Polygamist leader found guilty in child-rape
mysticweed
Posts: 3,710
if i believed in hell, i would hope that he burns there
SAN ANGELO, Texas — A jury on Thursday convicted polygamist church leader Warren Jeffs of sexually assaulting two girls he had taken as "spiritual wives."
The jury returned its verdict after about 3 1/2 hours of deliberations.
Jeffs stood stone-faced as the decision was read.
The penalty phase of the trial was to begin Thursday afetrnon after a break. Jeff faces a sentence of up to life in prison.
During the trial, prosecutors used DNA evidence to show Jeffs fathered a child with a 15-year-old girl and played an audio recording of what they said was him sexually assaulting a 12-year-old girl. They also played audio recordings in which Jeffs was heard instructing young women on how to please him sexually.
In closing arguments Thursday morning, Jeffs, who acted as his own attorney, stood mute during nearly all 30 minutes of his allotted time. He then mumbled a few words that sounded like "I am at peace" before sitting down.
Lead prosecutor Eric Nichols told jurors that the so-called religious persecution and freedom issues Jeffs raised are not a legitimate defense for the alleged crimes.
"This case is not about any people, not about any religion. This case is about Warren Steed Jeffs and what he has done," Nichols said, according to The Salt Lake Tribune.
Prosecutors finished presenting their case on Wednesday by playing a recording of his alleged rape of a 12-year-old girl for jurors.
In response, Jeffs entered the entire Book of Mormon into evidence and read parts of it into the record.
Jeffs has repeatedly said that his freedom of religion protects his right to practice polygamy, which has been condemned by the Mormon church
Jeffs, 55, is charged with aggravated sexual assault of a child, for his relationship with the 12-year-old, and aggravated sexual assault for his relationship with a 15-year-old girl. Authorities allege that Jeffs had "spiritual" marriages with both the girls, and fathered a child with the older girl.
The self-proclaimed "prophet" and leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, a banned offshoot of the Mormons that says men have to have three wives to be admitted into heaven, faces 119 years in prison if convicted on both charges.
Jeffs had argued that his religious freedoms were being trampled. The FLDS, which has at least 10,000 members nationwide, is a radical offshoot of mainstream Mormonism. The church believes polygamy is the key to heaven and that Jeffs is God's spokesman on earth.
Prosecutors said the case had nothing to do with his church or his beliefs.
"You have heard the defendant make repeated arguments about religious freedoms," said Nichols. "Make no mistake, this case is not about any people, this case is not about any religion. It is about one individual, Warren Steed Jeffs, and his actions."
SAN ANGELO, Texas — A jury on Thursday convicted polygamist church leader Warren Jeffs of sexually assaulting two girls he had taken as "spiritual wives."
The jury returned its verdict after about 3 1/2 hours of deliberations.
Jeffs stood stone-faced as the decision was read.
The penalty phase of the trial was to begin Thursday afetrnon after a break. Jeff faces a sentence of up to life in prison.
During the trial, prosecutors used DNA evidence to show Jeffs fathered a child with a 15-year-old girl and played an audio recording of what they said was him sexually assaulting a 12-year-old girl. They also played audio recordings in which Jeffs was heard instructing young women on how to please him sexually.
In closing arguments Thursday morning, Jeffs, who acted as his own attorney, stood mute during nearly all 30 minutes of his allotted time. He then mumbled a few words that sounded like "I am at peace" before sitting down.
Lead prosecutor Eric Nichols told jurors that the so-called religious persecution and freedom issues Jeffs raised are not a legitimate defense for the alleged crimes.
"This case is not about any people, not about any religion. This case is about Warren Steed Jeffs and what he has done," Nichols said, according to The Salt Lake Tribune.
Prosecutors finished presenting their case on Wednesday by playing a recording of his alleged rape of a 12-year-old girl for jurors.
In response, Jeffs entered the entire Book of Mormon into evidence and read parts of it into the record.
Jeffs has repeatedly said that his freedom of religion protects his right to practice polygamy, which has been condemned by the Mormon church
Jeffs, 55, is charged with aggravated sexual assault of a child, for his relationship with the 12-year-old, and aggravated sexual assault for his relationship with a 15-year-old girl. Authorities allege that Jeffs had "spiritual" marriages with both the girls, and fathered a child with the older girl.
