Brian Mitchell and Wanda Barzee charged in Elizabeth Smart abduction...

Drudge ^

[Maedhros]

Brian Mitchell and Wanda Barzee charged with kidnapping, sexual assault and burglary in Elizabeth Smart abduction...

[cherry]

"For example, the Smarts never have solicited any of these offers for book and movie rights. You are lying now, just as you lied before about your "special knowledge" of this case.

please feel free to post any where I said I had "special knowledge of this case?.....

[CindyDawg]

my point is that some adult has to step in and protect ES from exploitation further

Yep. The parents can't be responsible for this. I recommend a government social worker. Put the child in foster care. We know she would be safe and protected then. Might want to take the others too since her mom and dad are doing such a bad job. Why do you hate her parents so much?

[GovernmentShrinker]

It is "liberal" in the sense that it welcomes critical scrutiny of Mormonism in ways that the LDS Church doesn't approve of, but it's a heck of lot more intellectually serious than Salon. Shirl Mitchell, of course, was just hanging around the conference, not being given a platform to present his bizarre ramblings.

I've gotten a couple of excerpts from his writing by e-mail, and am awaiting permission from my source to re-post them here. Truly outlandish stuff, and hundreds of pages of it. While I think Brian Mitchell almost certainly suffers from schizophrenia, he'd have been a dangerous mess even without it, after growing up under a father whose head was filled this heavily sex-based insanity.

I'm still wondering how long it will take the Church to ex Shirl -- it's hard to imagine a more appropriate candidate, especially now that he's going on national TV and sharing bits of his beliefs while claiming Church membership.

[cherry]

wrong....parents are supposed to be doing this....not the govt....parents should be protecting her from photo shoots, movie deals, magazine interviews etc etc....

glad to see that they are pushing to not have the sexual assualt charges followed up.....she doesn't need that to put these people away for life....

[Utah Girl]

I don't want to judge, but if Shirl Mitchell has been handing out his screeds, and he support polygamy, well, that is grounds for excommunication.

[cherry]

why don't you read?

my contention is a plea...to the parents and all those who say they love ES to leave the girl alone...period...no movies..no magazines...no more photo opportunities.......

that is what the parents are hopefully going to do.....

[CindyDawg]

If these creeps still get the same amount of time I agree on this but it may be out of the Smart's hands. I would go to jail because there is no way my child would be questioned by this guy. As for government intervention , it was said with sarcasm. I am curious why you are so angry with her parents though. They aren't perfect but none of us are. They are trying to do the best they can. This will either make them stronger or will destroy them. There isn't a happy middle and as much as they present a happy reunion none of their lives will ever be the same.

[Utah Girl]

It just hit me. Mitchell is going to be his own attorney, and as such he does have the right to question Elizabeth. Oh my goodness. I'm hoping that they'll also stipulate Mary Katherine's testimony. Oh, this is awful.

[cherry]

"what is wrong with you people?..the little girl of 9 was threatened to death and the death of her sister if she said anything... nine years old!!!! there was definately a breakin..this is not a friendly kidnapping or runa way"

. this is my first post about Es...way back before this case became big.....June 5th, post #29 "Utah girl kidnapped...."

still waiting Illbay...still waiting...

[Pan_Yans Wife]

Yes... all of the details will be out in the open, if he questions her. Now, since he isn't a lawyer, you can hope that most of his questioning will be plagued with objections because he is unfamiliar with the format of trial proceedure. But, I suspect, it will be a circus in the courtroom.

[Utah Girl]

The police who interviewed Mitchell right after his arrest said he was pretty articulate and knew the law quite well. Its going to be a three ring circus, you are right.

[heleny]

Long has suggested that giving his client a light sentence could encourage kidnappers to keep their captives alive.

Long has But, others have suggested that giving his client a light sentence could encourage kidnappers to keep their captives alive. to kidnap more innocent children.

[Sherlock]

I don't want to judge, but if Shirl Mitchell has been handing out his screeds, and he support polygamy, well, that is grounds for excommunication.

Utah Girl, I've heard you justify the polygamy of your Mormon founder. I remember you pointed to the polygamy in the Hebrew scriptures as justification.

[trussell]

According to Fox News the Smarts don't want sexual assault charges filed against the Mitchells.

Please provide exact quote and source to prove that statement. Thank you.

[Utah Girl]

We discussed this in email quite extensively. Suffice it to say, we have been commanded not to practice the law of plural marriage (polygamy) since 1896. Any LDS person who practices it is excommunicated immediately, period, no ifs, ands, or buts. I KNOW I posted that statement numerous times on the early Smart threads. I'd rather take it to email than turn this thread into yet another polygamy thread.

[Utah Girl]

I think some of the media outlets took the Smarts comments kind of out of context. There was a debate before the charges were pressed about the sexual assault charges. From KSL.com:

Prosecutors have filed a list of felony charges against the couple accused of kidnapping, threatening, and assaulting Elizabeth Smart. Brian Mitchell and his wife Wanda Barzee are both charged with aggravated kidnapping, aggravated sexual assault, and aggravated burglary in the abduction of Elizabeth Smart. Bail for each defendant was set at $10 million. The two are scheduled to be arraigned tomorrow morning. A preliminary hearing and trial are expected sometime this summer.

The Smarts are pleased with the charges today, and the ten million dollar bail set for Barzee and Mitchell. But a family spokesperson says they regret, for Elizabeth's sake, that aggravated sexual assualt charges are now public.

A Smart family spokesperson said today that Elizabeth's privacy is a top priority. And the now public charges of aggravated sexual assualt are especially hurtful to Elizabeth and her parents.

Chris Thomas, Smart Family Spokesperson: "THERE DAYS WHEN THEY FELT HELPLESS, AND NOW THERE ARE THINGS THEY CAN DO TO HELP HER AND HELP WITH THE PROSECUTION. AS DIFFICULT AS IT IS TO HAVE SOME OF THESE THINGS AIRED PUBLICLY, THE FAMILY'S HAPPY TO HAVE HER HOME AND ON THIS ROAD TO RECOVERY."

In order to protect the case, the Smarts will not comment on it further. They say fully support the district attorney's office in prosecuting Brian Mitchell and Wanda Barzee to the fullest extent of the law. They're willing to do whatever it takes to make sure the pair pay for their crimes.

Chris Thomas, Smart Family Spokesperson: "THE FAMILY IS VERY CONFIDENT THAT JUSTICE WILL PREVAIL AND THEY FULLY SUPPORT THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE IN PROSECUTING THESE TWO INDIVIDUALS TO THE FULLEST EXTENT OF THE LAW."

But at the same time they want to avoid a court appearance where Elizabeth would have to take the stand.

[trussell]

Isnt pepper suppose to be beneficial to stopping tracking dogs from following a scent? Just something I think I read somewhere, not sure if it is true.