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| Multiply and Replenish the Earth with Allen Steed | |||||||||||||||||||||
In April 2001, Warren Jeffs told 14-year-old Elissa Wall that she had to marry her 19-year-old first cousin, Allen Glade Steed. Elissa despised Allen because he had made fun of her and called her names, so she begged her family members and the Prophet Rulon Jeffs to not make her marry Allen. She was told by Rulon's son, Warren Jeffs, that "her heart was in the wrong place" and that she had to go through with the marriage. The ceremony was conducted in room number 15 at the Caliente Hot Springs Motel in Caliente, Nevada. Since marriage to a first cousin at age 14 is illegal in Utah, theirs was not a legally recognized marriage. Elissa had never had any type of sex education and knew absolutely nothing about the "Birds and the Bees". She also wanted to wait to have children because she thought she was too young for that. She had counseling sessions with Warren Jeffs because her husband was doing (sexual) things she did not like and did not want to do. Warren Jeffs told her that she risked her eternal salvation if she refused to have sexual relations with her husband. This lack of consent to have sex on Elissa's part led to the September 2007 trial of Warren Jeffs, who was charged with two counts of rape as an accomplice. At the time of Warren's trial, the husband Allen Steed had not yet been charged with commiting the actual rape of Elissa. Warren was found guilty on both charges on September 25, 2007 in St. George, Utah. Allen Glade Steed was charged with the crime on September 21st and arrested on October 4th for the rape of Elissa Wall. Below are articles about their marriage and the charges against Allen for raping Elissa. | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Allen Steed Arrested for the Rape of Elissa Wall | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Bookings Washington County Sheriff's Office washeriff.state.ut.us Originally published October 4, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Birth Date: 05/12/81 Address : 65 N OAK COURT, Hildale, UT
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| Polygamist husband in Jeffs trial turns self in on rape charges | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Reported by Brent Hunsaker ABC 4 News Originally broadcast October 4, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE, Utah (ABC 4 News) - Allen Steed was 19. Elissa Wall was 14. They were married by Warren Jeffs and told to "go forth and multiply". Wall testified she pleaded with Warren not to force her to marry Steed. And when he went ahead and did it anyway, she said she pleaded with her new husband not to consummate the marriage. But he did anyway. Last month a jury found that Wall was raped and Warren Jeffs was guilty of being an accomplice to that rape. Now Steed has been arrested for the rape itself. Steed was arrested Wednesday evening on a felony warrant issued two weeks ago. On the surface it would seem unremarkable. A cop did his duty. A suspect is booked into jail and then makes bail. Below the surface, there are several oddities. Sources close to the case say these oddities seem to show that Warren Jeffs is still pulling all the strings in the polygamous communities of Hildale and Colorado City: - The arrest is made by Helaman Barlow, a fellow believer in Warren Jeffs and a town marshal. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Persecution Complex | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Prophet Warren Jeffs' conviction won't stop underage marriages among his followers, much less end polygamy | |||||||||||||||||||||
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By John Dougherty Phoenix New Times Originally published Thursday, Oct 4 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| The recent conviction of Mormon polygamist leader Warren Steed Jeffs on two felony counts of rape as an accomplice is a huge public relations victory for Utah and Arizona authorities who have been under intense pressure to crack down on so-called "spiritual" marriages of underage girls. But it is doubtful that the conviction of the leader of the nation's largest polygamist sect — considered by his followers to be God's prophet on Earth — will stop illegal marriages of children or stem polygamy. That Jeffs is headed for prison will not even mean a new prophet will reign over the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Insiders say Jeffs' second-in-command, Wendell Nielsen, is running day-to-day operations of the church but that Warren, reminiscent of top organized crime figures, will rule the FLDS from behind bars. That includes deciding who will marry whom in the religion. More than 50 years of government indifference toward widespread abuses within the FLDS has allowed the sect to grow from fewer than 400 people scratching out a living on the remote Arizona Strip in 1953 to an economic powerhouse with more than 10,000 members spread across the West. The sheer size and wealth of the rapidly reproducing congregation, which accounts for only a quarter of the estimated number of polygamists in Arizona and Utah, have forced law enforcement to focus on the most notorious crimes while conceding that little will be done to stem a practice that violates the Arizona and Utah constitutions and has been found unconstitutional by the U.S. Supreme Court. Still, Jeffs' high-profile arrest while on the FBI's 10 Most Wanted List and subsequent conviction on felony charges — which could bring him life in prison — have focused the nation's attention on abuses that have flourished for decades within the closed FLDS society. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Steed has bail hearing | |||||||||||||||||||||
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By Patrice St. Germain The Spectrum Originally published October 5, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE - Allen Glade Steed appeared in 5th District Court on Thursday morning for a bail hearing. Steed, 26, was charged with one count of rape on Sept. 26, the day after a jury found Warren Steed Jeffs guilty on two counts of rape as an accomplice for arranging the 2001 marriage between Steed and his then 14-year-old cousin Elissa Wall. Steed was booked on the charge Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. at Purgatory Correctional Facility after Steed contacted the Hildale/Colorado City Town Marshal's Office and turned himself in to Officer Helaman Barlow at the Hildale Town Office. Lt. Jake Adams, with the Washington County Sheriff's Office, said Steed paid $5,000 cash bail and was released at 3:12 a.m. "When he (Steed) came in, there were about 10 people ahead of him waiting to be booked and because it was drug court day, we had commitments coming in (from the court), so it took a while and he had to wait his turn," Adams said. Steed appeared in court at 9 a.m. with his parents and his attorneys, Jim Bradshaw and Mark Moffat, before Judge G. Rand Beacham. The court appearance was brief. Bradshaw asked for a status conference to set a date for a preliminary hearing after he had looked at the substantial amount of discovery. The telephone conference was scheduled for Nov. 2. Bradshaw said following the hearing that he had been retained as Steed's attorney months ago. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Attorneys in rape case seek dismissal of charge | |||||||||||||||||||||
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By Nancy Perkins Deseret Morning News Originally published Thursday, November 15, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE — Attorneys for Allen Glade Steed are seeking a dismissal of the first-degree felony rape charge filed against him and a change of venue, arguing the potential jury pool is irreparably tainted following the recent trial and conviction of Fundamentalist LDS Church leader Warren Jeffs in St. George. Steed was charged with rape the day after Jeffs was convicted of being an accomplice to rape for his role in conducting a 2001 spiritual marriage between then 19-year-old Steed and a 14-year-old cousin, Elissa Wall. Jeffs was found guilty of two counts of rape as an accomplice and is to be sentenced on Tuesday. He could receive up to life in prison on each count. In the motion for a change of venue, Steed's Salt Lake City attorneys, Jim Bradshaw and Mark Moffat, note that the state chose to charge Jeffs as an accomplice to rape and pursue his conviction before charging Steed with a crime. "Since the prosecution strategically decided they would conduct the high-profile trial of the accomplice before leveling charges at Mr. Steed, they now must live with the consequences of their plan, including the reality that empaneling a fair and impartial jury in southern Utah is an impossibility," according to the motion filed Wednesday in 5th District Court. In a separate motion, Steed's attorneys ask 5th District Court Judge G. Rand Beacham to dismiss the case, arguing the state's calculated delay in charging Steed violated his state and federal constitutional rights to a fair trial. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Teen bride's ex-husband wants charges dismissed | |||||||||||||||||||||
