This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2012, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
A few interesting highlights from Matthew Waller's great live blogging of the first day of the punishment phase of the trial of Warren Jeffs' former No. 2, Wendell Nielsen:
— Nielsen sent Jeffs detailed letters with reports on each member of his family.
Examples: "Kathryn [one of Nielsen's wives]: (62) Improving; always accounting, quiet and pleasant."
And some notes on his children: "Requires more severe correction before responding," "working with her to be quicker with her in her obedience," "cannot be trusted," "sweet and peaceful."
— The defense looks to be focusing on Nielsen's expulsion excommunication from the church last year. The state has provided Warren Jeffs jail communications in the form of 67 CDs and 3 boxes of letters.
(Nielsen was found guilty today of three felony counts of bigamy for marrying three middle-aged women. He faces up to 10 years in prison.)