From Deseret News archives:

Lawsuit against FLDS Trust going forward

Published: Friday, Oct. 26, 2007 2:05 p.m. MDT
 |  E-MAIL | PRINT | FONT + - 
Talks to settle a lawsuit between Fundamentalist LDS Church leader Warren Jeffs' rape accuser and the polygamous church's multimillion-dollar trust have broken down.

It appears Elissa Wall's lawsuit against the United Effort Plan Trust will now be headed for court. Lawyers for the court-controlled UEP Trust are seeking to have it dismissed entirely.

"With the commencement of litigation in the present lawsuit, the Trust intends to file a dispositive Motion for Summary Judgement which, if granted, would result in the dismissal of all of Plaintiff's claims against the Trust," Jeffrey L. Shields, a lawyer for the court-appointed special fiduciary of the UEP Trust, wrote in court documents.

Wall was the star witness in the criminal case against FLDS leader Warren Jeffs, who was convicted of first-degree felony rape as an accomplice. He performed a marriage between Wall, then 14, and her 19-year-old cousin, Allan Steed. Jeffs faces up to life in prison when sentenced on Nov. 20. Steed recently has been charged with first-degree felony rape.

Story continues below
Wall filed a multimillion-dollar personal injury lawsuit against Jeffs and added the UEP Trust to the list of defendants. Jeffs was the president of the UEP Trust's board, until a judge in Salt Lake City's 3rd District Court took control of it in 2005 amid allegations that Jeffs and other top FLDS leaders had mismanaged it. The UEP Trust, with an estimated $100 million in assets, controls mostly real estate in the FLDS enclaves of Hildale, Utah; Colorado City, Ariz.; and Bountiful, British Columbia, in Canada.

Settlement proposals revealed in Jeffs' criminal trial indicated that Wall sought to receive property for her family and her attorneys, as well as a $1 million emergency fund to help other women and children who wish to leave the FLDS Church.

Shields said the UEP Trust does not believe it is liable for any of Jeffs' alleged wrongdoing, but they remain open to resuming settlement talks.

"We kind of drew a line in the sand where negotiations have gone to before," he said Friday. "I very rarely say, 'I'll never talk settlement."'


E-mail: bwinslow@desnews.com

Comments

You can be the first to comment on this story.

Image

Elissa Wall

previousnext

Latest comments

When did Christ visit Asia??? Buddha was not Christ!

Big games keep UHSAA coffers full

"Small schools travel better than the big ones." No, they just travel...

Sarah could save her prayers for getting the help she needs to speak publicly...

LDS Church, BSA in abuse lawsuit

please, please, please end the relationship with the scouts and focus on DTG.

people who say dollhouse is not worth keeping clearly are the shallow type....

We were in the first car that Mr. Taylor hit around 53rd south. We were...

Tepanyaki will pay $30K settlement

Was their salad dressing recipe. The best dressing ever. Anyone know where I...

At the rate they're going this year, USC will be available at the end of this...

While we may lack the experience that the Galaxy have, we have not been given...

Relieved Cougs prep for Falcons

Your comment cought my eye "My question is does anyone have a life that reads...

Advertisements
Advertisement