Polygamist leader Jeffs’ trial to start July 25

SAN ANGELO, Texas — The oft-delayed, first criminal case against polygamist sect leader Warren Jeffs was set to start July 25 after a Texas court on Tuesday rejected defense motions for more time and to remove the judge presiding over it.

Prosecutors allege the 55-year-old jailed leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints had sex with two girls, one under age 14 and the other under age 17, at the Yearning for Zion ranch in remote Eldorado, Texas.

Jeffs was extradited from Utah in November, and was scheduled to stand trial in January. But state District Judge Barbara Walther moved the case back, first to February and then to late July. Jeffs’ legal team had sought still more time to prepare, but Walther ruled the trial should go forward as scheduled.

A separate bigamy trial against him has been scheduled for Oct. 3.

On Monday, the defense asked that Walther be recused from the case, arguing that her gestures and other body language had unfairly influenced the jury in the criminal trials of other sect members, all of whom were convicted.

District Judge John Hyde of Midland ruled that Walther wouldn’t be recused, however. Walther then retook the bench to let the scheduled trial date stand.

Lauren Bean, a spokeswoman for the Texas attorney general’s office, said the judge also upheld her own motion for a change of venue, keeping the case in San Angelo and Tom Green County instead of Schleicher County, which encompasses El Dorado.

Jeffs’ attorneys said they will contest the change of venue for the sexual assault case in a hearing the week of July 18, according to the San Angelo Standard Times.

The paper also reported that attorneys settled details about how they would proceed in Jeffs’ trial, debating what kind of evidence — DNA evidence or that from a Nevada search warrant — could be turned over to the other side. Jeffs was arrested near Las Vegas in August 2006.

Since arriving in Texas, Jeffs has appeared in court with four different attorneys, forcing delays. During one January appearance, he fired an attorney only hours after retaining him.

Jeffs settled on prominent Fort Worth, Texas, attorney Jeff Kearney in January.