Ex-husband charged with rape after Jeffs guilty verdict

GOOD!
Just to be clear - the mainstream Mormons have long distanced themselves from the Fundamental Mormon church.
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http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2007/09/26/rape-utah.html

Ex-husband charged with rape after Jeffs guilty verdict
Last Updated: Wednesday, September 26, 2007 | 5:52 PM ET
The Associated Press

Prosecutors filed a rape charge Wednesday against the ex-husband whose marriage was at the centre of polygamous sect leader Warren's Jeff's trial.

http://www.cbc.ca/gfx/images/news/ph...cp-3613910.jpg

Allen Steed, who has been charged with rape, testifies during Warren Jeffs' trial on Sept. 19, in St. George, Utah.
(Douglas C. Pizac/ Associated Press)

The charge came a day after Jeffs was convicted of rape by accomplice.

Allen Glade Steed was 19 and his bride — also his first cousin — was 14 when they were married in 2001. Steed is accused of having sex with the girl against her will after the arranged marriage.

Steed testified at Jeffs' trial that he did not force himself on the girl and said she initiated their first sexual encounter.

The rape charge was based on a complaint filed by a sheriff's investigator, who said the trial established that the pair had sex and that the woman, now 21, convinced jurors it was without her consent.
Continue Article

The investigator, Jake Schultz, said Steed lives out of state most of the time.

Steed's defence lawyer, Jim Bradshaw, didn't immediately return a message Wednesday from The Associated Press.
© The Canadian Press, 2007
CP

Perfect. He deserves to be found guilty. I wonder what this will mean for polygimists in the States and Canada in teh long run?
Nicole & Sheena & Ajax

Nicole - I don't think it will affect "legitimate" polygamy. What happened here is young girls being forced to marry male relatives. If they are guilty of rape, incest and the like, that won't affect adults who agree to polygamy with another adult.

Just my opinion.

I think the law can do a lot to get pedophiles out from under the dishonest cover of "polygamy". It is child abuse, rape, and incest - nothing more.

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Originally Posted by Catty1

Nicole - I don't think it will affect "legitimate" polygamy. What happened here is young girls being forced to marry male relatives. If they are guilty of rape, incest and the like, that won't affect adults who agree to polygamy with another adult.

Just my opinion.

I think the law can do a lot to get pedophiles out from under the dishonest cover of "polygamy". It is child abuse, rape, and incest - nothing more.

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What???

People actually marry blood & do... knowingly... EWWW what is wrong with them???!!! I know some rapests do that, but this is both parties agreeing to it! I suddnly feel ill... not only is it morally wrong, buy its sooo unhealthy if they reproduce!!! How is this allowed????

I totally understand if the 2 parties had NO idea they were related. My uncle & Aunt found out they are 6th cousins or something like that.. But that was YEARS after they were married, but they never had, nor wanted children. So its not bad at all.

Jess...this is young girls, of 13 or 14, being forced and ordered to marry adult male relatives.

I don't think the problem is polygamy per se. The problem is statutory rape ("16 will get you 20") and borderline incest.

The risk of birth defects between first cousins is only 2-3% higher than in couples that are genetically further apart. Compare this to a mother over 40, which raises the risk to 6-8%.

No matter if you believe in creation or evolution we're all related. Some of us just more closely than others.

*edited to add: I'm not defending this guy whatsoever. Rape is rape. No 14 year -old should be married!

Sirrahved - I would agree with you. The Norwegian composer Edvard Grieg married his first cousin, they had a wonderful marriage and life.

If it's the old "consenting adults", that's fine by me.

This case, however, involved minor girls (never boys) being 'married off' to adult male relatives. Because of the age of the girls, it is seen as child abuse, rape, and/or incest.

It is the age of the female here that makes the difference.