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Lawyers want jury away from Bibles - man accused of kidnapping Elizabeth Smart
AP ^ | October 17, 2004 | AP

Posted on 10/16/2004 8:26:58 PM PDT by Former Military Chick

Lawyers for the man accused of kidnapping US teenager Elizabeth Smart have filed a motion for the jury to be sequestered during the trial and the Bibles removed from their hotel rooms.

Lawyers for Brian David Mitchell, 50, argued in motions that intense media coverage of the case could influence jurors if they are not sequestered.

They asked that Bibles and other religious texts be removed from jurors' hotel rooms to "prevent prejudicial exposure".

Authorities have said Mitchell, a self-proclaimed prophet, wrote a manifesto before kidnapping Utah teenager Elizabeth in which he declares himself a messenger of God and says it is God's will for men to have multiple wives.

Mitchell and his wife, Wanda Barzee, are accused of kidnapping Elizabeth, then 14, from her bedroom in June 2002. She was found safe in a Salt Lake City suburb nine months later.

Mitchell goes on trial in February for kidnapping, aggravated sexual assault, aggravated burglary and attempted aggravated kidnapping.

Barzee is undergoing treatment at a mental hospital after being deemed incompetent to stand trial.

Sequestration is rare in Utah, though it's occasionally requested in capital murder and other high-profile cases. Judges typically rely on admonishing jurors to avoid news coverage and refrain from discussing the case.

Salt Lake County District Attorney David Yocom has until November 15 to respond to the motions.


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: bibles; elizabethsmart; kidnapping; smart; utah
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I wonder why they did not strike a deal.

Anyone else seeing a pattern of how we want God removed from politics, courts you name it.

If I were the Smart family I might want that just to move on.

But, also to move on, he needs to be punished and he should never EVER see the light of day outside a prison.

1 posted on 10/16/2004 8:26:59 PM PDT by Former Military Chick
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To: Former Military Chick

we can see the storm rising ..... and its not the election....


2 posted on 10/16/2004 8:29:05 PM PDT by Gibtx (Pajamahadien call to arms.....)
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To: Former Military Chick
The lawyer has also requested that certain food items be removed from the jury room. Specifically: bananas, nuts and fruitcakes. These too could be prejudicial to his client he argued.
3 posted on 10/16/2004 8:32:57 PM PDT by Reaganesque
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To: Former Military Chick

***to "prevent prejudicial exposure". ***

Somewhere down the line it will be illegal to let children read the Bible for this very reason.

That's if they don't confiscate them all first.


4 posted on 10/16/2004 8:33:35 PM PDT by PetroniusMaximus
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To: PetroniusMaximus

Take my Bible. Go ahead. Make me a martyr.


5 posted on 10/16/2004 8:37:59 PM PDT by Righter-than-Rush
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To: PetroniusMaximus
There's no way they'll ever be able to confiscate the Bible in a digital age. Any idea how hard it would be to confiscate all those unmarked Bible software CD-ROMs? Or if I wanted to hide the data files on my iPod?

The censorship genie is out of the bottle, and it ain't going back in. No, when the Bible loses its influence will not be by banning it, but by marginalizing it and distracting us away from it. My generation has put down the Bible and picked up the Playstation.

6 posted on 10/16/2004 8:38:09 PM PDT by jude24 (sola gratia)
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To: PetroniusMaximus

That's why my girls will attend a private Christian school, if I have to rob a convenience store to do it.

This is outrageous - wanting to take Bibles away from people.


7 posted on 10/16/2004 8:39:47 PM PDT by Zack Nguyen
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To: Former Military Chick
in which he declares himself a messenger of God and says it is God's will for men to have multiple wives

They aren't calling for the Book of Mormon to be excluded also?

8 posted on 10/16/2004 8:39:56 PM PDT by xJones
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To: Former Military Chick

Take away their Holy Bibles...lol. More lunacy from the loony tunes...


9 posted on 10/16/2004 8:40:15 PM PDT by ApesForEvolution (You will NEVER convince me that Muhammadanism isn't a veil for MASS MURDERS. Save your time...)
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To: Former Military Chick
Lawyers for the man accused of kidnapping US teenager Elizabeth Smart have filed a motion for the jury to be sequestered during the trial and the Bibles removed from their hotel rooms.

That doesn't sound right at all. And I do not want judges with that kind of power.

10 posted on 10/16/2004 8:40:27 PM PDT by GeronL (John Kerry believes in a right to privacy and in gay rights............ ask "fair game" Mary Cheney)
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To: jude24

>>My generation has put down the Bible and picked up the Playstation.>>

Good point. Parents have failed with this generation. Permissive parenting is for parents who will not stand up for absolute values.


11 posted on 10/16/2004 8:42:26 PM PDT by Righter-than-Rush
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To: jude24
yeah, we need some of those brain implants with the bible imprinted so we never lose it...

imagine the liberal reaction to that ....

12 posted on 10/16/2004 8:43:10 PM PDT by GeronL (John Kerry believes in a right to privacy and in gay rights............ ask "fair game" Mary Cheney)
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To: GeronL

>>And I do not want judges with that kind of power.>>

No matter who wins in two weeks, the power trend is for judges to legislate more than your Congressman.


13 posted on 10/16/2004 8:43:15 PM PDT by Righter-than-Rush
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To: Former Military Chick
Mitchell goes on trial in February

Timothy McVeigh is tried, convicted and put to death in the time it takes the justice system to go after this p.o.s. Martha Stewart is tried, convicted and goes to jail in less time than it takes to nail anybody big from Enron. Why does it take this long to hang this guy?

14 posted on 10/16/2004 8:45:04 PM PDT by Gator Bill
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To: xJones
"They aren't calling for the Book of Mormon to be excluded also?"

They asked that Bibles and other religious texts be removed from jurors' hotel rooms

In Utah, when they say "other religious texts" they aren't referring to the Koran.

15 posted on 10/16/2004 8:49:10 PM PDT by PAR35
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To: Former Military Chick
"he needs to be punished and he should never EVER see the light of day outside a prison."

Fear not.

Look at it this way -- this slimeball is going into a Utah court, before a Utah judge and a Utah jury (likely mostly Mormons).

All the prosecutor needs to say is : "This scumbag knowingly and willing kinapped, physically and mentally abused and tortured this innocent young Mormon girl for the better part of one year. I rest my case."

Even if the case were moved to the far side of the moon where being Mormon is not a factor, this guy is toast! And rightly so.

Does Utah still use firing squads?

16 posted on 10/16/2004 8:55:29 PM PDT by theoldChief (Pacifists are the parasites of freedom)
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To: Gator Bill
Why does it take this long to hang this guy?

The more horrendous the crime, the more attention is paid to insuring their "rights" are not violated...

Don't ask me why, just the way the system works..
You'd think it would be just the opposite..

17 posted on 10/16/2004 8:57:13 PM PDT by Drammach (Freedom; not just a job, it's an adventure..)
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To: theoldChief
Even if the case were moved to the far side of the moon where being Mormon is not a factor, this guy is toast! And rightly so.

Agreed.

Does Utah still use firing squads?

If the don't, they still should especially in this case.

18 posted on 10/16/2004 9:04:37 PM PDT by Fiddlstix (This Tagline for sale. (Presented by TagLines R US))
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Comment #19 Removed by Moderator

To: theoldChief

Nope, as I understand it, they know use chemicals.


20 posted on 10/16/2004 9:04:59 PM PDT by newheart (The Truth? You can't handle the Truth. But He can handle you.)
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