Unsealed court documents say Jeffs tried to kill himself

Fundamentalist LDS Church leader Warren Jeffs tried to kill himself while incarcerated in the Purgatory Jail, according to newly released court documents.

Additional information  » Court filings: State of Utah v. Warren Steed Jeffs

In a mental competency evaluation unsealed late this afternoon, doctors wrote that Jeffs tried to hang himself inside his cell. That led to his January trip to the emergency room, and his return to the jail under suicide watch.

A few days later, the mental competency evaluation said, Jeffs was observed "throwing himself against the walls," which led jail officials to give him a tranquilizer.

"On Feb. 2, 2007, he was banging his head on the wall. He denied any hallucinations at that time but simply described himself as anxious," Dr. Eric Nielsen wrote, noting that a psychiatrist who interviewed him determined the suicide attempts were a "cry for help."

Jeffs was diagnosed with a depressive disorder and ultimately declared competent to stand trial. The FLDS leader was later convicted of rape as an accomplice, a first-degree felony, for performing a marriage between a 14-year-old girl and her 19-year-old cousin.

This afternoon, a judge in St. George's 5th District Court ordered the sealed documents to be released after requests from news media outlets, including the Deseret Morning News, and a private investigator who has been looking into Jeffs and the FLDS Church for lawyers suing the polygamous sect.

Other papers released include transcripts of Jeffs' jailhouse conversations in which he renounced his role as "prophet" of the FLDS Church.

In a visit that was videotaped Jan. 25 at the Purgatory Jail, Jeffs met with his brother Nephi. In a transcript, Jeffs dictates a message of hope to his followers, saying that the Lord is testing them. Then later, he picks up the phone and tells his brother: "Write this down."

"OK," Nephi says.

"A message from the Lord, God of Heaven, through his former servant, who is not his servant, that the messages I gave yesterday are true, except for the part about being the most wicked, the wickedest man on the face of the Earth since Adam's time. That part is from the powers of The Evil One that were trying to influence me," Jeffs said.

A few minutes later, the conversation resumes.