FBI is asked to hand over Jeffs' papers
 
By Ben Winslow
Deseret Morning News
 
Lawyers for the court-appointed special fiduciary of the United Effort Plan want a judge to force the FBI to hand over papers it seized when Warren Jeffs was arrested.

In a motion filed Wednesday in Salt Lake City's 3rd District Court, the fiduciary's attorneys say items found with Jeffs could contain valuable information about property that belongs to the UEP Trust. Jeffs is in the Purgatory Jail awaiting trial on polygamy-related issues.

"The documents, records, correspondence and computer seized by the FBI are likely to contain relevant information on several issues in this case," lawyer Jeffrey L. Shields wrote in papers obtained by the Deseret Morning News. "The FLDS members in Colorado City and Hildale who were communicating with Warren Jeffs live on UEP land and may also work for businesses on Trust property. Such communications may reveal important information about the identity, use, preservation, transfer or diversion of Trust assets."

The U.S. Attorney's Office in Nevada said the FBI is not required to let anyone see the seized documents.

Lawyers for Jeffs also want them, saying the papers are privileged communications between the man claimed by his followers to be a prophet and members of his church.

A federal judge in Nevada has yet to rule on the issue.

On Aug. 28, a Nevada Highway Patrol Trooper stopped a Cadillac Escalade outside Las Vegas. Inside was Jeffs, who was on the FBI's Ten Most Wanted list, as well as one of his wives and a brother.

FBI agents searched the Escalade and seized a number of items, including computers, recording devices, religious books, documents, letters and more than $50,000 in cash.

E-mail: bwinslow@desnews.com
 
deseretnews.com
Originally published Friday, October 27, 2006
 
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