http://www.religionnewsblog.com Religion news about religious cults, sects, world religions, and related issues Mon, 13 Feb 2012 16:58:39 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 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/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/23941/brian-david-mitchell-faked-psychiatric-problems-nurse-claims http://www.religionnewsblog.com/23941/brian-david-mitchell-faked-psychiatric-problems-nurse-claims#comments Wed, 02 Dec 2009 02:39:39 +0000 Religion News Blog http://www.religionnewsblog.com/?p=23941 Leslie Miles, a former employee of Utah State Hospital, took the witness stand during the second day of the competency hearing for Brian David Mitchell, 56, who faces federal charges of kidnapping and unlawful transportation of a minor across state lines.

Mitchell was able to take care of himself and ask for things while in the hospital's forensic unit but refused to participate in any treatments or therapies, Miles said.]]> http://www.religionnewsblog.com/23941/brian-david-mitchell-faked-psychiatric-problems-nurse-claims/feed 0 http://www.religionnewsblog.com/23733/kidnap-victim-elizabeth-smart-recounts-rape-ordeal http://www.religionnewsblog.com/23733/kidnap-victim-elizabeth-smart-recounts-rape-ordeal#comments Fri, 02 Oct 2009 07:13:33 +0000 Religion News Blog http://www.religionnewsblog.com/?p=23733 The American student Elizabeth Smart has, for the first time, described her nine-month kidnap ordeal after being snatched by a stranger from her bedroom in Salt Lake City seven years ago.

Asked by a prosecutor to describe Brian David Mitchell, the self-described prophet accused of holding her captive for nine months, Ms Smart replied: “Evil, wicked, manipulative, stinky, slimy, greedy, selfish, not spiritual, not religious, not close to God.”]]> http://www.religionnewsblog.com/23733/kidnap-victim-elizabeth-smart-recounts-rape-ordeal/feed 0 http://www.religionnewsblog.com/23718/elizabeth-smart-to-face-accused-kidnapper http://www.religionnewsblog.com/23718/elizabeth-smart-to-face-accused-kidnapper#comments Tue, 29 Sep 2009 21:52:03 +0000 Religion News Blog http://www.religionnewsblog.com/?p=23718 A federal judge has ruled that Elizabeth Smart can testify in the upcoming mental competency hearing for her accused kidnapper.

In a ruling issued Monday afternoon, U.S. District Judge Dale A. Kimball denied a defense motion to bar Smart from testifying in the case of Brian David Mitchell.]]> http://www.religionnewsblog.com/23718/elizabeth-smart-to-face-accused-kidnapper/feed 0 http://www.religionnewsblog.com/23704/wanda-barzee-elizabeth-smart http://www.religionnewsblog.com/23704/wanda-barzee-elizabeth-smart#comments Mon, 28 Sep 2009 05:55:41 +0000 Religion News Blog http://www.religionnewsblog.com/?p=23704 In letters written to her mother, the woman charged in the 2002 kidnapping of Elizabeth Smart has sought forgiveness for any pain she has caused and says she expects to spend the rest of her life in prison.

Meanwhile her estranged husband will soon face another competency hearing.]]> http://www.religionnewsblog.com/23704/wanda-barzee-elizabeth-smart/feed 0