Bigamy charges against polygamist leader dropped

Topics: From the Wires,

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — The Texas attorney general’s office has dropped bigamy charges against imprisoned polygamist leader Warren Jeffs.

Attorney general’s spokesman Jerry Strickland said Wednesday that the motion to dismiss charges was filed this week in San Angelo.

Prosecutors cited the need for judicial economy, noting that Jeffs is already serving a life prison sentence.

Jeffs is confined to an East Texas prison for sexually assaulting two underage girls he considered his brides. The charges followed the 2008 raid at the remote West Texas ranch that’s home to followers of his Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

The 56-year-old Jeffs isn’t eligible for parole until he’s at least 100 years old.

Strickland says the Jeffs investigation has been difficult on the community and for the local judicial system.

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