From Deseret News archives:
Texas makes deal with FLDS couple
"I understand y'all have reached a tentative agreement," Judge Barbara Walther said today after a 2 1/2-hour delay, so lawyers could negotiate behind closed doors.
The deal gives the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services sole conservatorship over the baby, born two weeks ago to Dan Jessop and his wife, Louisa Bradshaw (Jessop). It names the parents as temporary possessors.
"I feel good about it," Dan Jessop said as he walked out of the courtroom. "It's one step closer to my family being together."
Bradshaw will stay in a San Antonio shelter with her baby. Her two other children, a 3-year-old girl and a 2-year-old boy, will be moved from a foster care facility in Austin to join her. The deal is also pending a decision by the Texas Supreme Court about what to do with hundreds of other children in state custody.
Today's hearing would have called numerous child witnesses, attorneys said, including a 13-year-old girl whom Texas Child Protective Services suggested last week was a child bride of FLDS leader Warren Jeffs. The girl is a sister of Dan Jessop.
"The only thing they're supposed to be addressing is the physical well-being of the baby," Matassarin said. "Not 13-year-olds, not 15-year-olds, none of that."
Matassarin was referring to photographs introduced into evidence last week that showed a 12-year-old girl kissing Jeffs in a manner that lawyers for CPS described as "how a husband kisses a wife."
Rod Parker, a Salt Lake City attorney acting as a spokesman for the FLDS Church, accused Texas child welfare authorities of engaging in a "publicity stunt" with courtroom evidence.
"They have nothing to do with this family," he said. "It's just an effort by CPS to get publicity for their larger intent to paint everybody with this same brush. These photos have no tie to this particular family in a way that's relevant to these proceedings."
In a copy of the agreement obtained by the Deseret News, a handwritten finding initialed by everyone involved in the case, revealed that the girl in the photos kissing Jeffs lived in the same house as Dan and Louisa Jessop.
Recent comments
to: "re:grandpa phil". I went to college at West Point which...
Grandpa Phil | May 30, 2008 at 7:10 a.m.
don't they teach ethics and morality where you went to school?
or...
re - grandpa phil 7:06am | May 29, 2008 at 3:44 p.m.
To: "the summarizer",, you hit the nail right on the head. This is...
Grandpa Phil | May 29, 2008 at 7:06 a.m.
- Alcohol suspected in Roy shooting 2:36 p.m.
- Chaplain seeks prayers for meaning 2:36 p.m.
- La. Gov. declares state of emergency 2:34 p.m.
- 'SuperFreakonomics' just as fun 1:42 p.m.
- Beck is the new Oprah for thrillers 1:34 p.m.
- Zemeckis on his 'Christmas Carol' 1:34 p.m.
- 'The American house next door' 1:10 p.m.
- Make a printed-palm tree 1:09 p.m.
- Snakeskin makes fashion statement 1:03 p.m.
- Chabon explores manhood in book 12:59 p.m.
- Gay advocates trek to LDS office
212 - Dirk does dirty work in Dallas
190 - House passes health care bill
176 - Lobo suspended
173 - Cougars crush hapless Cowboys
146 - Speed has never been BYU's game
136 - Utah Jazz fall apart against Kings
105 - RSL rallies to advance
103 - Thousands protest health bill
101 - Provo company innovating engines
98
Why do so many people live so close to refineries in Utah and elsewhere?
NASA's Stardust probe continues to bring new knowledge about the nature...
This man is lucky to be alive, given that a Taser was used on him TWICE....
Should have said, You apparently have not read this bill. It sounds as if...
Anonymous 10:59 a.m.: Are you making credit card payments? Car payments?...
Obstructionist. Are you crazy? This will bankrupt the country and cause...
He is not worth $85,000,000.00!
You guys had a great year, no one will take that away from you. Keep your...
Why are you sounding proud of ruining Oklahoma's season? Are you also proud...
You miss the point. When you lose you have to figure out why and how to fix...
good bye recession hello depression :( oh well I wander how hard it is to...
Park City was beating ALA by 65 points in the end of the 3. The JV for pc...

