| FLDS trust sues former child bride's family | |
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By Ben Winslow Deseret News | |
The man in charge of the court-controlled United Effort Plan Trust has filed a lawsuit against the family of the former child bride who was the star witness in the criminal case against Fundamentalist LDS Church leader Warren Jeffs. It's in response to a personal injury lawsuit filed by Elissa Wall over her marriage at age 14 to her 19-year-old cousin. Bruce Wisan's attorneys filed a third party complaint naming members of Wall's family, her former spiritual leaders and even her former husband, Allen Steed. "UEP Trust denies that it is liable to plaintiff, or that it has caused or contributed to damages alleged in the complaint," attorney Jeffrey L. Shields wrote in court documents filed in Salt Lake City's 3rd District Court last month. However, they claim that if the trust is found liable, they will be going after Wall's family, former husband and former UEP trustees for damages. "We do not feel the trust has any liability and we are going to go to the mat," Wisan told the Deseret News on Friday. Lawyers for Wall disagree. "They're just trying to point the fingers to others," Roger Hoole said. Wall sued Jeffs and the UEP Trust over the marriage. A trial is scheduled to start March 1, but lawyers concede that will not likely happen with discovery still being sought from both sides. The UEP, which controls homes, businesses and other property in the polygamous communities of Hildale, Utah, and Colorado City, Ariz., was taken over by the courts in 2005 over allegations that Jeffs and other FLDS leaders mismanaged it. Wall also testified against Jeffs at his criminal trial. The FLDS leader was convicted in Utah of two counts of rape as an accomplice and is serving a pair of five-to-life sentences. Wall is also expected to be a witness in Jeffs' criminal cases in Arizona, where he is accused of performing more child bride marriages. Meanwhile, Jeffs' criminal defense team has renewed its efforts to get audio and videotapes of the beginning of the raid on the FLDS Church's YFZ Ranch. In filings made public Friday in a Kingman, Ariz., court, lawyers complain that Texas may be reluctant to provide the tapes and seek to have Arizona provide them. Jeffs' attorneys also renewed their request to depose a private investigator over his involvement with law enforcement and those suing the FLDS Church. E-MAIL: bwinslow@desnews.com | |
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DeseretNews.com Originally published Friday, Feb. 13, 2009 | |
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