Mitchell, Barzee appear in court Brian David Mitchell and Wanda Barzee, the two accused of kidnapping Elizabeth Smart and holding her for nine months, made their first in-person court appearances Tuesday afternoon.
Brian David Mitchell
Douglas C. Pizac, Associated Press |
The hearings were held separately. Mitchell and Barzee were not in the courtroom at the same time and did not see each other.
Barzee did not say a word during her brief hearing and did not look at the people sitting in the courtroom gallery. But watching her was Barzee's mother, Dora Corbett.
"I just wanted to see her and see what's going on," Corbett told reporters outside the courtroom.
She said she had not talked to her daughter since her arrest and the last time she saw her was about a year ago at her stepfather's funeral.
Corbett said she was "shocked" when she heard Barzee was arrested in connection with Smart's kidnapping. And as for the situation her daughter is in, "I think it stinks, myself."
Nevertheless, Corbett conceded, "They caught her with him."
Mitchell was the first of the two to arrive for his hearing. He wore a yellow jump suit from the jail and orange shoes. His legs were shackled and his hands were handcuffed behind his back.
Mitchell, with his long scraggly beard and long hair, did not say a word during his brief hearing before Judge Judith Atherton. Security was tight with nine deputies watching over the courtroom. No one in the gallery was allowed to sit in the row directly behind Mitchell.
The purpose of the hearing was for the court to get an update on the mental competency evaluations for both defendants.
Mitchell's attorney, David Biggs, said his client's evaluation would not be completed for at least another 30 days, perhaps much longer.
"No significant progress has been made," Biggs said.
As Mitchell was led back to his holding cell by deputies, he looked into the gallery, apparently seeing who was present.
After a short recess, Barzee was brought into the courtroom. She wore a blue jumpsuit from the jail and white shoes. She had her legs shackled and her hands were handcuffed in front of her.
Wanda Barzee
Douglas C. Pizac, Associated Press |
Barzee's attorneys, Scott Williams and David Finlayson, also said their client's evaluation really wouldn't start until next week and another 30 days, at minimum, would be needed before it can be completed.
Barzee appeared stone-faced and said nothing as she walked in and out of the courtroom.
"She looked very different," Corbett said afterward. "She doesn't have that cheerful smile she used to have."
When asked what caused her daughter to change, Corbett said it was probably a combination of a lot of things but did not elaborate.
"She sure is a different daughter than what she used to be. I don't know what happened," she said.
As for Mitchell, "He used to be a kind, fun man. They used to go to church and do what they were supposed to," Corbett said.
Corbett said if she could deliver a message to her daughter she would simply tell her, "I love her."
Both Mitchell's and Barzee's roll-call hearings were continued until a date to be determined when the mental evaluations are completed.
President George W. Bush (news - web sites) signs the PROTECT Act of 2003 as families who have suffered kidnappings and murder watch during a ceremony at the White House. Donna Norris (3rdL), mother of the abducted Amber Hagerman, 9, of Arlington, Texas, embraces her son, Ricky. The legislation's system called "Amber Alert" to help find missing and exploited children is named after her daughter, who was later found dead. Elizabeth Smart (far L) the Salt Lake City teenager who was abducted last summer and found in March 2003 also witnessed the signing.(AFP/Mike Theiler)
President George W. Bush (news - web sites) signs the Protect Act of 2003, also known as the Amber Alert legislation, surrounded by former missing children and their families, during a ceremony in the Rose Garden at the White House in Washington, April 30, 2003. Former missing child Elizabeth Smart watches at left. The new law, revived in March when the Smart family called emphatically for its passage, also adds tough measures to crack down on child predators, molesters and pornographers. REUTERS/Gary Hershorn
