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/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 http://www.religionnewsblog.com/24094/wanda-barzee-pleads-guilty-to-charge-in-elizabeth-smart-case http://www.religionnewsblog.com/24094/wanda-barzee-pleads-guilty-to-charge-in-elizabeth-smart-case#comments Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:34:41 +0000 Religion News Blog http://www.religionnewsblog.com/?p=24094 Prosecutors on Monday dropped state charges against a woman in the 2002 abduction of Elizabeth Smart in exchange for a guilty plea related to the attempted kidnapping of Smart's cousin.

Doctors at the Utah State Hospital said last fall that Barzee had responded to the treatment and was competent.

Atherton accepted that determination Monday but said Barzee remains mentally ill.]]> http://www.religionnewsblog.com/24094/wanda-barzee-pleads-guilty-to-charge-in-elizabeth-smart-case/feed 0 http://www.religionnewsblog.com/23792/wanda-barzee-elizabeth-smart-2 http://www.religionnewsblog.com/23792/wanda-barzee-elizabeth-smart-2#comments Sat, 17 Oct 2009 05:20:49 +0000 Religion News Blog http://www.religionnewsblog.com/?p=23792 A state court judge said Friday the Utah State Hospital has determined that the woman charged in the 2002 kidnapping of Elizabeth Smart is competent for trial.

The hospital's finding — provided in a report three days ago to Judge Judith Atherton — was announced in Salt Lake City's 3rd District Court. It could mean the case of Wanda Eileen Barzee is headed toward trial, although Atherton first must rule Barzee competent.]]> http://www.religionnewsblog.com/23792/wanda-barzee-elizabeth-smart-2/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 http://www.religionnewsblog.com/22693/elizabeth-smart-kidnapper http://www.religionnewsblog.com/22693/elizabeth-smart-kidnapper#comments Sat, 11 Oct 2008 15:32:44 +0000 Religion News Blog http://www.religionnewsblog.com/?p=22693 Brian David Mitchell, accused in the kidnapping of Elizabeth Smart, does not meet the criteria for forced medication, a 3rd District judge ruled Thursday.

Judge Judith Atherton wrote in a 44-page decision that the likelihood that psychotropic medications would help Mitchell is too low to warrant forcing him to take them.

U.S. District Attorney Brett Tolman subsequently announced Friday that his office has started the process to prosecute Mitchell in federal court.]]> http://www.religionnewsblog.com/22693/elizabeth-smart-kidnapper/feed 0