From Deseret News archives:

Witness refuses to meet Jeffs' attorneys

Published: Sunday, Oct. 19, 2008 12:31 a.m. MDT
 |  E-MAIL | PRINT | FONT + - 
A witness in the upcoming criminal case of Fundamentalist LDS Church leader Warren Jeffs is apparently refusing to meet with his defense attorneys.

They filed a motion earlier this week asking a judge in Kingman, Ariz., to force the witness to be deposed.

"Ms. (name redacted) has refused the defendant's request to be interviewed," Jeffs' attorneys Richard Wright and Michael Piccarreta wrote in court papers. "However, Ms. (name redacted) has no right to refuse an interview even though she is the complaining witness against the defendant in a separate criminal case."

The woman has been interviewed as a witness in Utah's prosecution of Jeffs, the attorneys note.

"Indeed, Ms. (name redacted) lived in the same household with Ms. (name redacted) during relevant time periods and was a close friend. She possesses potentially helpful information based on her law enforcement report. Accordingly, she has been listed as a potential defense witness," Wright and Piccarreta wrote.

Because the names of the women were redacted from the public files by the courts, it is unclear who exactly is being uncooperative. Jeffs is facing sexual conduct with a minor charges in two separate cases in Arizona, accusing him of performing underage marriages.

Story continues below
One of the marriages in question involves Elissa Wall, who was Utah's star witness in its case against Jeffs. The polygamous sect leader was convicted of two counts of rape as an accomplice for performing a marriage between Wall, who was 14 at the time, and her 19-year-old cousin, Allen Steed.

Jeffs is serving a pair of 5-years-to-life sentences for those charges. Steed is currently facing a rape charge in St. George's 5th District Court.

A call to Wall's attorneys was not immediately returned on Friday.

In response, Mohave County Attorney Matt Smith said he did not oppose defense counsel's request to interview the woman, "as long as they do not question her with respect to her case in which she is a victim."

"The state will set up an interview and does not believe a deposition will be necessary based on the avow of defense counsel as well as the motion currently filed," Smith wrote.


Contributing: Suzanne Adams, Kingman Daily Miner


E-mail: bwinslow@desnews.com

Recent comments

Excuse me, but I understand the requirement that witnesses can be...

Tom | Oct. 20, 2008 at 9:23 a.m.


Where are all the accusations about the flds scareing the...

Bo | Oct. 19, 2008 at 12:43 p.m.

previousnext

Latest comments

Does this third bailout to Government Motors mean more of our limited tax...

Alta's Ohai is Ms. Soccer 2009

I just want to say i have had the pleasure to coach Kealia. I so happy for...

I say, if we are going to pass a health care bill, let's be smart about it....

Should I be upset at my ancestors for coming to the USA from Britain? I had...

Hatch empathizes with Muslims

Were there any Muslims attacked? ============= Dude, where have you been?...

To "jackhp | 12:00 p.m. " so what you are saying is that it is better to for...

Letters: Liberal rant amusing

RE Looking Back | 6:50 a.m. You are only seeing the part of history that...

'Just what we need another law which duplicates law already on the books.' ...

We are cheering because we barely won in NY? Oh how far this franchise has...

Jazz blow big lead, hang on

They are like little kids licking popcicles and playing playstation vidio...

Advertisements
Advertisement