Elissa Wall Says Warren Jeffs Trial Is About Child Abuse, Not Religion or Vendetta, at St. George, Utah, Press Conference

Elissa Wall spoke Tuesday at a press conference in St. George following the trial of Warren Jeffs, the FLDS leader. Deseret.com reported that Wall, the prosecution’s star witness, had testified that she did not want to be married to her cousin and had begged Jeffs to spare her from the union. In a statement released the same day, Wall said the trial was simply about child abuse and preventing further abuse, not about religion or a vendetta.

Wall also encouraged FLDS girls and young women to stand up and fight for their voice and choice, a call to protecting the vulnerable (Proverbs 31:8-9). She thanked Brock Belnap and the prosecuting legal team for their kindness and hard work.

KUTV.com described the matter differently, reporting that Wall is seeking millions of dollars in restitution from Jeffs. According to that report, Wall testified that in 2001, when she was 14, Jeffs forced her into a marriage she did not want within the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. The report said Wall had also testified against Jeffs in a 2003 trial. Deseret.com’s account of her testimony, that she begged to be spared, and KUTV’s account, that the marriage was forced, are presented here as each outlet’s reporting.

KUTV also reported that Wall believes the abuse is still practiced within the FLDS church. Her claim is her own belief as reported by the station, and the source material does not include any independent confirmation of it.

According to the KUTV report, Wall spoke in court about her rape. She said that repeated rape and condemnation left her feeling dirty, broken and worthless.