A Baltimore jury on Tuesday afternoon convicted three alleged cult members on charges of first-degree child abuse resulting in death and second-degree murder for starving a 16-month-old boy in their city apartment because he did not say "amen" before meals.

The defendants each face a maximum of 60 years in prison when they are sentenced, scheduled for May 18.

The Washington County Sheriff's Office is investigating an allegation of dishonest testimony about medical records of the state's key witness during the 2007 criminal trial of FLDS polygamous sect prophet Warren S. Jeffs.

The case was based on a 2001 spiritual marriage Jeffs performed between Elissa Wall, then 14, and Allen G. Steed, then 19.

Closing arguments are expected today in the Baltimore trial of three members of an alleged cult -- the now defunct 1 Mind Ministries -- who are accused of starving a toddler to death because he didn't pray properly.

The defendants, who are representing themselves, rested their cases within minutes Monday without calling any witnesses.

Brian David Mitchell is competent to stand trial in the abduction of Elizabeth Smart despite his personality disorders, a judge ruled Monday.

In a 149-page decision, U.S. District Judge Dale Kimball said Mitchell can understand the charges against him and help his lawyers in his defense, the standard for mental competency.

Some 150 armed Muslims assaulted the Christian colony of Pahar Ganj in North Nazimabad, Karachi, damaging two churches, shooting at houses, beating Christians and burning shops and vehicles after a fruit stand vendor attacked a Christian boy for touching his merchandise.

Christian leaders said Muslim extremists helped gather and inflame the assailants, but they said the fruit stand vendor upset with the 14-year-old Christian boy for touching plums on his hand-pulled cart initially instigated the attack.

Even as authorities closed in, one of the two suspects in a string of east Texas church fires attended a Sunday service and went to a Baptist ministry on his junior college campus for a free meal.

But officials say they found weapons and books detailing atheism and devil worship during a pre-dawn raid at a home where Bourque was arrested Feb. 21.

I am sure you are wondering, "what in the world is she talking about?" Well, last Friday my husband was told that his last day of work would be March 18. Why? Because he "makes to much money" and they need to cutback the workforce to save money. My reaction to the news:  Shocked? Yes! Mad! Yes! Angry? Yes!

My first thought was, "How could this happen? You have been there for almost four years. You are suppose to have a job which is secure. They promised you job security. Why did they do this to you? WHY!!!!!!!

Tears started rolling down my face. I thought, "Lord I can not go through this again. The last time my husband lost his job, we lost our home. We almost got divorced from all of the financial pressures. Now, just when things are beginning to look up for us, the bottom falls out once again.

I am not strong enough to go through this again! I am not strong enough to keep my husband encouraged and uplifted!!! Lord!!!!

I DO NOT HAVE THE STRENGTH FOR THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh Lord, what are we going to do? I just sat there after my screaming fit and just cried. My husband tried his best to hold back his tears, but they came anyway. Then I began to get upset with myself. I am suppose to be encouraging and helping my husband. Yet, I am being selfish. I am not thinking about what this is doing to him as a man of God first, my husband second and a father third. I apologized to him for being so selfish. I apologized for not thinking of him.

I thought, "I have got to be strong. I have got to be strong. Lord, you have to help me to be strong here. I can not do this on my own. I need you". I opened up my Bible and Micah 7:7,8 was the first scriptures I read. I read them over and over and over again. Then I thought to myself, "how could I have put my trust in man? Doesn't your word say not to place my hope and trust in man? Psalm 118:8 tells me,"It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in man." How could I have done this? Lord forgive me for not placing my hope and trust in you. I have sinned against you and only you in placing my trust in my husbands employers and not in you. I said these words over and over and over. God please forgive me.

Now, all I can do is put my hope and trust in God. He is all I have. All I can do is place all my hope and trust in Him. All I can do is wait patiently for Him. All I can do is to, "look unto the hills which comes my help."He is the One I am clinging to right now. The storms of life are raging all around my family, but our hope is in the Living God. All we can do is wait for this storm to pass. I know in my heart, "this too shall pass." I know that in the midst of this darkness, my God is shining bright.

 

(all scripture from the New International Version Bible)