FLDS lawyers to question Texas authorities
Raid, search at YFZ Ranch top agenda
Schleicher County Sheriff David Doran, his deputy John Connor and Texas Ranger Brooks Long will be questioned next month at the San Angelo, Texas, offices of attorneys retained by the FLDS Church, a notice filed Friday in a Kingman, Ariz., court said.
"Failure to appear for this deposition may result in sanctions including, but not limited to, dismissal of the prosecution, a ruling that the search of the YFZ Ranch in April 2008 was illegal and unconstitutional, or contempt of court against the deponent," Jeffs' criminal defense attorney Michael Piccarreta wrote in the notice.
Piccarreta noted the lawmen could plead the Fifth Amendment or that any statement they gave could be used against them in future court cases. A judge has ordered the men to give interviews to Jeffs' criminal defense team, which wants to know what information and evidence from the raid was shared with Arizona authorities.
Doran said the Texas Attorney General's Office will assist them in the depositions.
"We have nothing to hide," the sheriff told the Deseret News. "We'll discuss whatever topic."
The YFZ Ranch was raided in April based on a phone call alleging the abuse of a pregnant teenage girl in a polygamous marriage to an older man. The call is believed to be a hoax, but on scene, Texas authorities and child welfare workers say they saw other signs of abuse. That prompted a judge to order the removal of hundreds of children.
Approximately 439 children were returned to their parents when a pair of Texas courts ruled the state acted improperly and the children were not in immediate danger of abuse. To date, only 36 children remain under court supervision in what was once the nation's largest child custody case. The rest were "nonsuited" after Texas Child Protective Services determined there was either no evidence of abuse or their parents took appropriate steps to protect their children.
Jeffs is facing trial in Arizona on sexual misconduct charges, accusing him of performing underage marriages. He was convicted in Utah of rape as an accomplice. Jeffs and 11 other FLDS members have also been indicted by a grand jury in Texas on charges ranging from sexual assault of a child to bigamy to failure to report child abuse.
E-mail: bwinslow@desnews.com
Recent comments
Re: Look at.
You have brought up a heck of a point. It...
zxcvbnm | Dec. 3, 2008 at 11:41 a.m.
FLDS attorneys hold up a large arial photo of the ranch and its...
Look at the pics | Dec. 1, 2008 at 4:33 p.m.
nothing will come of this. why waste the time?
realitycheck | Nov. 24, 2008 at 10:06 a.m.
- Normal fire season predicted 5:38 p.m.
- Kids coping parents' addictions 5:35 p.m.
- Utah Co. man arrest in sex assault 5:30 p.m.
- S.Salt Lake mayor vetoes funding 5:29 p.m.
- Blazers offer Millsap 4-year deal 5:02 p.m.
- Eagle Mountain gets 5th well 4:44 p.m.
- Utah eligible for federal flu grants 4:05 p.m.
- Attempted murder case refiled 4:05 p.m.
- Cannon sued over unpaid bills 4:04 p.m.
- Women lose court bid to ski jump 4:02 p.m.
- LDS seminary principal arrested
- Jazz talking Boozer trade?
- Reactions on Boozer speculation
- Stadium of Fire flag burning was fake
- Jazz in back of line for free agents
- A primer for the 6th Potter film
- Okur signs two-year extension
- Jazz won't meet Lopez on Europe trip
- Restaurant destroyed by fire
- Mall owner seeks to retain zoning
- Bronco collecting a galaxy of recruits
141 - Letters: Palin mistreated
141 - Teachers struggle with district cuts
137 - Jazz talking Boozer trade?
134 - LDS seminary principal arrested
126 - Blazers may offer Millsap a contract
123 - Stadium of Fire flag burning was fake
90 - Moon landing: Let's hear from you
82 - Fairness of BCS debated
81 - Chaffetz eyes challenging Bennett
74
As more and more dads are put out of work in this economy, I've been...
The photographs are mysterious, brooding, dark. They show dimples and...
to lala: you are unbelievable. What if this were your 16 year old daughter?...
that's is a steep price for a player coming off the bench... not worth it
RedShirt, "...how about the web site US Governemnt Spending, which uses...
This is a perfect example of why we threw his backside out of office. Fat cat...
This just goes to show that we're now a culture of "guilty until proven...
In this life there are few certainties, one you can count on is a Scandal of...
Have a good life Millsap.
apparently they haven't done a proper investigation yet, since it's...
As grevious as this incidence was perhaps Bro. Pratt still needs a friend or...
Obviously, if he did it, he should pay the maximum penalty (as should the...

