Polygamist leader’s request to remove judge denied

News-Journal (Longview) ^ | July 20, 2011 | N/A

[MizSterious]

Polygamist leader’s request to remove judge denied

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — A visiting judge on Tuesday denied polygamist sect leader Warren Jeffs’ second attempt to remove the West Texas judge overseeing his upcoming sexual assault trial, this time because of alleged bias after she made calls to inquire about progress in the case and accepted extra police protection because of threats associated with it.

Judge John Hyde of Midland listened to more than five hours of testimony on Jeffs’ motion to recuse District Judge Barbara Walther during a hearing Monday but wrote a day later that much of it rested “on innuendo and supposition.” He cited previous court decisions in finding that “impartiality is not gullibility.”

The 55-year-old Jeffs is ecclesiastical head of a radical, Mormon offshoot known as the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, which believes polygamy is the key to heaven. He is scheduled to go to trial next week on two counts of sexual assault of a child that are punishable by up to life in prison.

[MizSterious]

Looks like Texas just might accomplish what AZ and UT couldn't--or wouldn't.

[MizSterious]

This isn’t really a pinglist—just pinging a few folks who I recall being interested in this topic back when the fLDS was in the news. Here’s the latest of the Warren Jeffs legal hijinks.

[Colofornian]

From the article: The 55-year-old Jeffs is ecclesiastical head of a radical, MORMON offshoot known as the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, which believes polygamy is the key to heaven.

Hmm...I wonder where the fLDSers got that notion that "polygamy is the key to heaven?"

Could it be because Brigham Young taught it? And that the Mormons "promulgated" it for 40-50 years?

Do Mormons take the "prophets" at their own word? (Or not?)

"The only men who become Gods, even the sons of God, are those who enter into polygamy." (Young, Journal of Discourses, vol. 11, p. 269, Aug. 19, 1866)

Even Wilford Woodruff, the Mormon "prophet" who put the brakes on Mormon polygamy in 1890...mentioned the following year in his appeal to the government for amnesty:

We formerly taught to our people that polygamy or Celestial marriage as commanded by God through Joseph Smith was right; that it was a necessity to man's highest exaltation in the life to come. That doctrine was publicly promulgated by our president, the late Brigham Young, forty years ago, and was steadily taught and impressed upon the Latter day Saints up to September, 1890." (Government record found in Government Printing Office, 1904, Washington D.C., vol. 1, p. 18, Petition for Amnesty, Dec. 19, 1891, as secondarily sourced by Richard Abanes, Inside Today's Mormonism, pp. 234, 423, Harvest House, 2004)

[Colofornian]

From the article: Judge John Hyde of Midland listened to more than five hours of testimony on Jeffs’ motion to recuse District Judge Barbara Walther during a hearing Monday but wrote a day later that much of it rested “on innuendo and supposition.” He cited previous court decisions in finding that “impartiality is not gullibility.”

Indeed. "Impartiality is not gullibility." That should be the motto of fLDSers and LDSers alike who might want to review Mormon history afresh. You don't have to leave Mormonism & its offshoots all at once, you know. Simply set yourself on a course on that continuum from "gullibility" to somewhere nearer to "impartiliaty" as you judge Joseph Smith and the history of Mormonism from "fresh" eyes.

None of us is 100% "impartial." But move off of the 100% "gullibility" square in your life. Stop taking your religion at another's word -- including at my word. Look at it for yourself. Firsthand. Review. Evaluate. All sides. Not every source is either "pro" or "anti" fLDS or LDS. There are some more "neutral" sources of information.

A historian examines all sides.

[Godzilla]

Mormons want to be known as Christians just because they have “Christ” in their church name.

Mormons reject flds because of polygamy - even though they (flds) believe in the same bom and Doctrine and Covenants section 132 which sanctioned polygamy for mormons - and still exists in ortho-mormon scriptures.

[TheOldLady]

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[Politicalmom]

Thanks, Miz. :)

[Politicalmom]

Thanks, Miz. :)

[Pebcak]

Thanks Miz. I wish you would make it a ping list. The information is going to come fast and furious and it would be nice to have it in one place to discuss.

The motion to recuse Judge Walther was denied. Next up is the motion for change of venue.

Then there is the pressing question of who is going to act as Warren Jeffs attorney. Will Judge Walther allow him to keep firing attorneys as a delaying tactic?

The trial is slated to begin Monday July 25.

[Pebcak]

Speaking of legal hijinks - this just in:

http://www.gosanangelo.com/news/2011/jul/20/judge-jeffs-current-attorneys-must-represent-him/

Judge Walther ruled that all attorneys on the case must stay on the case including another one who signed on today to replace Kearney.

Trial starts Monday as scheduled. LOL.

[Tennessee Nana]

Elsie

PING to #3

“(Government record found in Government Printing Office, 1904, Washington D.C., vol. 1, p. 18, Petition for Amnesty, Dec. 19, 1891”

It seems the mormon god change its mind again, again...

[Tennessee Nana]

BTW

IB4SD

[Elsie]

A visiting judge on Tuesday denied polygamist sect leader Warren Jeffs’ second attempt to remove the West Texas judge overseeing his upcoming sexual assault trial, this time because of alleged bias after she made calls to inquire about progress in the case and accepted extra police protection because of threats associated with it.

We have found one of our favorite mods!!

[Elsie]

The 55-year-old Jeffs is ecclesiastical head of a radical, Mormon offshoot known as the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, which believes polygamy is the key to heaven.

What's RADICAL about it?

It is one of the KEY tenets of MORMON faith, give to them by their GOD, in Doctrines and Covenants 132.

The LARGEST group of MORMONs, with it's headquarters based in Salt Lake City, has decided NOT to follow what their GOD had CLEARLY told them.

Here is what just ONE of the LDS leaders has said:

Inasmuch as laws have been enacted by Congress forbidding plural marriage...

I hereby declare my intention to submit to those laws..."

~ Wilford Woodruff, 4th LDS President

[Elsie]

...much of it rested “on innuendo and supposition.”

Welcome to MORMONism!

[Elsie]

...much of it rested “on innuendo and supposition.”

The REST of it relies on feelings.

[Elsie]

And calling others unLOVING when we do NOT accept their twisted views of history and Scripture.

[MizSterious]

I’m starting a pinglist for the Jeffs trial in Texas. I know there’s a polygamy pinglist, but this has a more narrow scope. If you’d like to be ON the list, let me know. I won’t include you unless you say you want to be on the list.

[greyfoxx39]

LOL!

[greyfoxx39]

Now, OL...THAT’S funny!