Mitchell: Captivity 'glorious' for Smart

SALT LAKE CITY, Nov. 15 (UPI) -- The man on trial for kidnapping Elizabeth Smart in Utah told police after his capture he was doing God's work and she had a "glorious experience" with him.

Video of Brian David Mitchell talking to investigators was played for jurors Monday in his Salt Lake City trial. During the 2-hour interrogation, Mitchell appears mostly calm and frames his answers in theological references, the Deseret News in Salt Lake City reported.

"I'm telling you, the Lord God Almighty delivered her to us," Mitchell said, describing the abduction of Smart from her home in 2002.

"I've only done what I've been commanded to do," he said in describing his repeated rape of the teenage kidnap victim, who spent nine months in captivity with Mitchell and his wife, Wanda Barzee.

"She's had a glorious experience," he said.

When police interrogators accused Mitchell of trying to lay the groundwork for an insanity plea, he said: "You think I want to go to the mental hospital? You think that's what I want? The mental hospital would be the worst thing for me."

At one point during the interrogation, Mitchell started singing a hymn, and on several occasions he yelled, "Get thee behind me, Satan!" at his questioners, the Deseret News said.

Smart testified last week that Mitchell used religion as a way to get sex.

Prosecutors say Mitchell's behavior proves he was not insane when he abducted Smart, The Salt Lake Tribune reported Monday.