Jeffs tries to speak at hearing; trial to remain in St. George

ST. GEORGE — Just after a judge had ordered that the extremely high-profile trial of Warren Jeffs will remain here, the Fundamentalist LDS Church leader stood.

"May I approach the bench?" Jeffs said, raising his left arm. "I just need to take care of one matter."

The judge tried to explain that he should consult with his lawyers.

"Can I take care of it now?" he asked again.

Jeffs began bending over, trying to write on a pad of paper. He appeared to be weak and feeble, having trouble holding himself up and trying to tear the paper off. Washington County Sheriff's deputies swarmed around him and ordered the courtroom to be cleared.

Outside of court, Jeffs' defense team refused to comment on their client's unusual courtroom outburst.

"He is very frail," defense attorney Walter Bugden, Jr., told reporters. He would not say what his client wanted.

Jeffs appeared thin and frail at today's hearing. His followers stood in a show of respect when he entered the courtroom, but he only glanced at them briefly. At times during the proceedings, Jeffs closed his eyes for long periods of time and appeared to be nodding off. He would occasionally write on some paper.

After a judge denied a series of motions seeking to derail the criminal case against Jeffs, Bugden vowed an appeal.

"We intend to appeal. We're going to do everything we can to represent Mr. Jeffs' interests," he said.

Defense attorneys asked to have the trial moved from here to Salt Lake County, citing massive pre-trial publicity surrounding the polygamist leader. Fifth District Court Judge James Shumate narrowly granted their request.

"When the court sees the kind of language submitted to it by the local media, the ability to find a reasonable likelihood is substantially impaired," Shumate said. "What I do not know is if it has been fatally impaired. I cannot know until I impanel a jury."

The judge said that if during jury selection it becomes obvious he could not seat an impartial jury, he would move it to Salt Lake County.

The judge denied a pair of legal motions seeking to derail the criminal case. Defense attorneys argued that Utah's rape as an accomplice law was unconstitutionally vague and that the order to bind Jeffs over for trial should be quashed.