AZ Family
By Briana Whitney
Published: Aug. 9, 2023
PHOENIX (3TV/CBS 5) — While the infamous Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints religious leader, Warren Jeffs, was sentenced to life in prison years ago on child sex abuse charges related to underage marriages, another man, Samuel Bateman, split off and became a self-proclaimed prophet. Now, he is facing more than 50 felonies along with other women for crimes, including sexual acts against children, and we’ve learned he plans to represent himself in court. It’s never encouraged by attorneys for a defendant to represent themselves because it’s a liability as to what they’ll say and how that will come across to a jury. Still, Bateman isn’t the first to do it from the FLDS polygamist group. “It’s a really ugly story,” said Mike Watkiss, host and author of “The Story Hustler.” “The past is now the present. This promises to be a fascinating trial.”
Watkiss spent years covering the FLDS polygamist group and the arrest and trial of their leader Jeffs, who is serving a life sentence in Texas. Watkiss covered the 2011 Jeffs trial, where the cult leader represented himself, antagonizing the jury and judge, sometimes shouting out scripture. “Mr. Bateman has now opted – stole- the page from Warren Jeffs’ playbook,” said Watkiss.
Bateman will also be representing himself in federal court and is facing more than 50 felony charges, including kidnapping, sex with minors, child porn, and having many underage wives, his youngest, just 9 years old.
Many of his female followers are facing charges too, possibly women and girls Watkiss met himself after Bateman requested a strange meeting with him in a Phoenix park 18 months before he was arrested. “They proceeded to sing me some FLDS songs. It was bizarre,” said Watkiss.
But Watkiss said while Bateman wants to be like Jeffs, he believes their demeanor as their own representation could be much different. “Sam, I think is a sort of different persona. Sam is a gregarious, I guess in some settings, very charming guy who desperately wants the spotlight,” said Watkiss.
And their defense? “I would bet that all of these guys that get called into court are going to plead that this is a violation of their religious rights,” said Watkiss.
The trial is slated to begin next year, and Watkiss said it’s sure to be a courtroom drama unlike most. “Representing yourself is never a good idea, but would a guy like Sam Bateman jump at the opportunity? You bet he would,” said Watkiss.
At each of these hearings for Bateman leading up to trial, there are many FLDS women and girls that show up to support him in the gallery. The feds do have a lot of physical evidence in this case, including video of the girls in a trailer, written journals, and text messages back and forth that discuss training these young girls to participate in sexual activities.
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