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The Associated Press Provo Daily Herald Originally published Friday, November 16, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE -- A man whose ceremonial marriage to a 14-year-old was at the center of a polygamous-sect leader's trial is asking a judge to dismiss a rape charge. Attorneys for Allen Steed noted the charge was filed more than six years after Steed married his teen bride, but shortly after Steed testified in Warren Jeffs' trial for accomplice rape. "In that time, evidence has been lost, critical witnesses have died and the memories of others have faded," Jim Bradshaw wrote in a document filed Thursday in 5th District Court in Washington County. Steed was 19 when he and cousin Elissa Wall were united in a ceremony at a Nevada motel in 2001. They were members of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, a sect on the Arizona-Utah border that practices polygamy and arranged marriage. Steed, now 26, is accused of having sex with the girl against her will. He was charged on Sept. 26 -- a day after Jeffs, the FLDS leader, was convicted of being an accomplice to rape in the couple's relationship. Prosecutors claimed Jeffs used his iron-fisted influence to force Wall to marry and submit to Steed. Jeffs will be sentenced Tuesday. Steed, still an FLDS member, freely testified during the church leader's trial. He said he never forced Wall to have sex. In his filing, Bradshaw accused prosecutors of a lack of "fair play and decency" in springing a rape charge on Steed after the Jeffs trial. "The timing of this prosecution creates an appearance that the case was filed as retaliation for Mr. Steed's support of Mr. Jeffs," Bradshaw said. "It further sends a message to others in the FLDS community regarding the consequences of providing such support." Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Fundamentalist case blurs line between abuser and abused | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Warren Jeffs was a tyrant but those carrying out orders were also victims | |||||||||||||||||||||
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By Daphne Bramham Vancouver Sun Originally published Friday, November 23, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| On a different battlefield, Allen Steed might simply and coldly be referred to as collateral damage. Steed is the reason that Warren Jeffs, the prophet of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, may spend the rest of his life in prison. Jeffs, 51, was sentenced earlier this week on two counts of being an accomplice to the rape of a 14-year-old girl to the maximum penalty -- two terms of five years to life in prison, to be served consecutively. (It is up to the Utah Board of Pardon and Parole to determine when, if ever, to release the leader of the largest polygamous group in North America, including an estimated 600 followers in Bountiful, B.C.) Steed is the alleged rapist. It's important to emphasize alleged, since the 27-year-old truck driver has yet to go to trial. He wasn't even charged until after a jury found Jeffs guilty. But what is uncontestable is that Jeffs could not have been found guilty unless the jury believed that Allen Steed had committed two rapes. Because of that, Steed's lawyers say their client can never get a fair trial. They want Steed's rape charge dropped. His lawyers raise troubling questions about how Utah got Jeffs's conviction. They made public a secret and extraordinary agreement between prosecutors and the victim, Elissa Wall, that precluded police from even interviewing Steed before Jeffs was charged. The first time Steed told his side of the story was at Jeffs's trial in September, when he testified that he never raped Elissa Wall, his 14-year-old "celestial" bride and first cousin. Before he testified, Steed acknowledged that his testimony might be used against him in a subsequent trial. But what choice did he have? Steed believes Jeffs speaks for God, so Jeffs's request that he testify didn't just come from the prophet, it came from God. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||
| FLDS man wants trial moved | |||||||||||||||||||||
| He was charged with rape after testifying for Warren Jeffs. | |||||||||||||||||||||
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By Nancy Perkins Deseret Morning News Originally published Thursday, December 6, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE — Washington County prosecutors argue that an FLDS man charged with raping his young bride can get a fair trial in the same county that found polygamous sect leader Warren Jeffs, who performed the couple's marriage, guilty of rape as an accomplice. Allen Glade Steed was charged with first-degree felony rape the day after he testified on behalf of Jeffs, who was sentenced Nov. 20 to two consecutive terms of five years to life in prison at the Utah State Prison. Jeffs, 52, was until his resignation, the leader of the Fundamentalist LDS Church, which practices polygamy and placement marriage. It was an arranged marriage that brought Steed, then 19, and his cousin, then 14-year-old Elissa Wall, together in a marriage that proved to be an unhappy one for both, according to testimony offered at Jeffs' trial. Steed's attorneys, Jim Bradshaw and Mark Moffat, subsequently asked 5th District Judge G. Rand Beacham to dismiss the case, arguing the state's calculated delay in charging Steed violated his state and federal constitutional rights to a fair trial. A change of venue was also requested. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Judge delays hearing in FLDS child-bride rape case | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Attorney for Steed says he's awaiting response to motions | |||||||||||||||||||||
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By Nancy Perkins Deseret Morning News Originally published Sunday, December 23, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE — A 5th District Court judge agreed to postpone a hearing scheduled Thursday in St. George in the upcoming trial of an FLDS man accused of raping his ex-wife. Allen Glade Steed was charged with a single count of rape, a first-degree felony, one day after he testified on behalf of Fundamentalist LDS Church leader Warren Jeffs. Steed was 19 years old when he was informed he would marry his 14-year-old cousin, Elissa Wall. Arranged or placement marriages are part of the FLDS culture. Faithful FLDS members practice plural marriage as a central tenant of their faith. It was Wall's testimony that jurors said they found most convincing when they convicted Jeffs of two counts of rape as an accomplice for his role in marrying the couple and counseling them to multiply and replenish the earth. Wall testified she did not want to marry Steed and that he raped her about three weeks after the wedding ceremony took place at a Nevada motel. Steed's testimony centered on his belief that he tried hard to be a good husband to Wall and that he never forced himself on his young bride. Steed's Salt Lake attorney, Jim Bradshaw, said a new court date would likely be scheduled in mid-March. Bradshaw said he is still waiting for Washington County prosecutors to respond to his motions for discovery. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Will book compromise trial? | |||||||||||||||||||||
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By Nancy Perkins Deseret News Originally published Wednesday, May 14, 2008 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE — An attorney for a man charged with raping his teenage bride says a new book may prevent him from receiving a fair trial. Fundamentalist LDS Church member Allen Steed is the ex-husband of Elissa Wall, who wrote a book about her experiences as an unwilling bride to her 19-year-old cousin, and of her life in the FLDS Church. Wall's book, "Stolen Innocence," was released Tuesday, just two days before Steed was to appear before Judge G. Rand Beacham for a review of his case. The review hearing scheduled for Thursday was continued for at least another 60 days on the request of prosecutors and the defense, who have been working toward a plea agreement that must be approved by Wall. According to the motion to continue, there are "factors outside the direct control of the parties involved," which make it difficult to resolve certain issues. Steed was charged with one count of rape the same day a jury found FLDS leader Warren Jeffs guilty of two counts of accomplice to rape for his role in conducting a wedding ceremony between the two teenage cousins. Jeffs is serving two consecutive sentences of five years to life in prison. Prosecutors argued that Jeffs ignored Wall's objections to the arranged marriage and that he could have stopped it. Steed testified on behalf of Jeffs during the trial, saying although he did not seek out the marriage to Wall, he grew to love her and tried to be a good husband. Attorney Jim Bradshaw, who represents Steed, said Wednesday he is concerned that his client's right to a fair trial has been compromised by Wall's book and extensive publicity tour. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Don't let jurors read book by Wall, lawyer says | |||||||||||||||||||||
