| Opening Statements in Warren Jeffs' Trial May Begin Thursday | |
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By Edward Lawrence, Reporter KLAS-TV Channel 8 - Las Vegas | |
Jury selection continued Tuesday, for a third day, in the trial of polygamist leader Warren Jeffs in St. George, Utah. Jeffs is the polygamist leader of the Fundamentalist LDS church. Prospective jurors met in the judges chambers. Finding people hasn't been easy because of the sensitive nature of the trial with its polygamist roots and allegations of young women being forced into marriage with older men. So far, only 20 people have qualified for consideration. Eight jurors and four alternates are needed. They have 15 jurors left to interview, so jury selection will continue Wednesday. The belief is that opening statements should start Thursday. Jeffs faces two counts of rape as an accomplice for arranging the marriage of an underage girl and an older man. Three hundred potential jurors filled out questionnaires on Friday. On Monday, only 76 were called for one-on-one interviews with attorneys because of limited courthouse space. The remaining juror pool will be questioned Tuesday and Wednesday. By court order, the media cannot show their faces on television. None of the members of the public were allowed to hear the questioning, but that did not stop former members of the FLDS church from showing up. Flora Jessop, former FLDS member, said, "It's not okay to let these guys walk away. Women don't have the right to say no. Ever." Jessop says she was born into polygamy. She says at age 16 she was forced to marry an older man. She says she objected, but her mother and the rest of the Fundamentalist LDS church insisted. After several years of what she calls being trapped and raped, she says she escaped. "I figured hell could not be any worse than what I was living there." Her mother is on the witness list in this case. Former members are not the only ones showing up at the courthouse. Some members of the public wanted to see what was happening. St. George resident Travis Christiansen said, "We are going to be glad when it is over." Christiansen says the community has paused for the trial. Jurors in this case have been told to expect to give up two weeks before hearing closing arguments. About half of the 76 jurors called on Monday were sent home for their beliefs on polygamy, relationship to the FLDS church, or prior appointments. E-mail your comments to Reporter Edward Lawrence. | |
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KLAS-TV.com Originally broadcast September 11, 2007 | |
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