| Woman: Jeffs never directly mentioned sex when he pressured her to marry cousin at age 14 | |
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By Emanuella Grinberg Court TV | |
ST. GEORGE, Utah — A woman who claims that polygamist leader Warren Jeffs pressured her into marrying and having sex with her cousin conceded Monday that Jeffs never directly ordered her to submit to sex with her husband. The woman, who was 14 years old when she entered into an arranged marriage with her first cousin, told jurors at Jeffs' trial that, although the subject of sex never came up directly, the implication was there when Jeffs urged her to "repent" and be a good wife to her then-19-year-old husband. "Isn't it true that Mr. Jeffs never told you to have sexual intercourse with Allen?" defense lawyer Tara Isaacson asked the woman during her third day on the witness stand. "We didn't use the words 'sexual intercourse' in our society," said the woman, referring to the community of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, which Jeffs has led since 2004. Utah prosecutors allege that Jeffs used his religious influence to coerce the then-teenager into marrying and having sex with her cousin against her will. Jeffs, 51, faces five years to life in prison if convicted of two counts of rape as an accomplice. In two days of direct examination last week, the woman, now 21, described a strict upbringing in a patriarchal society, where girls are taught from a young age that living in absolute obedience to their husbands assures them eternal salvation. The FLDS broke from mainstream Mormonism in the 1890s over the practice of polygamy, which is banned in the Utah state constitution. Members of the FLDS also believe in the concept of "placement marriage," in which God "reveals" to their prophet who should marry. The woman testified that she met with Jeffs' father, Rulon Jeffs, the FLDS prophet at the time, to convince him to change his mind. The couple was married in a Nevada hotel in a private ceremony conducted by Warren Jeffs, who was then first counselor to Rulon Jeffs. During cross-examination Monday, defense lawyers attempted to cast doubt on her claims that she faced pressure primarily from Warren Jeffs to unwillingly submit to marital relations in 2001 with a man she did not care for. Several jurors took notes as the woman conceded that she never told her family that her husband allegedly raped her. She also admitted that she would often "sugar up" by pretending to submit to sex to get money and gifts from her husband. The woman said she eventually left the FLDS in 2004 with another member of the community, who is now her husband. She admitted beginning an affair with her current husband, who was present in the courtroom, while she was still "married" to her first husband. During her testimony, her husband's lawyers conferred quietly with attorneys who are representing her in a civil suit against Jeffs and the trustees of a fund that controls FLDS holdings. Dressed in a black suit and a silver tie, Jeffs also listened attentively to the testimony, while several of his followers sat in the back row of the packed courtroom. The woman also admitted that she faced pressure from the community, including her mother, stepfather and sisters, to "keep sweet" by not fighting the marriage. Washington County prosecutors also called Monday the accuser's older sister, Rebecca Musser, who was one of Rulon Jeffs' wives when he supposedly directed the alleged victim to marry her cousin. The sister testified that Warren Jeffs actually arranged the marriage without Rulon Jeffs' knowledge. Musser, who married Rulon Jeffs when she was 19 and he was 87, said she met with Warren and Rulon Jeffs a few days before the scheduled marriage to attempt to change their minds. During the meeting, Musser testified, Rulon Jeffs expressed shock over the marriage and suggested calling it off. In response, Warren Jeffs allegedly said that the teen's stepfather, who was second in command after Jeffs, had specifically requested the union, according to testimony. "He is insisting that this happen, and because of who he is, we would like to honor his request," Musser testified, quoting Jeffs. Two days later, Musser said, she was sewing her sister's wedding dress in her mother's home while the bride-to-be sobbed. Musser also provided further insight into the environment of the FLDS community under Warren Jeffs, whom she claimed pressured her to remarry after his father's death in 2002. She described a conversation with Jeffs which, she said, led to her departure from the FLDS shortly after Rulon Jeffs' death. "You've had too much freedom for too long," Musser said, recalling Jeffs' words. "I will train you to be a good wife and I will break you." With her sister sitting in the audience, Musser described how she helped the alleged victim contact a lawyer after she decided to go forward with the allegation that her husband raped her. Under cross-examination, a lawyer for Jeffs questioned the witness at length on her decision to contact a lawyer before going to authorities. "I called a lawyer to find out what her options were," Musser testified. "There's an incredible amount of distrust in our community of law enforcement. You don't know if you're going to be exploited." Jeffs' lawyers claim that he never forced the accuser to submit to rape, but instead offered her marriage counseling in accordance with the principles of the faith. They also question whether a rape actually occurred and suggested that the woman fabricated the claims for financial gain. Testimony continues Tuesday. | |
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CourtTV.com Originally published September 18, 2007 | |
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