The Defense was spirited by comparison to previous trials, but not enough. I believe the FLDS needs to be pushing the concept publicly of Jury Nullification, but they're not. In addition, the short defense presentations amount to an admission of guilt in terms of perception. Here's last night's
San Angelo Standard-Times article:
" 'You’ve heard all the evidence you’re going to hear' for the guilt or innocence phase of the trial, 51st District Judge Barbara Walther told jurors before dismissing them for Monday evening.
Jurors looked at documents sacred to the FLDS throughout Monday afternoon as the prosecution tried to place Jeffs and the alleged victim at the Yearning for Zion Ranch in Schleicher County at the time of the alleged offense.
The alleged assault of the 15-year-old girl when he was 34 allegedly occurred around May 12, 2006.
'I think this is the first time the jury has laid eyes on a priesthood record,' lead Prosecutor Eric Nichols told Texas Ranger Danny Crawford while Crawford was on the stand testifying to what each document was and what it said as the redacted documents were projected onto a screen for the jury."
Actually, copies of the Priesthood Records got out, and Eric knows that. Perhaps presenting them here is now a way to say that people have them now, because he used them in Trial. Right Eric.
To his credit, Brandon Hudson took a few jabs at the evidence in trial, and the fact that some witnesses are being paid. We can be sure we don't know the full extent of the payment issues between Texas and it's various "experts."
Sentencing is next. I imagine that will not take long either. The Bigamy conviction provides a platform for appeal of the length Abram's sentence, if it long, like the others. There will be appeals on the bigamy convictions on their constitutionality. Perhaps after sentences are adjusted, the convictions will be overturned just in time for a "timely" parole based on the average sentence of other "First Time" offenders.
My current thought is that after the heat dies down and FLDS men have spent some time in jail, there will eventually be a reversal of the evidence inclusion. My hope is that it's sooner than that.
Willie Jessop weights in
today's edition of the Times:
"FLDS spokesman Willie Jessop said afterward he believed the state at last publicly has made the case a religious matter.
'For the first time, they’ve admitted it’s about religion,' Jessop said.
Jessop also stressed deprivation of rights, in the raid and in the trial, as an issue of prime concern.
'Disregard your first, fourth, fifth and sixth amendment rights, and anyone is in danger,' Jessop said. 'We need to have judicial notice of what’s happening.' "
This case, if not reversed, as I have stated for over two years, is a danger to us all. The only victims at YFZ in the eyes of the law are technically victims, there was and still is no "outcry," there are no defections from "Stockholm Syndrome" sufferers suddenly "waking up." The supposed "Victims" are now all adults. Those underage "supposed" victims whose "assailants" have not yet been convicted will be adults soon. I think there's only one anyway, and it may be proved she was not a victim.
