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Show Vernal Express Wednesday, October 29, 2008 A5 Jury takes 60 minutes to convict 'tribal chief By Lezlee E. Whitine Uintah Basin News Service A Uintah County man who claimed he secured the right to marry a 12-year-old girl through a bartered arrangement with her mother failed to convince an 8th District Court jury last week that he was not guilty of burglary and attempted lewdness involving a child. Dale N. Stevens, 70, who purports to be the leader of an American Indian tribe, acted as his own attorney throughout much of his two-day trial but turned closing arguments over to his court-appointed legal counsel, Mike Humiston. The Heber City attorney told jurors that he wasn't going to try to convince them that Stevens is "a sympathetic character," but wanted them to determine if he had the intent required by law to be found guilty of committing the felony and misdemeanor counts. Stevens was accused of entering en-tering the trailer home where the girl was living, without her permission - one time in his underwear - and trying to get her to undress. Accordingto Stevens, he went to the trailer where the victim was to protect her from potential poten-tial fire danger. The girl lived in the trailer with her five siblings and her mother, who was often absent. The girl's 2-year-old sister had started a fire in the trailer's stove earlier on the day in question, Humiston reminded jurors. "That night there was this fear about that house burning down, " Humiston said in his brief closing arguments. "Ifyoulookat it in that context there is a reason ... for what he was doing there that night. It was very plausible that she could have believed he was coming onto her. But did he intend ... to commit lewdness? If you go back to that, you will find Mr. Stevens not guilty." The prosecution claimed that Stevens went to the trailer four times in one night to talk to the girl - whom he believed was his because her mother had exchanged her for half a cooler of energy bars - and entice her into a sexual act. Testimony showed that Steven's Ste-ven's views on marriage - which he often shared with anyone who ' would listen - are'derived from a "book of common law" written in 1870, that states that "a girl can get married at the age of 8 if she married someone who is 8. After the age of 10 she can marry who she wants." "He attempted to get her to take off her pants ... he took a substantial step and it wasn't just that night," Deputy Uintah County Attorney Greg Lamb told jurors. "Dale was tryingto groom and mold the situation ... he claimed the fireplace was a safety problem, he used that as apretext. "He came over with no shirt and injockey shorts," Lamb said. "If he was there to fix the fire, why was he just standing over her like that?" At one point Stevens told the victim "she was his and it was time she started acting like a wife," Lamb told jurors. "All of the witnesses who lived on that property knew what Dale was up to," the prosecutor said. The victim, now 13, testified that she told Stevens several times that she wanted him to leave. One time, the girl blocked the door with a chair to try to prevent him from entering. Lamb praised the girl for having the courage to testify against Stevens, whom he said still holds a strong grip on her family. Stevens, who claims to be the leader an American Indian tribe that was declared a sham earlier this year by a federal judge, gave the the girl's family a place to stay on his property and supplied them with wood in the winter and food. The girl's own mother was described as a "reluctant witness," wit-ness," by prosecutors. Law enforcement found out about Steven's behavior with the girl when they went to investigate inves-tigate a "completely unrelated event" at his Uintah County ranch, Lamb said. "Luckily for (the victim) she is a strong little girl," he said. "If she wanted to make up a story (about what happened) she could have added a lot to it, but she didn't." Stevens is free on bond pending pend-ing sentencing on Dec. 9. He faces up to 15 years in prison for the burglary conviction and up to one year in jail for the attempted lewdness charge. Stevens is also facing charges of obstruction of justice, sexual exploitation of a minor, and forgery in a separate case. Prosecutors Pros-ecutors allege that Stevens aided a convicted sex offender in his flight from authorities in Iowa and that he had images of child pornography on his computer. A preliminary hearing in the second case is scheduled for Dec. 17. -1 r't- Apartment For Kent 3 Bedroom, 1 bath apartment in Vernal. No smoking. No pets. $1,200monthw$1,200 deposit. Utilities not included. For more information call 828-8012. -t (VH0(URE ; 1 J- . ... . .'.&gVi6u3i&m J ( It . if H W ii lUiminarc areas of unwanted fat and cone your entire body with Smarrlipo laser-assisted lipolyj.!. DR. Russell Smith 823-5554 O CLASSIFIED O shopping in the pages of the rss VERNAL 435-789-3511 60 EajHOO North W' MF Wsc s.' 1 I i Mi l 4 44- 4 E . - . M.