Herbert Agrees to Have Jeffs Extradited

08.11.2010 by Whittney Evans

(KCPW News) FLDS church leader Warren Jeffs will be tried in Texas before facing any possible re-trial in Utah, after Governor Gary Herbert signed an extradition request Tuesday. Herbert’s spokeswoman, Angie Welling, says Utah and Texas have a separate agreement as well.

“The two states have also signed an executive agreement that gives Utah the option to bring Mr. Jeffs back to Utah at the conclusion of the Texas Case, so he is comfortable that the interest of justice in both states have been preserved and will be served,” Welling says.

Jeffs’ convictions on two charges of rape as an accomplice were overturned last month by the Utah Supreme Court.   In Texas, he’s charged with bigamy, assault, and aggravated sexual assault.

Welling says the governor has no position on whether Jeffs should eventually be re-tried in Utah.

“He understands that it falls under the area of responsibility of the Attorney Generals office, and he trusts that the decisions they make on that particular case will be in the best interest of the state,” She says.

Attorney General Mark Shurtleff told the Associated Press that he, the Washington County attorney and authorities in Texas all agreed to have Jeffs stand trial in Texas first.  He added that his office will ask the Utah Supreme Court to re-consider the case.  Jeffs’ attorney, Walter Bugden, wasn’t available to comment.