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Warren Jeffs found guilty on rape counts
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by Kaitlin | September 25, 2007 at 12:31 pm
1121 views | 17 Recommendations | 7 comments
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CNN is reporting that Fundamentalist Mormon leader Warren Jeffs has been found guilty on two counts of rape as an accomplice. The charges stem from accusations of rape by Elissa Wall who was betrothed, by Jeffs, to her 19-year-old cousin when she was 14. Wall is now married with two children, and has changed her name legally under the Witness Protection Program. Her face was not shown in court. Jeffs was recognized at the time of Wall's marriage as the prophet by many members of the US fundamentalist Mormon community.
This ruling will undoubtedly have a huge impact on the FLDS (Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints) community, both in Utah, Arizona and Texas in the US and at Bountiful in Creston, BC, where another branch of the sect is led by Winston Blackmore. That sect, in turn, split in the years following Jeffs' appointment as prophet. Jeffs excommunicated Blackmore from the FLDS, but some in Bountiful still follow Blackmore.
More information about the recent history of the FLDS can be found here.
Clips and information about Polygamy's Lost Boys, an excellent documentary about the lives of boys who leave Bountiful, can be found here.
If convicted, Jeffs could face up to life imprisonment.
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Most RecentMost Recommended Comments (7)
at 12:32 on September 25th, 2007
Kaitlin, thanks for getting this story out so quickly. It will now show up on the home page for four hours. If new developments justify it, I'll renew this flag for another cycle.
at 12:36 on September 25th, 2007
Kaitlin, good stuff and great speed!
at 13:03 on September 25th, 2007
at 14:56 on September 25th, 2007
Kaitlin, Good stuff, now let's see if they will pass a law allowing castration with a 10 pound hammer for rapists. Of course if he finds religion in prison, oh wait he found religion, silly me, yep castration certainly would bring him closer to god, or at least closer to his own navel.
at 14:57 on September 25th, 2007
Kaitlin, This will also be a big blow the fundamentalist Mormon communities worldwide, not just in the US and Canada. We have our fair share of this kind of stuff here in New Zealand. Sodomy, rape, indecent assault and other unspeakable acts of a sexual nature seems to be a bit of a trademark of these "religious" groups, be they traditional Catholics or extremist groupings such as the Mormons. This is just another sad sad story. It is good you bring this story to us.
at 07:27 on September 26th, 2007
You're right, generaldecay. In this case he was charged as an accomplice because as the leader in Hilldale, UT, he arranged the marriage between Wall and her cousin when Wall was only 14. He therefore orchestrated a situation which allowed for statutory rape, in the prosecution's eyes. And, it would seem, in the eyes of the jury as well.
It is still a rape charge, as an accomplice charge still falls under the charge it is related to (ie:accomplice to murder is still a murder charge).
at 09:17 on September 26th, 2007
Writer's Note: I have corrected the name of the woman named in the rape trial from Jenny Pitkin to Elissa Wall (Elissa Steed when she was married to her cousin, Allen Steed). Pitkin was a name seen in a news article about the trial; I believe the writer of this article was misinformed. Sorry for any confusion.