| Doe IV testifies Jeffs preliminary hearing continued until Dec. 14 | |||||
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By Patrice St. Germain patrices@thespectrum.com | |||||
ST.GEORGE - A tearful Jane Doe IV testified in 5th District Court Tuesday that April 17, 2001, the day she was married at age 14 to her first cousin, was the darkest time in her entire life. Two weeks away from giving birth to her second child, a very young looking Doe, the alleged victim of rape, said she has always tried to forget the period in her life when she was married to her cousin - a person she described as a name-calling bully. Doe's testimony before Judge James L. Shumate took up most of the day Tuesday for the preliminary hearing of Warren Steed Jeffs, 50, who has been charged with two counts of rape as an accomplice for the arranged marriage between Doe and her then 19-year-old cousin. The hearing was continued to Dec. 14. Jeffs, according to Doe, conducted the marriage, which took place in Caliente, Nev., at the Hot Springs Hotel despite her pleas that she felt she was too young to marry and did not want to marry her cousin. "My mother told me the prophet knew best," Doe testified. "I felt trapped that there was nothing I could do. I was so scared and had nowhere to go." Doe spoke to Rulon Jeffs, Warren's father, about the arranged marriage. Doe said Rulon Jeffs told her "follow your heart, sweetheart," yet said Warren Jeffs said her heart was in the wrong place and it was her mission and duty to go forward with the marriage. Doe said during this time she was living with Fred Jessop, who had taken the family in when it was separated from her father and her mother was later placed with Jessop as a wife. Jessop, Doe said, was a bishop in the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints who told her that to defy the orders of Jessop and the Jeffs could cost her salvation. Doe explained that in the FLDS religion, to be told there is a place for you, which means in the position of wife at the side of a man, is the highest honor. "It's what we live for, we are taught; our dream and mission," Doe said. "But I was shocked (when she was told she was placed.) I was so young and scared." Doe's sister testified that the week before the wedding her sister wanted nothing to do with the preparations of the wedding dress and was crying and tearful. Doe's sister at the age of 19 was wed to Rulon Jeffs, who was 83 years old and the prophet of the church. During much of the testimony, Doe's sister glanced at Jeffs - dressed in a suit, but appearing pale and gaunt - when questioned about him and smiled, smiles which Jeffs returned. Jane Doe said about three weeks after the wedding, her husband, exposed himself to her. "I never saw a man's private parts," Doe said shakily. "I said what is that? Put it away. And (I) jumped up and ran home." About a month after the marriage, Doe said her husband had what she called husband/wife relations with her against her will but did not know what intercourse was and did not understand that is how babies are conceived. Doe said in early summer following her April wedding, she went to Jeffs and told him that she could not be married to her husband and said she told Jeffs he "touches me and does things that don't feel right." Jeffs told her to be obedient without question and the priesthood head (her husband) would lead her on to the celestial kingdom. Over the next several years, Doe said she had several more conversations with Jeffs asking to be released from the marriage, to no avail. Tara Isaacson, one of Jeffs' defense attorney's, cross-examined Doe and asked her to confirm that her wedding was the worst day of her life and that during the time she was married, she was miserable. Doe replied in the affirmative. Isaacson went on to show her photos taken after the wedding and in other photos throughout her marriage with John Doe where she was smiling. Isaacson also asked her why she did not leave Hildale when she was told she had to marry and questioned her about conversations with Jeffs and asked if Jeffs specifically told her to have intercourse with her husband. Doe said she had no place to go and the "outside world" was the unknown. Even following the marriage, Doe said she had nowhere to go and felt trapped. Isaacson asked her about a trip she took with a man who is currently her husband to Las Vegas while still married to John Doe. Isaacson also questioned Jane Doe about a statement she gave to law enforcement about a period of about nine months where she "sugared up the situation," or submitted to sexual intercourse with her husband to get things she wanted to get from him. Isaacson questioned Doe about her filing a civil suit against Jeffs before going to police, which led to the charges of rape as an accomplice being filed against Jeffs. Doe said she has two sisters who still live in the Hildale community and she fears for them every day and has come forward with the charges so her sisters will not have to go through what she did. Court adjourned at 4:30 p.m. after half of the witnesses were called. The balance of the preliminary hearing was continued until December. About 12 people identified as family members attended the preliminary hearing along with media from numerous agencies. Outside the courthouse, Walter F. Bugden, Jr., another member of Jeffs' defense team, gave a brief statement flanked by Isaacson and attorney Richard Wright. Bugden said the prosecution of Warren Jeffs is religious persecution. "It is nothing less than the state of Utah condemning a culturally different religion," Bugden said. "It is a continuation of 165 years of intolerance for a people who engage in different cultural and religious practice." Bugden said arranged marriages are practiced by many cultures throughout the world today. Jeffs, Bugden said, married two people, a 19-year old young man and a 14-year old young lady. He encouraged them to love one another and have a family. "This is no different from the advice that leaders of every religion give to newlyweds," Bugden said. "There is no rape in this case. Officiating at a wedding ceremony does not make Mr. Jeffs an accomplice to rape." Under Utah law, however, a 14-year-old cannot legally marry even with the consent of parents and a marriage between first cousins is null and void unless the parties are 65 years of age or older or the parties are 55 years of age and unable to reproduce. | |||||
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TheSpectrum.com Originally published November 22, 2006 | |||||
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