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By Ben Winslow Deseret News Originally published Sunday, May 18, 2008 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| A lawyer for the star witness in the criminal case against Fundamentalist LDS Church leader Warren Jeffs said her new book should not be allowed to interfere with the prosecution of her ex-husband. In a statement to the Deseret News on Saturday, Elissa Wall's attorney, Roger Hoole, said his client maintains that Allen Steed "was both a victim of Warren Jeffs and a perpetrator of child abuse." "Although Elissa has a First Amendment right to tell her story, Allen Steed is presumed innocent and no one familiar with 'Stolen Innocence' should be allowed on any jury in which the alleged crimes are tried," Hoole said in his statement. Steed, 26, is charged with first-degree felony rape in his 2001 marriage to Wall, which was performed in a Nevada motel room by Jeffs. Hoole responded to a letter to prosecutors from Steed's defense attorney, who expressed concern that Wall's newly published book, "Stolen Innocence," and subsequent publicity tour will affect his client's right to a fair trial. "I think we can anticipate that these media events as well as the book will consistently include a narrative by her in which she recounts her version of the facts of our pending case," Steed's lawyer, Jim Bradshaw, wrote. "Stolen Innocence" hit bookstore shelves on Tuesday, detailing Wall's life in the FLDS Church, her decision to leave and testify against Jeffs. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Ex-husband of teenage bride could face trial | |||||||||||||||||||||
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The Associated Press KTAR 92.3 - Phoenix Originally published August 13, 2008 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| SALT LAKE CITY - The ex-husband of the former teenage bride who helped convict polygamous church leader Warren Jeffs on two counts of rape by accomplice could be headed for a criminal trial. Allen Glade Steed, now 26, is charged with one count of first-degree felony rape for his sexual relationship with Elissa Wall after the couple married in 2001 religious ceremony. She was 14 and he was 19, and both were members of Jeffs' Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Steed's attorney, Jim Bradshaw, said Wednesday that plea negotiations with the Washington County attorney's office in St. George ended recently without an agreement. A 5th District Court hearing where a judge will determine if prosecutors have enough evidence for a trial is scheduled for Oct. 22. If convicted, Steed could spend the rest of his life in prison. A telephone message left for prosecutors was not immediately returned Wednesday. The Associated Press does not generally identify people who say they were sexually assaulted, but Wall has spoken publicly and published a nationally distributed book, "Stolen Innocence," which chronicles her life, including her marriage to Steed, who is her cousin. Steed and Wall were married by Jeffs at a motel owned by an FLDS member in Caliente, Nev. Prosecutors filed the rape charge against Steed in September 2007, one day after a St. George jury convicted Jeffs of two felony counts of rape as an accomplice for his role in the wedding and subsequent ecclesiastical counseling sessions. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Defense in FLDS rape case casts wide net | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Man demands evidence from multiple sources | |||||||||||||||||||||
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By Nancy Perkins Deseret News Originally published Monday, Oct. 13, 2008 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE — A 5th District Court judge said Friday he will consider a Fundamentalist LDS Church member's request to compel the Washington County Attorney's Office to seek out and provide evidence gathered by various agencies and individuals during the state's investigation of FLDS leader Warren Jeffs. Allen Glade Steed, who appeared in court with his parents and Salt Lake City attorney Jim Bradshaw, was charged in September 2007 with first-degree felony rape a day after testifying on Jeffs' behalf. Jeffs was convicted of two counts of rape as an accomplice for his role in conducting the spiritual marriage of Steed, then 19, and Steed's 14-year-old cousin, Elissa Wall. Bradshaw received the timeline of events in Steed's case, noting that Wall left the marriage in 2004 and did not raise the allegation of rape until 2006 after meeting with attorneys. "Mr. Steed is charged in Sept. 2007 for events that allegedly occurred in 2001. It is extremely critical to know what this alleged victim originally said, who she said it to, what the initial reports said and if there was any physical evidence," Bradshaw said. Steed is also seeking information about the "financial rewards" Wall received from the state's victim reparation fund, Diversity Foundation, a book publisher and any other sources. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Allen Steed's Attorney Wants evidence from the Prosectutors | |||||||||||||||||||||
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By Rachelle Killpack KCSG TV Originally broadcast October 14, 2008 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| The attorney for FLDS member Allen Steed wants to force Washington County prosecutors to share evidence they gathered in the Warren Jeffs trial. Steed is charged with raping underage bride Elissa Wall who was at the center of the Jeffs "rape-as-an-accomplice" trial. Attorney Jim Bradshaw says evidence against Jeffs was gathered by multiple agencies both inside and outside Utah. And since that same evidence was used to charge Steed his defense team is entitled to it. Washington County Attorney Brock Belnap says the only information they're keeping from the defense is work papers that contain opinions from attorneys in his office. Bradshaw also wants to see financial records that show how much money Elissa Wall received from the victim reparation fund and a book publisher. Steed's preliminary hearing is set for a week from Wednesday. | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Defense in rape case pursuing Jeffs evidence | |||||||||||||||||||||
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The Associated Press Arizona Daily Star - Tucson Originally published October 14, 2008 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE, Utah — Lawyers for the ex-husband of the former teenage bride who helped send polygamous church leader Warren Jeffs to prison are seeking evidence from the Jeffs prosecution. They want a federal judge to force the Washington County Attorney's Office to provide evidence gathered in the Jeffs case. The lawyers are defending Allen Glade Steed, now 26, who is charged with one count of first-degree felony rape for his sexual relationship with Elissa Wall after the couple married in 2001. She was 14 and he was 19, and both were members of Jeffs' fundamentalist church. Steed's lawyers also want information about any money Wall received from the state's victim reparation fund, a book publisher and other sources. | |||||||||||||||||||||
| No plea deal in Steed rape case | |||||||||||||||||||||
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By Ben Winslow KSL NewsRadio Originally published July 21, 2009 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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ST. GEORGE -- No plea deal has been reached in the case against Allen Glade Steed, charged with rape in the fallout from the criminal prosecution of polygamist sect leader Warren Jeffs. Steed was due in court on Tuesday for what was calendared as a "special setting resolution" hearing, but his attorney, Jim Bradshaw, told KSL NewsRadio that no plea deal had been reached. "We tried to, but didn't quite get there," he said. "We've had some discussions but we haven't finalized everything yet." Instead, 5th District Court records show that lawyers discussed the statute of limitations on rape and the defense indicated it planned to file a motion seeking to dismiss the criminal charge. An evidence hearing will be scheduled in the case, court minutes said. The Washington County Attorney's Office did not immediately return calls seeking comment on Tuesday morning. Steed, 28, was charged with first-degree felony rape in the aftermath of the conviction of Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints leader Warren Jeffs. He testified on behalf of Jeffs, who was convicted of performing a marriage between Steed and Elissa Wall. Steed was 19 years old at the time, Wall was 14. Wall was the prosecution's star witness in the case against Jeffs. She testified she was forced into the marriage. Jeffs, 52, was ultimately convicted of rape of an accomplice and sentenced to a pair of five years to life sentences. Jeffs, who was once on the FBI's Ten Most Wanted list, is currently facing charges in Arizona, accusing him of performing other marriages. He is also facing criminal charges in Texas.
