FLDS haven't lost faith in Warren Jeffs even though they likely will never see him again

Published: Wednesday, Aug. 10 2011 7:28 p.m. MDT

Willie Jessop, Jeffs' former spokesman, said the FLDS community remains in denial but Jeffs' conviction could be the "beginning of a crisis."

He considers himself an active FLDS member, but refused to speak anymore on Jeffs' behalf after he became aware of the Texas child sex charges. Jeffs then attempted to remove him from his home in the FLDS community of Hildale, Utah, and reassign his wives and children, but Jessop refused to leave.

He said Tuesday's life sentence for Jeffs may start a process of "deep soul searching" for some church members.

"I think they may get frustrated and then there's a long grieving process that you have to go through before you can come to the reconstructive state," Willie Jessop said. "That's a long ways down from where we are today."

Contributing: Associated Press

E-mail: hollenhorst@desnews.com

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