Tight security surrounded the courthouse and the adjacent memorial building. Yellow police tape surrounded the entire block, pushing news media gathered here even further back than they were at last month's grand jury meeting. Numerous sheriff's deputies were stationed at every entrance. Texas Rangers in their typical white cowboy hats were seen walking in and out of the memorial building.

Earlier this morning, several men in dark suits could be seen taking boxes of files and what appeared to be a rolling projector screen into the memorial building.

Abbott is also on the witness list for a U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Thursday into crimes associated with polygamy. Jessop was also planning to be there, even though no FLDS members have been invited to testify.

Asked if he still planned to attend the hearing in Washington, D.C., Jessop told reporters: "That depends on what they do to me today."

The Schleicher County grand jury is believed to be investigating allegations of underage marriages. Hundreds of children were taken from the YFZ Ranch in a raid based on a phone call from someone claiming to be a pregnant 16-year-old girl in an abusive marriage. Once on site, Texas child welfare and law enforcement authorities claimed to have seen other signs of abuse.

However, all of the children were returned when two Texas courts ruled the state acted improperly. The phone call itself is still being investigated as a hoax.

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Contributing: Ben Winslow

E-mail: preavy@desnews.com