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Former child bride seeks to end trust suit

SALT LAKE CITY, June 11 (UPI) -- A former child bride and star witness in a criminal case against a polygamous sect leader has offered to settle a multimillion-dollar lawsuit, court papers say.

The proposal filed in Salt Lake City's 3rd District Court by lawyers for Elissa Wall seeks $308,000 in cash and a monetary judgment to be awarded in mediation or a damages-only trial, Salt Lake City radio station KSL reported.

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She also seeks 21 acres of undeveloped land and two developed lots from the United Effort Plan Trust.

The trust controls property the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

The FLDS broke away from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the early 20th century largely because the LDS church renounced polygamy and excommunicated practitioners of plural marriage.

Wall -- a former FLDS member who sued the church, leader Warren Jeffs and the trust in 2005 over her 2001 forced marriage at age 14 to her 19-year-old cousin -- initially sought damages including $1 million to set up a fund for people who want to leave the FLDS church.

A court-appointed special fiduciary countersued Wall in March saying the trust was not responsible for her marriage.

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Attorneys for the fiduciary had no immediate response to the proposed settlement, KSL said.

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