Warren Jeffs pleads not guilty
SAN ANGELO, Texas (AP) - Polygamist sect leader Warren Jeffs stood mute during an arraignment on bigamy and sexual assault charges and a West Texas court has entered not guilty pleas on his behalf.
The 55-year-old is scheduled to stand trial for aggravated sexual assault Jan. 24 and said during a pretrial hearing Wednesday that he intends to hire a Texas attorney but has yet to formally do so. Separate trials on other charges will come later.
Jeffs sat and said nothing as prosecutors read charges that he had sex with a girl younger than 17.
He was ordered to stand and simply glanced down as charges alleging sex with a girl younger than 15 and bigamy were read.
Jeffs is the ecclesiastical head of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