E-mail: bwinslow@ksl.com | |||||||||||||||||||||
| No resolution yet to FLDS rape case | |||||||||||||||||||||
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The Spectrum Originally published July 21, 2009 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE — The lawyer for accused rapist Allen Glade Steed failed to agree with the prosecution Tuesday in 5th District Court on a way to resolve the case that was the key to convicting former polygamous church leader Warren Jeffs. In spite of a scheduled "special setting" for the resolution, attorneys said they had not yet agreed on an anticipated plea bargain and admitted they had failed to notify the court ahead of time of the situation, something that clearly irked Judge G. Rand Beacham. "I'm not really interested in tap dancing around for another two years," Beacham said. "After two years and a special setting for resolution, I'm being told, 'Nah, never mind." Defense attorney Jim Bradshaw appealed for consideration of whether the statute of limitations ran out on the case before it was filed with law enforcement, and whether the case was properly filed. After hearing Bradshaw's arguments, Beacham allowed the hearing to be continued while the defense prepares a motion to dismiss the case. Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints leader Jeffs was convicted as an accomplice to rape in 2007, the result of an unusual prosecution strategy in which Steed, the alleged perpetrator of the rape, was not charged with the crime until after he had testified on Jeffs' behalf at the trial. The defense has repeatedly questioned whether Steed was being considered guilty before he had even been charged. See tomorrow's edition of The Spectrum for more on this story. | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Steed case remains unresolved | |||||||||||||||||||||
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BY KEVIN JENKINS The Spectrum Originally published July 22, 2009 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE - The attorney for accused rapist Allen Glade Steed failed to agree with prosecutors Tuesday in 5th District Court on a way to resolve the case that was the key to putting former polygamous church leader Warren Jeffs in prison two years ago. Despite a scheduled "special setting" for the resolution, attorneys said they had not yet agreed on an anticipated plea bargain and admitted they had failed to notify the court ahead of time of their impasse, something that clearly irked Judge G. Rand Beacham. "I'm not really interested in tap dancing around for another two years," Beacham said. "After two years and a special setting for resolution, I'm being told, 'Nah, never mind.'" Beacham repeatedly challenged defense attorney Jim Bradshaw to explain why his motion to continue the hearing should not be regarded as an attempt to waste the court's time. "It sounds like you don't really know what your motion's going to be," Beacham said. "I'm trying to get some substance, to see if you know what the motion will be," he said during an exchange that lasted about 10 minutes. "Or if you're just blowing smoke." Steed was charged in 2007 with raping his cousin, Elissa Wall, whom he had married in 2001 when she was 14 and he was 19. Both were members of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, a religion based in the Utah-Arizona border communities of Hildale and Colorado City that practices arranged marriages and polygamous marriage. Wall later filed a civil suit against Jeffs that led to his criminal prosecution on charges of accomplice to rape, alleging she was an unwilling participant in the marriage Jeffs had arranged. Wall has published a nationally distributed book, "Stolen Innocence," which chronicles her marriage to Steed, and has spoken publicly about her life. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Utah sect member asks for rape charge dismissal | |||||||||||||||||||||
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By JENNIFER DOBNER The Associated Press Google News Originally published August 13, 2009 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| SALT LAKE CITY — An attorney asked a judge Thursday to dismiss a rape charge filed against a man whose 2001 spiritual marriage led to the criminal conviction of Utah polygamous church leader Warren Jeffs. Allen Steed was charged with rape by Washington County prosecutors in September 2007 — one day after a jury found Jeffs guilty of two counts of rape as an accomplice for his role in Steed's marriage to Elissa Wall. Wall and Steed were both members of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Jeffs performed the marriage and counseled them during the relationship. In papers filed in Utah's 5th District Court, attorney Jim Bradshaw said the charge should not have been filed because the statute of limitations on the alleged crime had already expired. According to court papers, Wall and Steed were married April 23, 2001. Wall waited until January 2006 to report the alleged crime to police and prosecutors, and then only after negotiating an agreement that dictated how the information would be used. In 2001, the statute of limitations for prosecuting a felony was four years from the date the alleged crime occurred. The law was amended in 2005 to give prosecutors eight years to file charges, but only if the alleged crime had been reported to police within four years from when it occurred. In 2005, both Wall's sister and her then-boyfriend, Lamont Barlow, told representatives of separate law enforcement agencies that Wall may have been a victim of sexual abuse during her marriage. Neither meets the Utah Supreme Court's standards for an "acceptable report" which would extend the statute of limitations, court papers say. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Attorneys argue rape case | |||||||||||||||||||||
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By Kevin Jenkins The Spectrum Originally published September 4, 2009 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE - Attorneys have filed memorandums arguing whether a rape case should be dismissed against Allen Glade Steed who is charged with raping his cousin in an arranged marriage performed by Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints leader Warren Jeffs. Steed's attorney, Jim Bradshaw, filed documents in 5th District Court last month requesting an end to the prosecution of Steed on the grounds that the four-year statute of limitations has run out on the charges. Washington County Attorney Brock Belnap filed the state's response Monday, arguing that a change to the statute in 2005 allows charges to be filed within eight years to prosecute rape cases such as Steed's, so long as the initial reporting occurred within four years of the alleged event. Bradshaw said Thursday a reply to the county attorney's filing will be completed next week, after which Judge G. Rand Beacham will set a hearing date to decide on the motions. At the heart of the argument is whether the statute is being complied with properly. "My client, Mr. Steed, is charged with conduct alleged to have taken place over eight years ago," Bradshaw said. It is fundamentally unfair to charge him with a crime that long after the fact and expect that witnesses will be available and and that evidence won't be compromised." Steed was charged in 2007, more than six years after his April 2001 marriage to Elissa Wall when she was 14 and he was 19. Both were members of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, a religion based near the Utah-Arizona border communities of Hildale and Colorado City that practices arranged marriages and polygamous marriage. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Prosecutors Want FLDS Man's Rape Charge to Stand | |||||||||||||||||||||
