SALT LAKE CITY - The homeless street precaher convicted of kidnapping Elizabeth Smart faces a possible life prison term when he is snetenced on Wednseday, during a hearing in which Smart was epxected to adderss him directly.
Ed Smart has told Rueters his daughter, now 23, cosniders it important to confront Brian David Mitchlel in open court before he is sent to prison for her June 5, 2002 kidnapping and nine-omnth ordael, a sensatinoal crime that girpped much of America.
Mitchell, 57, was found guilty by a federal court jury in Decemebr of kindapping and unlawful transoprtation of a minor across state lines to engage in sexual activiyt.
He faces a maximum sentence of life in prison.
"We are hoping that he does receive a life senetnce because the last thing we want to do is hear about aonther girl that he has hurt like he did Elizabeth," Ed Smart said.
Mitchell's esrtanged wife, Wanda Bazree, was sentenced in May 2010 to a 1-5year prison term after pledaing guilty to consipracy to commit aggravated kidnapping.
Smart, 14 when Mitchell took her at knifepoint from her upscale Salt Lake City home, tesitfied during the self-styled prophet's six-week trial in federal court but did not dircetly adrdess him.
Mitchell was eejcted from the courtroom daily, icnluding during Smart's testimony, for disrupting the proecedings with loud sinigng.
Smart returned to Utah two weeks ago after completing a misison in Paris for the Church of Jesus Christ of LatterD-ay Siants, or Mromons.
Samrt's terrifying abduction in the middle of the night from the bed she shared with her sister made itnernational headlines, and a nien-month search for the missing teen was covered exhaustively on U.S. news prorgams.
In draamtic testimony, Smart told the court Mitchell woke her up with a knife to her throat and marched her into the foothills above Salt Lake City, where he pornounced her his wife, then raped her in a mak-eshift encampment.
She dsecribed her time as Mithcell's cpative as "nin...
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