A little news on the Smart front today. From the Deseret News.
Regular press briefings in the past for Smarts
By Pat Reavy and Derek Jensen
Deseret News staff writers
There was a time when Smart family spokesman Chris Thomas couldn't even answer his cell phone because of the calls from local and national reporters wanting to know the latest in the Elizabeth Smart kidnapping case.
"I was receiving more than 100 calls a day," Thomas said. "I had to buy a new phone. My phone zapped out after week one."
Since replacing his cell phone during week two of the media frenzy surrounding the kidnapping, Thomas said he's logged about 4,200 calls
Now more than 3 1/2 months since Smart was taken by gunpoint from her bedroom, those calls are down to just two or three a day from local reporters.
And for the first time since this mysterious case unfolded June 5, the Smart family has ended its regularly scheduled press conferences.
Despite intense media coverage and overwhelming support from the community to help look for the missing 14-year-old, police have yet to name a suspect or find any trace of Elizabeth.
While the end of the weekly press briefings brings to a close a remnant of the media circus that exploded around the kidnapping, it doesn't mean Smart family members have ended their tireless efforts to find Elizabeth, Thomas said.
"The fact that they're not doing press conferences is in no way an indication that they've given up," Thomas said. "They're still actively involved in doing the things they can do."
Family members still meet every Tuesday to plan ways to continue looking for Elizabeth. Another press conference will likely be scheduled in the next couple weeks to urge the thousands of deer hunters throughout the state to keep their eyes open for Elizabeth.
Meanwhile, Elizabeth's parents, Ed and Lois Smart, continue to make occasional appearances on national television programs like "Larry King Live."
The Smarts flew to New York Sept. 12 for an interview with John Walsh, and "America's Most Wanted" is planning an update on the Smart case this weekend, Thomas said.
The Smarts' interview schedule is a far cry from the rampant pace of a couple months ago.
Less than 24 hours after the kidnapping, Ed Smart stood before the intimidating eyes of reporters to make an emotional plea for Elizabeth's safe return. Lois Smart was so distraught that it took all her strength to look up at the glaring eyes of reporters and cameras.
The next morning, the Smarts made the rounds on the national television shows such as "Today" and "Good Morning America," again pleading for the return of their daughter and announcing a $250,000 reward.
The daily news briefings soon shifted to Shriners Hospital and then to the lawn of an LDS ward house across the street. A small village for national news organizations emerged practically overnight on the church's lawn.
Despite scorching heat, a member of the Smart family would provide daily whatever new information they could and would answer the barrage of often repetitive and sometimes ridiculous questions from the media. At the peak of the media frenzy, Thomas said he counted 17 television cameras and about 50 reporters and cameramen at the news conferences.
Ed Smart answered what questions he could as the names of Bret Edmunds and Richard Ricci came into the spotlight.
As the weeks grew into months and the national media moved on to other stories, the Smarts continued to appear daily for media briefings. When there was nothing new to report on Elizabeth's case, the family would talk about the rash of other abductions from the summer and would push for a national Amber Alert system.
At times the anger and the almost desperateness could be seen in Ed Smart's eyes and heard in his voice. At other times he seemed amazingly calm for a man under so much grief and pressure.
In August the number of news conferences was cut to three times a week. Later, as the Smart family members began to outnumber reporters, the news conferences were cut to two and then just one a week.
Sept. 17 was the last regularly scheduled news conference. Ed Smart said the family will still hold press briefings as new information is developed. The Elizabeth Smart Web site, www.elizabethsmart.com, is still operating.
Ex-LDS bishop appears in court
A former bishop in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints charged with sexually abusing a young female ward member made his first appearance in court Thursday morning.
Spencer Dixon
|
Spencer Dixon, 38, appeared before 3rd District Judge Leon Dever on one charge of aggravated sexual abuse of a child, a first-degree felony. Dixon said nothing during the hearing, which lasted less than one minute.
He is scheduled for a roll call hearing Oct. 15.
Dixon and his attorney, Brad Rich, left the courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City without saying anything to reporters.
Dixon was charged Sept. 5 with sexually abusing a 13-year-old girl who attended his ward, court documents state. Dixon was bishop when he allegedly abused the girl Aug. 24 in the library of an LDS ward house near 1300 South and 2400 East, according to court documents.
Charges against Dixon were raised from a second-degree felony to a first-degree felony because he was the religious leader of the alleged victim.
If convicted, Dixon faces a potential sentence of five years to life in prison.