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The Associated Press KUTV 2News Originally published Thursday, Sep 10, 2009 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| SALT LAKE CITY (AP) - Washington County prosecutors have asked a 5th District judge not to drop a rape charge filed against a man whose 2001 spiritual marriage was the basis for a criminal case against polygamous church leader Warren Jeffs. Prosecutors charged Allen Steed with one felony count of rape in September 2007 - the day after a jury convicted Jeffs on two felony rape as an accomplice charges for his role in Steed's marriage to 14-year-old Elissa Wall. Steed's attorneys say the charges were filed after the statue of limitations had expired. In court papers filed last week, prosecutors contend that Utah's law was changed in 2005, giving them up to eight years to file charges. The marriage was arranged by leaders of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. See mug shots | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Court to hear dismissal arguments in rape case | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Associated Press KGUN 9 - Tucson, Arizona Originally broadcast January 29, 2010 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE, Utah (AP) - A 5th District judge on Friday will hear dismissal arguments in a rape case involving a man whose 2001 spiritual marriage was the basis for the Utah criminal trial of polygamous church leader Warren Jeffs. Washington County prosecutors charged Allen Steed with one count of rape in September 2007 - the day after Jeffs was convicted of 2 counts of rape as an accomplice for his role in Steed's marriage to 14-year-old Elissa Wall. The marriage was arranged by leaders of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. The couple divorced in 2004. Steed's attorneys say the charges were filed after the statute of limitations expired. Prosecutors contend that changes to Utah law in 2005 allow them up to eight years to file charges. | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Court hears dismissal arguments in rape case | |||||||||||||||||||||
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KSL 5 TV Originally broadcast January 29, 2010 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE, Utah (AP) -- A state court judge has heard dismissal arguments in a rape case involving a man whose 2001 spiritual marriage was the basis for the Utah criminal trial of polygamous church leader Warren Jeffs. Washington County prosecutors charged Allen Steed with one count of rape in September 2007 -- the day after Jeffs was convicted of two counts of rape as an accomplice for his role in Steed's marriage to 14-year-old Elissa Wall. The marriage was arranged by leaders of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. The couple divorced in 2004. Steed's attorneys say the charges were filed after the statute of limitations expired. Prosecutors contend that changes to Utah law in 2005 allow them up to eight years to file charges. Fifth District Judge G. Rand Beacham said Friday he will issue a written ruling in the case. | |||||||||||||||||||||
Video Courtesy of KSL.com | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Judge weighs possible dismissal of rape case | |||||||||||||||||||||
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BY KEVIN JENKINS The Spectrum Originally published January 30, 2010 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE - Fifth District Court Judge G. Rand Beacham has taken "under advisement" arguments about whether he should dismiss a rape charge against a Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints member whose marriage to an underage bride provided the foundation for convicting polygamous church leader Warren Jeffs. Allen Glade Steed was charged in 2007 with raping his cousin, Elissa Wall, whom he had married in April 2001 when she was 14 and he was 19. Both were members of the FLDS church, a religion based in the Utah-Arizona border communities of Hildale and Colorado City that practices arranged marriages and polygamous marriage. The Spectrum does not generally identify people who say they were sexually assaulted, but Wall has spoken publicly about her life and published a nationally distributed book about the marriage. Steed's attorney, Jim Bradshaw, filed documents in 5th District Court in August requesting an end to the prosecution of Steed, on the grounds that the four-year statute of limitations has run out on the charges. The Utah Legislature changed the statute last year to eliminate the statute of limitations on 14 categories of crimes, including rape and sex crimes against children, but the case is being tried under the statute that was in effect at the time Steed was charged. "This can be a tricky and dizzying legal exercise," Bradshaw said as he presented the dates when the marriage took place, when information about it was shared with outside parties, and when charges were filed in Washington County. "How does the state file information in September 2007 that they allege happened in May 2001?" Bradshaw asked. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Court hears dismissal arguments in Warren Jeffs rape case | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Deseret News Originally published January 30, 2010 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE (AP) — A state court judge Friday heard dismissal arguments in a rape case involving a man whose 2001 spiritual marriage was the basis for the Utah criminal trial of polygamous church leader Warren Jeffs. Washington County prosecutors charged Allen Steed with one count of rape in September 2007 — the day after Jeffs was convicted of two counts of rape as an accomplice for his role in Steed's marriage to 14-year-old Elissa Wall. The marriage was arranged by leaders of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. The couple divorced in 2004. Steed's attorneys said the charges were filed after the statute of limitations expired. Prosecutors contend that changes to Utah law in 2005 allow them up to eight years to file charges. Fifth District Judge G. Rand Beacham said Friday he would take the arguments under advisement and will issue a written ruling in the case. It was not clear when it will be issued. Revered as a prophet by followers, Jeffs is in an Arizona jail pending two criminal trials. In the 2007 Utah case, Jeffs was sentenced to consecutive prison terms of five years to life. Wall has spoken publicly about the case and published a memoir, "Stolen Innocence," detailing her life leading up to the trial. | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Overturning Jeffs' conviction could affect other criminal cases | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Ben Winslow Fox 13 News KSTU-TV Originally broadcast July 28, 2010 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| SALT LAKE CITY - The Utah Supreme Court's decision to overturn Fundamentalist LDS Church leader Warren Jeffs' criminal convictions could impact a related case. Allen Steed was charged with rape shortly after Jeffs was convicted back in 2007. While Tuesday's ruling overturning Jeffs' convictions of rape as an accomplice only directly impact the polygamist leader's case, Steed's lawyer told Fox 13 on Wednesday that as a practical matter, what happens to the FLDS leader may impact his case. "If a prosecution moves forward, that obviously has an effect," Jim Bradshaw said. "If the state opts to dismiss against Mr. Jeffs, we're hoping that also has an impact in terms of how the state sees Mr. Steed." At age 19, Steed was married to 14-year-old Elissa Wall in a ceremony performed by Jeffs in Nevada back in 2001. Wall alleges that Jeffs forced her into the marriage, and that she was sexually abused by her husband. She claims she went to Jeffs repeatedly, but he refused to let her out of the marriage. A jury convicted Jeffs of rape as an accomplice in 2007, but his conviction was overturned by the Utah Supreme Court on Tuesday. The ruling said there were errors in jury instructions about lack of consent and the FLDS leader's intentions. The state's top court ordered a new trial for Jeffs, but prosecutors are unsure if they will be successful in getting a conviction a second time around. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Judge won't dismiss rape case involving FLDS man | |||||||||||||||||||||
