Utah attorney general wades into false testimony allegations investigation in Jeffs case

Utah AG joins false testimony probe in Jeffs case

SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah attorney general’s office is responding to an investigation of allegations that false testimony may have been provided during the 2007 criminal trial of polygamous church leader Warren Jeffs.

On Thursday, the office said it learned two days ago that papers used by Canadian midwife Jane Blackmore to document her medical care of Elissa Wall following a miscarriage in 2002 may have been re-created records — not originals as represented during the trial.

Wall’s 2001 spiritual marriage — at age 14 — to her 19-year-old cousin was the basis for Jeffs’ criminal conviction on two counts of rape as an accomplice. Wall claimed she had been forced into the marriage and that her sexual relationship with her husband was forced.

The Associated Press does not generally identify those who claim to have been sexually assaulted. But following the trial, Wall spoke publicly about her experiences and recounted them in a book, “Stolen Innocence.”

Jeffs, 53, the spiritual leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, is serving two prison terms of five years to life.

The conviction is on appeal to the Utah Supreme Court.

In papers filed Thursday, the Utah attorney general’s office said it would not object to a stay of the appeal if Jeffs’ defense attorneys want a judge to hear the allegations.

Washington County Attorney Brock Belnap quietly launched an investigation of the allegations in February after he was told by a third party that Wall may have “lied” about her medical records.

A telephone message seeking comment from Blackmore was not immediately returned Thursday.

Jeffs defense attorney Wally Bugden on Thursday said he is still deciding how to proceed but looks “forward to a process by which (the defense) can examine witnesses and determine whether people gave false testimony in Mr. Jeffs trials.”

Bugden said it appears there may have been attempts by some involved with the case to obstruct justice and he hopes that anyone who may have been hesitant to come forward in the past will do so now.

Information about the allegations and Belnap’s investigation first became public in March in Arizona court papers filed by attorneys representing Jeffs in a pair of pending criminal cases. Wall’s marriage is also the basis for one of those cases.

According to those documents, Belnap was told that Wall’s “medical records had all been created in one day to make it look like she had seen a caretaker on several different occasions.”

Belnap was out of town Thursday and unavailable.

The status of the investigation into the records is unclear.

“We don’t believe there was any false testimony, but we want to investigate to be sure,” said Utah Assistant Attorney General Laura DuPaix. “If there’s any question at all, Jeffs should have a fair and full opportunity to explore this. We want the process to be fair.”