http://www.religionnewsblog.com Religion news about religious cults, sects, world religions, and related issues Tue, 14 Feb 2012 15:08:05 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 http://www.religionnewsblog.com/25989/brian-david-mitchell-sentencing-today-for-kidnap-rape-of-elizabeth-smart http://www.religionnewsblog.com/25989/brian-david-mitchell-sentencing-today-for-kidnap-rape-of-elizabeth-smart#comments Wed, 25 May 2011 14:55:41 +0000 Religion News Blog http://www.religionnewsblog.com/?p=25989 The homeless street preacher convicted of kidnapping Elizabeth Smart faces a possible life prison term when he is sentenced on Wednesday, during a hearing in which Smart was expected to address him directly.

Mitchell, 57, was found guilty by a federal court jury in December of kidnapping and unlawful transportation of a minor across state lines to engage in sexual activity.]]> http://www.religionnewsblog.com/25989/brian-david-mitchell-sentencing-today-for-kidnap-rape-of-elizabeth-smart/feed 0 http://www.religionnewsblog.com/25498/jury-convicts-elizabeth-smart-kidnapper-rejects-insanity http://www.religionnewsblog.com/25498/jury-convicts-elizabeth-smart-kidnapper-rejects-insanity#comments Fri, 10 Dec 2010 18:23:00 +0000 Religion News Blog http://www.religionnewsblog.com/?p=25498 A jury found a rambling street preacher guilty Friday of the 2002 kidnapping of Elizabeth Smart in a case that has tugged at hearts around the nation ever since the Utah teenager was snatched from her bedroom and resurfaced nine months later.

Brian David Mitchell could face up to a life in prison when he is sentenced.]]> http://www.religionnewsblog.com/25498/jury-convicts-elizabeth-smart-kidnapper-rejects-insanity/feed 0 http://www.religionnewsblog.com/25490/brian-david-mitchell-a-religious-chameleon-psychiatrist-testifies-for-prosecution http://www.religionnewsblog.com/25490/brian-david-mitchell-a-religious-chameleon-psychiatrist-testifies-for-prosecution#comments Thu, 09 Dec 2010 07:07:16 +0000 Religion News Blog http://www.religionnewsblog.com/?p=25490 More than eight years after Elizabeth Smart was kidnapped at knifepoint from her Salt Lake City home, the case may finally be coming to an end as prosecutors called the last of their rebuttal witnesses, a New York City-based forensic psychologist, who testified about an evaluation he did of the defendant, Brian David Mitchell. ]]> http://www.religionnewsblog.com/25490/brian-david-mitchell-a-religious-chameleon-psychiatrist-testifies-for-prosecution/feed 0 http://www.religionnewsblog.com/25474/religious-expert-analyzes-text-in-elizabeth-smart-case http://www.religionnewsblog.com/25474/religious-expert-analyzes-text-in-elizabeth-smart-case#comments Mon, 06 Dec 2010 10:14:23 +0000 Religion News Blog http://www.religionnewsblog.com/?p=25474 The testimony of Brigham Young University professor Daniel C. Peterson seemed to support the prosecution's contention that the defendant is a smart, cunning person — an argument that runs counter to defense attorneys' claims that he is mentally ill and can't be held responsible in the case]]> http://www.religionnewsblog.com/25474/religious-expert-analyzes-text-in-elizabeth-smart-case/feed 0 http://www.religionnewsblog.com/25395/defense-witnesses-flesh-out-brian-mitchell%e2%80%99s-earlier-life http://www.religionnewsblog.com/25395/defense-witnesses-flesh-out-brian-mitchell%e2%80%99s-earlier-life#comments Wed, 17 Nov 2010 18:14:17 +0000 Religion News Blog http://www.religionnewsblog.com/?p=25395 Until Monday, federal jurors’ only experience of Brian David Mitchell was of a man — eyes closed, hands clasped in prayer, softly singing hymns — whom they see for just moments each morning before the judge orders him from the courtroom.