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By JENNIFER DOBNER Associated Press Writer Houston Chronicle Originally published September 14, 2010 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| SALT LAKE CITY — A Utah judge has refused to dismiss a rape charge filed against a man whose 2001 spiritual marriage was the basis for a criminal case involving polygamous church leader Warren Jeffs. Allen Steed was charged with rape by Washington County prosecutors in September 2007 — one day after a jury found Jeffs guilty of two counts of rape as an accomplice for his role in Steed's 2001 marriage to Elissa Wall. Both Steed and Wall, who are cousins, were members of Jeffs' Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Jeffs performed the couple's religious marriage ceremony and later counseled them. In court papers, Steed's defense attorney Jim Bradshaw had argued prosecutors waited more than six years to file the charges and that the statute of limitations had expired. Washington County prosecutors, however, said a 2005 change in Utah law gave them up to eight years from the time the alleged crime occurred to file charges. The two sides also disagreed about whether handwritten notes by Mohave County, Ariz., investigator Gary Engels in 2005 about Wall's alleged sexual assault constituted a "report" of the crime to law enforcement. Engles passed the information gathered during an impromptu meeting with Lamont Barlow, Wall's husband in 2005, to county prosecutors. In the ruling filed Sept. 9, 5th District Judge James Beacham sided with prosecutors and said Engles notes, while not complete, and the fact that Barlow believed he was talking to a law enforcement officer met the legal standard for a report. "It is clear that Mr. Engels did receive a sufficient report of 'what was done and who did it,'" Beacham wrote. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Judge Denies Motion to Dismiss Charges Against Allen Glade Steed | |||||||||||||||||||||
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By Morgan Skinner KCSG News KCSG Television Originally published September 14, 2010 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| (St. George, UT) - Fifth District Judge G. Rand Beacham issued an order Tuesday denying a motion to dismiss charges of rape against Allen Glade Steed based upon the statute of limitations. Court Order Attorneys for Steed petitioned the court to have the charge of rape dismissed because the state waited too long to file the charge. Steed was charged September 26, 2007 shortly after a St. George jury had found Warren Steed Jeffs guilty of being an accomplice to rape. The decision by Judge Beacham allows the case to go to trial. It was Steed’s marriage to Elissa Wall at 14-years of age when he was 19-years old that was the premise under which FLDS leader Warren Jeffs was tried and convicted of being an accomplice to rape and found guilty. The case against Steed is for alleged non-consensual intercourse between him and Wall. Jeffs performed a spiritual marriage between the pair in 2001 and allegedly encouraged the nonconsensual relationship as ordained of God. Utah law required rape charges to be filed within four years of an alleged offense until 2005 when the law was changed to allow rape charges to be filed for up to 8-years as long as the rape allegation was reported to law enforcement with 4-years. Judge Beacham determined that a conversation between Gary Engels, a Mohave County investigator and Lamont Barlow, Wall’s boyfriend at the time, met the requirements of the statute. Elissa Wall had taken leave of Steed and began a relationship with Barlow 2004. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Case against man from Jeffs' sect isn't dismissed | |||||||||||||||||||||
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By JENNIFER DOBNER The Associated Press Washington Post Originally published Wednesday, January 12, 2011 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| SALT LAKE CITY -- A Utah judge has refused to dismiss a rape charge against a man whose 2001 spiritual marriage to an underage girl was the basis for the state's criminal prosecution of polygamist sect leader Warren Jeffs. In a ruling made public Wednesday, Fifth District Court Judge G. Rand Beacham said defendant Allen Glade Steed has not proved that a decision by prosecutors to delay filing the case prevents him from getting a fair trial. Steed, 29, was charged with rape in September 2007, one day after a jury convicted Jeffs of two counts of rape as an accomplice and six years after the alleged crime. Steed's attorneys sought a dismissal in October, after the Utah Supreme Court overturned Jeffs' convictions in July. Beacham said Steed had no legal right to be charged at the same time prosecutors brought charges against Jeffs in 2006. "While I have previously thought it to be somewhat unique for Warren Jeffs to have been convicted of rape as an accomplice when no one had been convicted of the rape, I think Mr. Jeffs would have had a stronger argument to insist on being tried second," Beacham wrote. Steed is a member of Jeffs' Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Steed was 19 when church leaders arranged his 2001 marriage to his then-14-year-old cousin, Elissa Wall. Washington County prosecutors later used the marriage as the basis for filing criminal charges of rape as an accomplice against Jeffs. During the 2007 trial, Wall said she objected to the marriage and was forced into sex. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Possible plea agreement coming in Steed rape case | |||||||||||||||||||||
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The Spectrum Originally published February 17, 2011 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE – A plea agreement could be reached in the case involving a man at the center of a case that eventually led to the arrest of former polygamous church leader Warren Jeffs. Allen Steed is accused of rape in connection with his spiritual marriage to Elissa Wall, who is Steed's cousin and was only 14 at the time. Wall was considered to be the victim in the case, which eventually led to Jeffs being placed on the FBI’s top-10 most wanted list. Jeffs was captured near Las Vegas months later and was convicted in 2007 on rape as an accomplice charges involving Wall and Steed. That conviction since has been overturned. He now is scheduled to stand trial on sexual assault charges and bigamy in Texas. Brock Belnap, Washington County attorney, said a status conference has been scheduled for Friday in 5th District Court in St. George concerning Steed's case. "A resolution conference is scheduled when there is a possibility of the case being settled," Belnap said. Belnap wouldn't comment further on the case. Steed’s attorney, James Bradshaw, hasn't returned phone calls up to this point. | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Possible plea deal in FLDS member Allen Steed's case | |||||||||||||||||||||
