"I am not the prophet. I never was the prophet, and I have been deceived by the powers of evil and Brother William E. Jessop has been the prophet since Father's passing, since the passing of my father," he said. "And I have been the most wicked man in this dispensation, in the eyes of God."

Jeffs goes on to say God visited him in jail and gave him a chance to "undo what I have done."

"And I ask for everyone's forgiveness and say farewell forever you who are worthy (for) Zion, for I will not be there," he said.

"Yes you will. This is just a test," Nephi replied.

According to the transcript, Jeffs urged his brother to get a copy of the jailhouse tape and distribute it. Nephi Jeffs told his brother he loved him and said: "This is a test. You are the prophet."

Three days later, Jeffs tried to hang himself.

The Deseret Morning News broke the story about the conversation in a story in March, and in subsequent stories, detailed how Jeffs has held "church" from the jail. The Washington County Sheriff's Office has said it records many of Jeffs' conversations, like any other inmate.

"I'm just a damn soul, damned soul," he said in one phone call to his followers.

Newly unsealed logs of Jeffs' phone calls from the Purgatory Jail reveal the FLDS leader made numerous calls to followers in January and again in June, renouncing his role as a prophet.

"I am not the one to be the prophet, and I am not the one to continue. That's all I have to say right now. Thank you," he reportedly said in a June 11 phone call with Merrill Jessop, who heads the FLDS Church's temple site in Eldorado, Texas.

Another conversation claims Jeffs made a vague reference to being "immoral" with a sister and a daughter, but he would never provide details to anyone who asked.

In court documents seeking to keep the conversations out of his trial, defense attorneys noted Jeffs' mental health and medical problems. They also said Jeffs recanted his renouncement, saying it was merely a test.

On Feb. 10, Jeffs made a series of phone calls announcing that he was "tested but remained committed to the priesthood." Defense attorney Richard Wright recounted one conversation.

"It's been a whole week of attack beyond what you can imagine," Jeffs said in the defense papers. "Finally, this morning I showed the Lord that I was for him and I wasn't going to give in, so be assured I'm for God and the priesthood. ... Though I said what I said, and felt unworthy of it all, I did not deny God and priesthood, I uphold them."

Wright detailed how in other phone conversations, Jeffs continued to act as FLDS prophet, praying with his members, taking their testimonies and giving spiritual instructions.