Trial for Warren Jeffs' Former Lieutenant Underway in Midland
By: Dylan Brooks, PermianBasin360.com
Updated: March 23, 2012
Testimony got underway Thursday in the bigamy trial of one of Warren Jeffs' former lieutenants.
Wendell Loy Nielsen pleaded not guilty to three counts of bigamy at the Midland County Courthouse Thursday morning.
Nielsen, 73, is accused of marrying 3 women on the Yearning For Zion Ranch near Eldorado in 2005. He reportedly married 2 of the women on one day.
Nielsen was a lieutenant for F.L.D.S. leader Warren Jeffs. His trial was moved from San Angelo to Midland after concerns about finding an impartial jury pool arose.
Judge Robert Moore also replaced Barbara Walther on the bench for the trial.
Prosecutors showed slides of the Y.F.Z. Ranch compound in Schleicher County Thursday.
Texas Rangers Nick Hanna and John Vance, Tom Green County Chief Deputy David Jones, Department of Public Safety Sergeant Tim Leggett and Kelly Walker with the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services all took the stand Thursday as well.
Wendell Loy Nielsen pleaded not guilty to three counts of bigamy at the Midland County Courthouse Thursday morning.
Nielsen, 73, is accused of marrying 3 women on the Yearning For Zion Ranch near Eldorado in 2005. He reportedly married 2 of the women on one day.
Nielsen was a lieutenant for F.L.D.S. leader Warren Jeffs. His trial was moved from San Angelo to Midland after concerns about finding an impartial jury pool arose.
Judge Robert Moore also replaced Barbara Walther on the bench for the trial.
Prosecutors showed slides of the Y.F.Z. Ranch compound in Schleicher County Thursday.
Texas Rangers Nick Hanna and John Vance, Tom Green County Chief Deputy David Jones, Department of Public Safety Sergeant Tim Leggett and Kelly Walker with the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services all took the stand Thursday as well.