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ABC 4 News Originally broadcast February 17, 2011 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE, Utah (ABC 4 News) - A possible plea deal has been reached in the case of FLDS member Allen Steed. You'll remember Steed is accused of raping his cousin Elissa Wall after a 2001 "spiritual marriage" performed by Warren Jeffs. The case was the basis of Utah’s prosecution of Jeffs. Steed was in court Thursday for a review hearing. Now a resolution hearing has been set for Friday morning. We'll let you know what happens. See photo | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Plea agreement could resolve FLDS man's rape case | |||||||||||||||||||||
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By Jennifer Dobner Associated Press The Spectrum Originally published February 17, 2011 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| SALT LAKE CITY — A plea deal could be in the works for the southern Utah man whose "spiritual marriage" to an underage girl was the basis for Utah's criminal prosecution of polygamous sect leader Warren Jeffs. Defense attorney Jim Bradshaw says he's been in discussions with Washington County prosecutors about a plea agreement for Allen Glade Steed. Steed is scheduled for a resolution hearing Friday before 5th District Court Judge G. Rand Beacham in St. George. A member of Jeff's Fundamentalist Church, Steed was charged with first-degree felony rape in September 2007 — one day after a jury found Jeffs guilty of two counts of rape as an accomplice for his role in Steed's marriage to Elissa Wall. If convicted of the charge, Steed could spend the rest of his life in prison. Steed was 19 and Wall just 14 when their marriage was arranged by FLDS church leaders. Jeffs performed the religious marriage ceremony in a Caliente, Nev., motel and later counseled Wall to be obedient and give herself to her husband "mind, body and soul" in order to make an unhappy marriage work. Washington County prosecutors used the marriage as the basis for filing criminal charges of rape as an accomplice against Jeffs in 2006. During the trial and later in her book, "Stolen Innocence," Wall said she objected to the marriage and was forced into sexual relations with her husband. The Associated Press does not typically name victims of alleged sexual assault, but Wall has frequently spoken publicly about the case and published the book about her experiences. Steed, now 29, testified on Jeffs' behalf at the trial, saying his sexual relationship with Wall was never forced. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||
| FLDS man charged with rape may have plea deal in works | |||||||||||||||||||||
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By Emiley Morgan Deseret News Originally published Thursday, Feb. 17, 2011 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE — A man whose spiritual marriage to a 14-year-old cousin and subsequent rape charge led to the prosecution of FLDS leader Warren Jeffs may get to resolve his case. A "tentative" plea deal is believed to be in the works for Allen Glade Steed, who was charged with rape, a first-degree felony, in 2007. Steed, now 29, was married in 2001 to his then-14-year-old cousin Elissa Wall in a spiritual wedding ceremony. Jeffs, leader of the Fundamentalist LDS Church, presided over the marriage and advised the girl to give herself "mind, body and soul and obey without question," court documents state. Wall, who is now an adult, testified in court that she had expressed concerns before the union, stating that she felt she was too young for marriage and that she wished to marry someone other than her cousin. She said Jeffs and other family members told her before her marriage, and after, to obey the prophet and her husband. Wall's attorney, Roger Hoole, said Thursday that Wall is not opposed to a plea deal. "She has always maintained that Allen Steed was both a victim of the FLDS Church and a perpetrator because he would never have illegally married her or had sexual relations with her if he hadn't been commanded to do that," Hoole said. He said there were still "a couple of things that need to be worked out" before the potential plea would get Wall's approval, but declined to specify what those things are. "It's a little tentative right now, but if we work out some last little things, it will be appropriate," Hoole said. Washington County prosecutor Brock Belnap confirmed that a resolution hearing was scheduled in Steed's case for Friday. Fifth District Court Judge G. Rand Beacham previously declined to dismiss the case despite arguments from Steed's attorneys that the statute of limitations on the claim had run out. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||
Video Courtesy of KSL.com | |||||||||||||||||||||
| FLDS man pleads guilty to sex charges in marriage to his cousin | |||||||||||||||||||||
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By Emiley Morgan Deseret News Originally published Friday, Feb. 18, 2011 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE — A man charged with rape following his "spiritual marriage" to a 14-year-old cousin pleaded guilty to reduced charges Friday and was sentenced to probation and a month in jail. Allen Glade Steed, 29, who was originally facing a single charge of first-degree felony rape, pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of solemnization of a prohibited marriage, and entered a plea in abeyance to a second charge of unlawful sexual activity with a minor. Both are third-degree felonies. After entering his plea, Steed was immediately sentenced. Fifth District Judge G. Rand Beacham ordered him to serve three years of probation, spend 30 days in jail and pay two $5,000 fines. Because Steed entered a plea in abeyance to the charge of unlawful sex with a minor, the charge will eventually be dismissed if he complies with all the terms of his probation. "This is a good day," said Elissa Wall, who Steed married in 2001 when she was just 14. "I'm grateful for where we're at." That marriage led to the prosecution and conviction of Warren Jeffs, leader of the Fundamentalist LDS Church, who presided over the marriage and advised the girl to give herself "mind, body and soul and obey without question," according to court documents. Wall, who is now an adult, testified that she had expressed concerns before the union, stating that she felt she was too young for marriage and that she wished to marry someone other than her cousin. She said Jeffs and other family members told her before her marriage, and after, to obey the prophet and her husband. "Allen will truly never understand the magnitude of the scars that I will carry for the rest of my life," Wall said after the hearing. "And Warren Jeffs will never understand the scars and the ways that he has destroyed thousands of people's lives, including mine." Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Read the Plea Agreement, Plea in Abeyance Agreement, Statement of Defendant in Support of Guilty Pleas regarding Allen Steed's rape of Elissa Wall, filed February 18, 2011 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Plea deal gives light sentence to FLDS man accused of rape | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Reported by: Brent Hunsaker ABC 4 News Originally broadcast February 18, 2011 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| ST. GEORGE, Utah (ABC 4 News) - Allen Steed was accused of raping his 14-year old cousin who was also his wife – given to him in a forced marriage by FLDS prophet, Warren Jeffs. Under an agreement with Washington County prosecutors, on Friday Steed pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of Solemnizing a prohibited marriage, a 3rd degree felony. He will spend 30 days in jail and 36-months on probation. Also, a 2nd charge of unlawful sexual activity with a minor will go away if he stays out of trouble during his probation. Among those present in the 5th District courthouse for the announcing of the plea deal was Steed’s victim, Elissa Wall. After the hearing, Wall said, "Allen will never truly understand the magnitude of the scars that I will carry for the rest of my life." A decade ago, as a 14 year old girl living in the FLDS polygamist society, Warren Jeffs forced Elissa Wall into the marriage with Steed. Though she says she rejected his sexual advances and begged Jeffs to be released from the marriage, Wall said Steed eventually raped her. That allegation became the basis for Utah's case against Jeffs. He was charged in Washington County with two counts of being an accomplice to rape. Steed testified for the defense at trial refusing to take the 5th. His testimony would end up strengthening the rape case that would later be filed against him. The way Steed sees it, he willingly fell on his sword for his prophet. Through his attorney, Jim Bradshaw, he indicated Friday he had no regrets about his testimony then or his plea deal now. "It’s a fair resolution of a tough case from a lot of different perspectives," Bradshaw told reporters. