Lawyers representing Warren Jeffs, the imprisoned prophet of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, have petitioned for a new trial, citing what they consider to be errors on the part of trial judge James Shumate.
Walter Bugden, lead attorney for Warren Jeffs argues that Shumate erred last September when it was learned that a juror in Jeffs’ trial had lied about her background and failed to report that she had been a rape victim. The beleaguered prophet was standing trial on two charges of Rape as an Accomplice and the case had already gone to the jury when the judge learned that one of the eight jurors had not responded truthfully to pretrial questions.
The U.S. Department of Labor obtained a permanent injunction recently against Paragon Contractors of Hildale, Utah, after repeated violations of federal child labor laws. The injunction, issued by U.S. District Judge Tena Campbell prohibits the company from employing any underage workers.
Hildale is home to thousands of members of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, a polygamous sect that broke away from the mainstream Mormon church decades ago.
FLDS prophet Warren Jeffs is due to face charges in Arizona later this month on charges stemming from the marriage of underage girls to older men. Mohave Co. Attorney Matt Smith was quoted in published reports this week as saying that he expected Jeffs to be transferred to his jurisdiction “fairly soon.”
Jeffs is currently serving time in Utah state prison following his conviction on two charges of rape as an accomplice. Those charges also resulted from his involvement with marrying underage girls to his older male followers.
State’s new Bigamy Law gets first test in Callahan County
Thursday, 21 February 2008 00:00
Yisrayl Hawkins, a 73-year-old Callahan County man, stands accused on four counts of bigamy, and is being held in Abilene in the Taylor County Jail on $10 million bond. He is believed to be the first person in Texas to face charges under the new Texas bigamy law, sponsored by State Representative Harvey Hilderbran in 2005.
Hawkins, a former Abilene police officer, is the leader of a church known as the House of Yahweh. He is said to have several hundred followers living on a secluded piece of property between Clyde and Eula. Among the principles taught by Hawkins is the practice of polygamy, or multiple marriages.
Jeffs taken to Arizona to face second round of charges
Thursday, 28 February 2008 00:00
Warren Jeffs, the jailed prophet of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is now in the custody of Arizona officials. He was picked up in Utah on Tuesday by authorities from Mohave County Arizona and transported to Kingman, Arizona where he is due to stand trial on charges of arranging the marriage of two underage girls to older men, similar to the charges for which he was convicted in Utah last year.
Jeffs was due to make his first Arizona court appearance on Wednesday, some 2 1/2 years after he was first charged. The charges sent Jeffs into hiding and eventually landed him on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted List.
Warren Jeffs, the embattled leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, appeared in a Kingman, Arizona courtroom on Wednesday, February 27, 2008, and entered not guilty pleas to a series of sex charges stemming from his involvement in arranging marriages between three underage girls and his older male followers.
Courtroom observers noted that Jeffs appeared gaunt. His attorney acknowledged recently that he has been undergoing a self-imposed hunger strike.
The U.S. Department of Labor obtained a permanent injunction recently against Paragon Contractors of Hildale, Utah, after repeated violations of federal child labor laws. The injunction, issued by U.S. District Judge Tena Campbell prohibits the company from employing any underage workers.
Yisrayl Hawkins, a 73-year-old Callahan County man, stands accused on four counts of bigamy, and is being held in Abilene in the Taylor County Jail on $10 million bond. He is believed to be the first person in Texas to face charges under the new Texas bigamy law, sponsored by State Representative Harvey Hilderbran in 2005.