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Title: Sect leader who has 70 wives goes on trial for 'forcing girl, 14, to wed her cousin'
Source:
Daily Mail
URL Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/li ... icle_id=481757&in_page_id=1811
Published: Sep 16, 2007
Author: By PAUL THOMPSON
Post Date: 2007-09-16 22:02:36 by Zipporah
Keywords: None
Views: 129
Comments: 8
Self-proclaimed prophet: Warren Jeffs The self proclaimed prophet of a secretive polygamous sect has gone on trial in America accused of forcing a 14 year-old-girl to marry her older cousin. Warren Jeffs, who is said to have had 80 wives and as many as 250 children, is alleged to have told the girl it was her duty to give herself "mind, body and soul" to her husband. A court in Utah heard that the terrified girl got down on her knees and begged Jeffs to postpone the wedding, saying she was too young to marry her 19- year-old cousin. But she was ordered to go through with the ceremony. Prosecutors say Jeffs told her: "Your heart is in the wrong place. This is your mission and duty to do." The girl, who is now 21, is the star witness in the trial which is expected to lay bare the practices of the polygamous sect run by Jeffs. Scroll down for more... Jeffs talks with his lawyer at the hearing He is the leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, a sect with about 10,000 devoted followers who believe a man must marry at least three wives. Women are taught that their path to heaven depends on being subservient to their husband. Jeffs, 51, is on trial on two counts of being an accomplice to rape relating to the forced marriage. He denies both charges and could face life if convicted. He has been in custody for over a year after being on the run for 15 months when he was on the FBI's 10 Most Wanted List. The jury in St George, Utah, have been asked to decide if Jeffs "intentionally, knowingly or recklessly" encouraged the girl to have sex against her will. He was brought to court wearing a bullet proof vest and showed not emotion as his accuser took to the witness stand. The victim told how Jeffs had absolute power over the sect, which was based in Arizona and Utah. She said Jeffs was considered "God" and his word and that of church elders obeyed without question. She said: "The prophet was a God to us, God on Earth. "We were to follow them obediently as though we were led by a hair." Scroll down for more... The defense lawyer touches Jeffs during her opening statement The witness said Jeffs taught that women must submit to their husbands and view them as patriarchs and priestly heads. She said she could not refuse sex or disobey in any other way or she would lose her family on Earth and be denied heaven in the afterlife. Jeffs remained stone-faced as the girl, who ended her arranged marriage and re-married, began her evidence. He took over leadership of the sect from his father Rulon who died in 2002. The Latter Day Saints Church, known as FDLS, is a offshoot from the Mormon Church. It dominates the towns of Colorado City, Arizona and Hildale in Utah, where devotees have several wives. Polygamy is illegal in the US but authorities have been reluctant to confront the FDLS sect for fear of sparking a tragedy similar to the 1993 siege of the Branch Davidian sect in Waco, Texas, which led to the deaths of about 80 members. Jeffs is said to have exerted a tyrannical rule over members, with girls as young as 13 forced to marry church elders. Women were instructed to give birth every year to "replenish the earth" and men could be punished by having their wives re-assigned to another man. The sect also owned all the property lived in by members and those who failed to adhere to the strict teachings could be cast out of their homes. Followers were not allowed to watch television and the internet was banned. Jeffs, the only person allowed to perform marriages, preached that the outside world was "wicked". The trial, which is expected to captivate America and last several months, will pit families against each other. According to a witness list, the 21 year-old victim's father, brother and two sisters are prosecution witnesses, while her mother and another brother and sister are listed as potential defence witnesses. Several of Jeffs' former wives are also listed as giving evidence. Supporters of Jeffs insist he is being persecuted for his beliefs and his lawyers say he has been unfairly branded "evil." They contend that he had nothing to do with the rape. His lawyer Tara Issacon told the jury:" What did Warren Jeffs have to do with what was going on in the bedroom? Did he even know she was forced to have sex?". Prosecutors say the practice of polygamy is not on trial, but the sex abuse of young girls. The trial continues.
Sect leader who has 70 wives goes on trial for 'forcing girl, 14, to wed her cousin'
Last updated at 18:17pm on 14th September 2007 
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#1. To: Zipporah (#0)
Mitt Romney alert!
ROFL!
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Top • Page Up • Full Thread • Page Down • Bottom/Latestif you're old enough to bleed, you're old enough to breed, bump
#2. To: lodwick (#1)
Mitt Romney alert!
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