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Accused FLDS Teen Rapist Gets Slap on Wrist | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Plea Deal Lets Warren Jeffs Follower Allen Steed Escape With 30 Days in Jail and Probation | |||||||||||||||||||||
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By DEAN SCHABNER Good Morning America ABC News Originally broadcast February 20, 2011 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| A follower of Warren Jeffs who admitted during the trial of the polygamist sect leader that he had sex with his child bride cousin will get off with just 30 days in jail as a result of a plea deal. Allen Steed, who was originally charged with first degree felony rape, pleaded guilty to a charge of solemnizing a prohibited marriage, and a St. George, Utah, judge Friday sentenced him to 30 days, followed by 36 months of probation. Fifth District Court Judge G. Rand Beacham ordered Steed to report Monday to Washington County's Purgatory Correctional Facility. If he does not violate the probation, another charge of unlawful sex with a minor will be dropped from a felony to a misdemeanor, sparing him from having to register as a sex offender, the judge said. Steed, who was 19 in 2001 when Jeffs married him to his 14-year-old cousin, Elissa Wall, could have faced five years in prison for each of the two charges. Had he been convicted of the original rape charge, he could have been sent to prison for life. Jeffs, who was the leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, was convicted in September 2007 of being an accessory to rape for marrying the couple and then coercing Wall to fulfill her religious duties by having sex with her husband. That verdict was overturned on appeal, but while Utah prosecutors decide whether to retry Jeffs, the former FLDS leader is jailed in Texas, where he faces trial in July on charges of sexual abuse of a child and bigamy. It was Wall's story that sparked the case against Jeffs. At his trial, she testified that Jeffs used his power as a religious leader to force her into a marriage in which he knew sex would be expected. She begged Jeffs to allow her to be released from the marriage to Steed, but Jeffs refused, and Wall said Steed eventually raped her. "Allen will never truly understand the magnitude of the scars that I will carry for the rest of my life," she said Friday at the St. George court. Despite that, Wall, who is now remarried, said she is at peace with the sentence Steed received. "Mercy and justice have to walk hand in hand," she said. "I feel like we have accomplished that today. "I do believe in many ways that Allen is a victim of Warren and his power and his control," just as she was a victim, she said. Read more | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Accused FLDS Rapist Gets 30 Days | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Allen Steed's testimony helped convict polygamist Warren Jeffs | |||||||||||||||||||||
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By Mary Papenfuss Newser Staff Newser - Chicago, IL Originally published February 21, 2011 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| (Newser) – A member of a breakaway Mormon polygamy sect who admitted having sex with his child bride will serve just 30 days in jail as part of a Utah plea deal. Allen Steed was initially charged with first-degree felony rape for bedding his 14-year-old first cousin. He could have faced life in prison if convicted. Instead, he pleaded guilty to solemnizing another prohibited marriage in the FLDS sect, headed by Warren Jeffs. Steed's testimony helped convict Jeffs of sex charges and bigamy, though that conviction was overturned on appeal. Steed's one-time bride lashed the "magnitude of the scars" she will always grapple with, but said she believes Steed was also "a victim" of Jeffs and his power, reports ABC News. See photo | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Allen Steed goes to Purgatory | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Bookings Washington County Sheriff's Office news.washeriff.net Originally published February 21, 2011 | |||||||||||||||||||||
STEED, ALLEN GLADE Birth Date: 05/12/81 Address : 536 E WILLIAMS AVE, Hildale, UT
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| The Vent | |||||||||||||||||||||
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The Spectrum Originally published February 26, 2011 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Just look at the huge smiling face of the lawyer on page one. Even he thinks this was a joke. His client gets 30 days for his convicted sexual felonies, and everyone is happy and relieved. You would think it could have been figured out years ago that he was "a product of his environment." However, all these lawyers and judges would not have been paid to drag it out. | |||||||||||||||||||||
![[No Payments Made]](images/Allen_Steed_2011_mug_shot_front.png)
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| Read the Plea Agreement, Plea in Abeyance Agreement, Statement of Defendant in Support of Guilty Pleas regarding Allen Steed's rape of Elissa Wall, filed February 18, 2011 | |
| Read Judge Beacham's Order Denying Defendant's Motion to Dismiss for Statute of Limitations regarding Allen Steed, filed September 9, 2010 | |
| Read Judge Beacham's Order for Supplemental Memoranda regarding Allen Steed filed March 26, 2010 | |
| Read the Ruling and Order in the M.J. (Elissa Wall) v. Warren Jeffs, the UEP Trust and Allen Steed case filed in Salt Lake City Third District Court on March 22, 2010 | |
| Read the Cross-Claim in the M.J. (Elissa Wall) v. Warren Jeffs, the UEP Trust and Allen Steed case filed in Salt Lake City Third District Court on February 3, 2010 | |
| Read the Verified Cross-Claim in the M.J. (Elissa Wall) v. Warren Jeffs, the UEP Trust and Allen Steed case filed November 6, 2009 | |
| Read the Washington County Sheriff Office's Investigative Interview Log regarding Elissa Wall reporting her rapes by Allen Steed | |
| Read the Reply to State's Memorandum Opposing Motion to Dismiss for Statute of Limitations regarding Allen Steed dated September 18, 2009 | |
| Read the Memorandum Opposing Motion to Dismiss for Statute of Limitations regarding Allen Steed filed August 31, 2009 | |
| Read the Motion to Dismiss for Statute of Limitations and Memorandum in Support regarding Allen Steed filed August 13, 2009 | |
| Read the Motion for Change of Venue regarding Allen Steed filed on November 19, 2007 | |
| Read the First Supplemental Request for Discovery regarding Allen Steed filed on November 15, 2007 | |
| Read the Charging Documents for Allen Glade Steed filed on September 26, 2007 | |
| See the photos of Elissa Wall and Allen Steed after their "marriage" from the trials's Evidence - 1 Black Photo Binder released September 25, 2007 | |
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