President George W. Bush (news - web sites) greets Elizabeth Smart (C) and her mother Lois Smart in the Roosevelt Room at the White House, in Washington April 30, 2003. Bush met with the Smart family before signing a law on Wednesday expanding the 'AMBER Alert' warning systems to help find children who have been abducted. The new law, revived in March when the Smart family called emphatically for its passage, also adds tough measures to crack down on child predators, molesters and pornographers. AMBER stands for 'America's Missing: Broadcast Emergency Response' and is named after Amber Hagerman, a Texas girl kidnapped and murdered in 1996. Smart was also recently released after having been kidnapped. NO SALES REUTERS/Eric Draper/The White House
Former missing child Elizabeth Smart (C) and her mother Lois (L) greet Donna Norris, the mother of murdered child Amber Hagerman, at the end of a ceremony in the Rose Garden at the White House in Washington, April 30, 2003. President George W. Bush (news - web sites) signed the Protect Act of 2003, also known as the Amber Alert legislation, during the ceremony. REUTERS/Gary Hershorn
Former missing child Elizabeth Smart (L) looks at her mother Lois (R) as they attend a ceremony in the Rose Garden at the White House in Washington April 30, 2003. President George W. Bush (news - web sites) signed the Protect Act of 2003 also known as the Amber Alert legislation during the ceremony. REUTERS/Gary Hershorn
Elizabeth Smart, right, hugs Donna Norris, left, the mother of Amber Hagerman, of Amber Alert fame, in the Rose Garden of the White House, Wednesday, April 30, 2003, in Washington. Elizabeth was recently reunited with her family after being kidnapped. (AP Photo/Ron Edmonds)
Former missing child Elizabeth Smart (L) shakes hands with President George W. Bush (news - web sites) (R) following a ceremony in the Rose Garden at the White House in Washington April 30, 2003. Bush signed the Protect Act of 2003 also known as the Amber Alert legislation during the ceremony. REUTERS/William Philpott
President Bush (news - web sites) shakes hands with Ricky Hagerman ,left, of Arlington, Texas, after Bush signed a wide-ranging package of child safety measures into law in the Rose Garden of the White House, Wednesday, April 30, 2003, in Washington. With Bush on stage are from left to right in background, Elizabeth Smart, Donna Norris, Lois Smart, Ed Smart,. Elizabeth was recently reunited with her family after being kidnapped. Ricky is the brother of Amber Hagerman, whose 1996 kidnap and murder led to the Amber Alert electronic notification system. (AP Photo/Ron Edmonds)
Former missing child Elizabeth Smart (C) stands with her father Edward (L) and mother Lois (R) as they attend a ceremony in the Rose Garden at the White House in Washington April 30, 2003. President George W. Bush (news - web sites) signed the Protect Act of 2003 also known as the Amber Alert legislation during the ceremony. REUTERS/Gary Hershorn
Elizabeth Smart hugs Donna Norris, the mother of Amber Hagerman - of 'Amber alert' fame - in the Rose Garden of the White House April 30, 2003 following an event with U.S. President George W. Bush (news - web sites). Surrounded by the Smart family and families of other kidnapped children, Bush signed a wide-ranging package of child safety measures into law. REUTERS/Win McNamee
Former missing child Elizabeth Smart (C) stands with her father Edward and mother Lois as they listen to President George W. Bush (news - web sites) (R) and Attorney General John Ashcroft (news - web sites) (L) speak during a ceremony in the Rose Garden at the White House in Washington April 30, 2003. Bush signed the Protect Act of 2003 also known as the Amber Alert legislation during the ceremony. REUTERS/William Philpott
Donna Norris, the mother of Amber Hagerman - of 'Amber alert' fame - hugs her son Rick Hagerman as Elizabeth Smart (rear) walks past them in the Rose Garden of the White House April 30, 2003. Surrounded by the Smart family and families of other kidnapped children, U.S. President George W. Bush (news - web sites) signed a wide-ranging package of child safety measures into law. REUTERS/Win McNamee
President George W. Bush (news - web sites) signs the Protect Act of 2003 also known as the Amber Alert legislation surrounded by former missing children and their families during a ceremony in the Rose Garden at the White House in Washington April 30, 2003. Former missing child Elizabeth Smart watches at left. REUTERS/Gary Hershorn