Warren Jeffs jury deadlocked on one count

ST. GEORGE, Utah—Jurors said Monday they were deadlocked on one of two charges in the case against the leader of a polygamous sect who is accused of sex crimes in the arranged marriage of a 14-year-old girl to an older cousin.

The jury sent a note to the judge indicating that it had reached an impasse in the trial of Warren Jeffs, president of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Jeffs is charged with two counts of rape as an accomplice.

“We have a hung jury regarding the second count,” the jury said in a note. “We do not believe further deliberation is needed. How do we go about it at this point?”

Fifth District Judge James Shumate talked to attorneys on both sides, then brought jurors into the courtroom. He advised them to look at their instructions and keep talking.

“Keep your minds open,” Shumate said.

The young woman in the case testified that she pleaded with church leaders to hold off the marriage because of her age but was told her “heart was in the wrong place.” She said she sobbed through the ceremony and had to be coaxed to say “I do” and kiss her groom.

The groom, Allen Steed, however, said the young bride didn’t cry or hesitate to kiss him. He said she initiated sex within weeks of the ceremony, waking him after he fell asleep in his clothes. He also insisted he never forced her to do anything.

The Associated Press generally does not identify people alleging sexual abuse.

Each count of rape by accomplice against Jeffs represents a time frame in the marriage. The first count covers April 23, 2001—the day of their wedding—to May 12, 2001. The second count covers May 13, 2001, to Sept. 30, 2003.

Read Another Article

Warren Jeffs: Jury hung on one count, decides on another
MorningStar to celebrate grand opening Friday

Related News Articles Topic(s): FLDS • Polygamy Subscribe to Religion News Blog updates Subscribe to Religion News Blog [What is this?] Get Religion News Blog's headline by Email [What is this?] Follow Religion News Blog at Twitter Find Related Information Use our custom search engines to find additional research resources on religions and cults: ApologeticsSearch.com: Search for apologetics articles, books, videos, and other research resources across 135 Christian apologetics websites and blogs. CounterCultSearch.com: Search for information about (religious) cults, cult-like organizations, and cults experts -- as well as paranormal-, New Age, and pseudoscientific claims -- across 260+ websites, blogs and forums dedicated to cult research, spiritual abuse, ex-cult counseling & support. Find Related Religion & Spirituality Books at Amazon.com FLDS Possibly related... or Most Popular Religion News Articles Kent Hovind: Evangelist arrested on federal charges Beast’s real mark devalued to ’616′ Muslim Woman Gives Sex Advice on Arab TV Michael Jackson Confirms Conversion to Islam Kent Hovind, ‘Dr. Dino,’ guilty on all counts The fall and rise of Carlton Pearson Search False prophet Harold Camping sets another date for rapture: May 21, 2011 Watch the film Theo van Gogh was murdered for Kent Hovind — Dr. Dino — sentenced to 10 years in prison

Search Religion News Blog