Lawyers for cult leader Warren Jeffs will question Texas lawmen

Texas lawmen will be grilled by FLDS leader’s attorneys

Lawyers for Fundamentalist LDS Church leader Warren Jeffs have scheduled interviews with Texas authorities involved in the raid on the polygamous sect’s YFZ Ranch.

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.”
[...]

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.

Read Another Article

Yoga encourages blasphemy, say Muslims
Online messages detail plot to kill girl’s family

Related News Articles Topic(s): FLDS • Polygamy Related Tags / Keywords: FLDS • Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Sai • fundamentalist mormons • mormon fundamentalists • Polygamy • warren jeffs • warren s. jeffs 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 Trial set for erstwhile FLDS cult leader Warren Jeffs Jury finds FLDS member Merril Leroy Jessop guilty Judge cancels hearing in case against Warren Jeffs FLDS indictments upheld, Keate trial begins today Man from polygamist sect sentenced to 10 years Polygamist Sect Leader Convicted of Sexual Assault First of a dozen polygamist FLDS sect members goes on trial Polygamous sect challenges seizure of land trust Texas judge OKs evidence collected in raid on sect Judge postpones ruling on sale of farm sect considers future temple site

Search Religion News Blog