But a different personality emerged as prosecutors played video recordings depicting the homeless street preacher and accused kidnapper of Elizabeth Smart talking to a judge and police officers.]]> http://www.religionnewsblog.com/25395/defense-witnesses-flesh-out-brian-mitchell%e2%80%99s-earlier-life/feed 0 http://www.religionnewsblog.com/25358/elizabeth-smart-finishes-utah-trial-testimony http://www.religionnewsblog.com/25358/elizabeth-smart-finishes-utah-trial-testimony#comments Thu, 11 Nov 2010 12:35:32 +0000 Religion News Blog http://www.religionnewsblog.com/?p=25358 Elizabeth Smart testified Wednesday that the street preacher accused of kidnapping her in 2002 frequently prayed that the teenager would fulfill her marital duty of having sex - something she said was "about the farthest thing" from her prayers.

Mitchell was a crude, vulgar, self-serving person who used religion to justify his actions, including her kidnapping and rape over nine months, she said, calling him a hypocrite.]]> http://www.religionnewsblog.com/25358/elizabeth-smart-finishes-utah-trial-testimony/feed 0 http://www.religionnewsblog.com/25349/elizabeth-smart-tells-story-of-survival http://www.religionnewsblog.com/25349/elizabeth-smart-tells-story-of-survival#comments Tue, 09 Nov 2010 16:16:59 +0000 Religion News Blog http://www.religionnewsblog.com/?p=25349 Now 23, Elizabeth testified that within hours of being abducted from her bed on June 5, 2002, Brian David Mitchell marched her at knife-point to a mountain campsite above her Salt Lake City home, consummated a hasty “marriage” ceremony, tethered her like an animal between two trees, and promised several times to kill her and her family if she tried to escape.]]> http://www.religionnewsblog.com/25349/elizabeth-smart-tells-story-of-survival/feed 0 http://www.religionnewsblog.com/25297/trial-begins-8-years-after-elizabeth-smart-kidnapping http://www.religionnewsblog.com/25297/trial-begins-8-years-after-elizabeth-smart-kidnapping#comments Mon, 01 Nov 2010 13:12:01 +0000 Religion News Blog http://www.religionnewsblog.com/?p=25297 Eight years after he's accused of slicing through a kitchen window screen with a knife and whisking away a young girl in the middle of the night, the man charged in the abduction of Elizabeth Smart is headed to trial in federal court.

Jury selection in the trial of Brian David Mitchell is scheduled to begin Monday in Salt Lake City's U.S. District Court.]]> http://www.religionnewsblog.com/25297/trial-begins-8-years-after-elizabeth-smart-kidnapping/feed 0 http://www.religionnewsblog.com/24616/brian-david-mitchell-attorney-will-seek-insanity-defense-in-elizabeth-smart-kidnapping-trial http://www.religionnewsblog.com/24616/brian-david-mitchell-attorney-will-seek-insanity-defense-in-elizabeth-smart-kidnapping-trial#comments Sun, 04 Jul 2010 12:22:02 +0000 Religion News Blog http://www.religionnewsblog.com/?p=24616 Attorneys for Brian David Mitchell, who is accused of kidnapping Elizabeth Smart, say they will seek an insanity defense during their client's upcoming trial in federal court scheduled to begin Nov. 1.

Mitchell is accused of kidnapping and raping Elizabeth Smart, who was 14 at the time, in 2002 and holding her captive for nine months.]]> http://www.religionnewsblog.com/24616/brian-david-mitchell-attorney-will-seek-insanity-defense-in-elizabeth-smart-kidnapping-trial/feed 0 http://www.religionnewsblog.com/24337/wanda-barzee-gets-15-years-for-elizabeth-smart-kidnapping http://www.religionnewsblog.com/24337/wanda-barzee-gets-15-years-for-elizabeth-smart-kidnapping#comments Sat, 22 May 2010 09:39:38 +0000 Religion News Blog http://www.religionnewsblog.com/?p=24337 After years of legal wrangling over her mental state, Wanda Eileen Barzee was ordered Friday to spend 15 years behind bars for helping her husband kidnap Elizabeth Smart and hold her captive for nine months.

She was sentenced first in federal court, and then a short time later in state court.]]> http://www.religionnewsblog.com/24337/wanda-barzee-gets-15-years-for-elizabeth-smart-kidnapping/feed 0