-" THIS OLD HOUSE Historic cabins looking for a home By Tabatha Deans -M Express Reporter This cabin, one of three located on the old Hullinger homestead, between Naples and Jensen at highway marker 152, has been donated to the Uintah County Historic Preservation Commission. The commission needs to raise $12,000 before Nov. 1 to move the cabin. r Volunteers with the Uintah County Historic Preservation Commission Commis-sion have dismantled and are moving two of the three cabins on the Hullinger homestead. Tick marks number each log, and are used to distinguish the order of each log during reassembly. The commission is trying to raise $12,000 to move a third cabin, which is too large to be dismantled and must be moved intact. Harvey Coe Hullinger, one of the first physicians in the Uintah Basin, practiced medicine in the area until his death in 1926 at the age of 101. Hullinger, who went by "Doc," believed in the power of community com-munity and immersed himself not only in helping but also in educating those in the Basin area. He financed and built one of the first schools in the Basin in 1885, then hired and paid a school teacher out of his own pocket for the first year. Members of the Uintah County Historic Preservation Commission are hoping this strong sense of community exists ex-ists in the area today and are asking community members to help preserve the rich history left behind by Doc Hullinger. Descendants of Hullinger have sold the family property, located between Naples and Jensen, at highway marker 152. They've donated three log cabins, one of which is the aforementioned aforemen-tioned school house, to Uintah County. The County is unable to accept the donation, however, but the Uintah County Historic Preservation Commission has offered to move the cabins and store them until a permanent home can be found for them. According to commission members, the cabins hold historical his-torical value not just because of the Hullinger legacy, but they are an "outstanding example in both size and quality of the fine log home construction of a Uinta Basin homestead." Volunteers are dismantling and moving two of the smaller cabins, but the third one is too big, and must be moved intact. Because new owners take possession pos-session of the property Nov. 1, the cabins must be moved immediately. im-mediately. The commission has received bids from professionals who can move the last cabin before be-fore the deadline, but it carries a price tag of $12,000. Commission members are asking for the community's help to save the third cabin, which, if not removed on time, will be demolished. Cash donations are being solicited to pay for moving expenses. ex-penses. To make donation and help save the cabin, call Marjorie Goodman at 435-781-1504, or Ellen Kiever at 435-789-0091 ext.20. tdeansvernal.com HflTUmDiU TO n Utah motorcycle deaths hit record 1 I f I OGDEN (AP) - More motorcycle motor-cycle riders than ever have died in Utah in 2008. Motorcycle deaths hit a record low in 1997 in the U.S., but the number of deaths has reached record highs both nationally and in Utah since then. " More than two months before the end of the year, 32 riders have already died in Utah. That's nine more than the average of 23 deaths a year in Utah over the past decade. More bikes are on the road - probably because of rising gas prices - and so the chances for accidents ac-cidents go up too, said motorcycle rider and state Rep. Mel Brown, R-Coalville. "If you put more on the road, then there's more chances for accidents," Brown said. There are more registered motorcycles now than 10 years ago and the number of fatalities per motorcycle has increased, according to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data. In 1998, there were 59 deaths for each 100,000 registered bikes. In 2006, that number had increased to 72. Troy Roper, who suffered a ' traumatic' brain injury" aftera" 2005 motorcycle crash, said he thinks bikes are getting faster and riders are getting less training train-ing before they hit the road. "Some of these bikes go really fast, and if you've got the money, you can go ride," he said. As the motorcycle death rate has gone up, the rates of all other motor-vehicle deaths have been improving in Utah and the nation. na-tion. Overall motor-vehicle deaths have dropped even though there are more cars and trucks on the road. Fatalities involving impaired drivers, teen drivers, and rollovers also have fallen. Come See Vernal's fastest Selling New home community. SUN5URST TERRACE Over 105 sold,- -only 15 left!- Sales office and model homes open Mon-Fri 9-5; Sat 10-4 Come visit us at 484 West 2100 South or call Licia at 435-781-8567 'Payments subject to change. MM r m cotf mm . iiiiimniriittiji.iiitMHiBirtr-11" O... Qi2y M -I ' I -A -v - - ' I V' - ' I y"il-PM , Y ' . r h ' o""n cT" qj jH" . S-l hlimi.--. MMHiI ., --mttmmmaaammmHmmim.mtmmimmmtmm9mnmamir9m-, . J-W The "Munsterously" friendly folks at Perry Motor Company want you to know they aren't scared to move all their used cars to the NEW lot out back! Are you "Haunting" for the BEST deal in town? Come see our new used car lot, located on 1st north directly behind Perry Motor! CMC 1 wwuj.venul.com t s. r a . m M.. i u m. - |