights” defense, setting his criminal trespass case for trial. But that defeat may be outweighed by victories on other fronts: Judge Paul Julien granted Wisan’s motion to depose FLDS church leader Warren S. Jeffs as part of gathering information for [...]
Here’s what happened Tuesday as we scrambled to cover the Utah Supreme Court decision about Warren Jeffs. The court announces on Monday which decisions, if any, it will release on Tuesday. So we knew Monday a decision was coming. I spent part of the day preparing what we call “boilerplate” — background that could be [...]
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 [...]
Attorneys for polygamous church leader Warren S. Jeffs wasted little time submitting a request for a speedy new trial. Hours after the Utah Supreme Court overturned Jeffs’ convictions on accomplice to rape, defense attorney Walter F. Bugden submitted a request for a speedy trial. Fifth District Judge James Shumate, who presided over the first trial, [...]
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 [...]