The self-proclaimed "prophet" and leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, a banned offshoot of the Mormons that says men have to have three wives to be admitted into heaven, faces 119 years in prison if convicted on both charges.
Jeffs had argued that his religious freedoms were being trampled. The FLDS, which has at least 10,000 members nationwide, is a radical offshoot of mainstream Mormonism. The church believes polygamy is the key to heaven and that Jeffs is God's spokesman on earth.
Prosecutors said the case had nothing to do with his church or his beliefs.
"You have heard the defendant make repeated arguments about religious freedoms," said Nichols. "Make no mistake, this case is not about any people, this case is not about any religion. It is about one individual, Warren Steed Jeffs, and his actions."
fuck 'em if they can't take a joke
"what a long, strange trip it's been"
"what a long, strange trip it's been"
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hope he has a nice long life behind bars.
"Well, you tell him that I don't talk to suckas."
You should be able to believe what you want, worship how you choose and not fear persecution.
However, the moment you start to bulldoze over the rights of anyone else... that's where I have a problem. If polygamists want to live in a commune with 4 wives and one husband... hey, I'm fine with that... let them live how they want. But when a child is being forced into what amounts to sexual slavery... that child's right to freedom from a man like that trumps his right to "choose" how to live.
Agreed.
...are those who've helped us.
Right 'round the corner could be bigger than ourselves.
or just read "Under The Banner Of Heaven" by Krakauer.
Wash me in the blood of Rock & Roll
I bet that's how the FBI found him.
Hail, Hail!!!
And more $$$$$$
I really hope this guy gets raped so hard every day that he needs stitches the rest of his time in prison. :evil:
I visited Colorado Springs a few years ago, and it was the weirdest place I've ever been in America. Not sure if it's a million miles away from Colorado City?
When I arrived - with my Mother e.t.c. on a trip from coast-to-coast - after being told by our coach driver that there was an underground nuclear missile sight under the mountains, we first went along to an excursion they'd laid on. This involved going out into the red rocks and watching a Christian Country & Western shin-dig. As I walked into the place in my Dead Kennedy's t-shirt which had a picture of some dead G.I's on a beach on the front with the slogan 'Round, round, get around, we get around' on it, some fella on stage to my left said something like like 'We're Christians, and we're proud of it!, e.t.c.' He then began to announce how in the audience were the U.S Navy reserves, and the Marines of s0o-and-so company e.t.c.
Suffice to say, I thought I'd walked into a hornets nest.
And as we walked up the aisle stairs in amongst all these Christian soldier types I did my best to hide my t-shirt but noticed some of them scowling at me. I also had dyed-black long hair too.
Anyway, it was a bit awkward. I thought I was gonna get lynched.
Later that night I ended up in a nightclub called 'Cowboys'. I'd borrowed a blue denim shirt from someone by then so tried to blend in. Anyway, as we walked into the place they were playing 'Can't touch this' by M.C Hammer and the place was full of big cowboy types with stetsons on their heads.
At some point during the proceedings a fella from Houston who I'd gotten chatting to got into a fight in this club. I turned around to see tables and chairs and cowboys flying all over the place. My new friend was then summarily given the bums rush.
So that was my experience of Colorado Springs...in a nut shell.
I feel lucky to have gotten out of there with my head still attached to my body.
maybe they thought you were that db cooper guy
"what a long, strange trip it's been"
I am
In most respects, I'd expect that it's like the rest of Colorado, i.e., part of the Wild West. So country-western bars featuring drunken cowboys getting into fights sounds pretty normal. But it's also got a very strong military contingent because NORAD is located there (built deep inside Cheyenne Mountain) and the US Air Force Academy is also located there.
I'm not aware of nuclear devices inside the mountain but what do I know. I don't know a lot about NORAD except that it's a secure defense site for North America. That and they track Santa Claus around the world on Christmas Eve.
My sister lives in a tony neighborhood located on the side of Cheyenne Mountain. Her husband, who retired from the Air Force, also attended the Academy there.
My impression of the place was that it's a typical military town, which would make it fairly conservative. Under the circumstances I can see why you might feel that you'd landed on Mars.
"what a long, strange trip it's been"
Wash me in the blood of Rock & Roll