Reader comments
Jeffs, FLDS members indicted in Texas

A couple of notes for those unfamiliar with Texas law:

First, although the crime alleged was committed 3+ years ago (3 years is the normal statute of limitations for felonies in Texas), sexual misconduct with a child does not have a statute of limitations in Texas.

Second, Texas law does permit parents to consent to their child's marriage or informal (common law) marriage when they are underage. In the FLDS community, Jeffs readily gets this consent. However, Texas law absolutely prohibits marriage or informal marriage to multiple spouses (bigamy) or to direct or ascendants or descendants or to uncles and aunts, cousins, siblings, stepchildren or former children, or nieces nephews. That's why Jeffs couldn't do what he is alleged to have done.

Finally, some may find it weird that the FLDS women went in to the grand jury without their lawyers, and came in and out of the courthouse multiple times. Texas law does not allow lawyers in the courtroom during grand jury proceedings (except the prosecutor). After all, grand jury proceedings are merely to find probable cause, not convict. However, witnesses are allowed to consult with their attorneys during questioning if they request it.

Another whimpering failure of a day for the Texas KeyStone Cops.

This is ALL they've got? 6 men with almost all having only 1 count each?

Before trial, at trial and/or appeal, the 9 total counts will likely be whittled down to -0- convictions.

And the FLDS, just like Short Creek 1953 Part Two, will leave its wake MORE destroyed political and judicial careers. While they just keep on keeping on and growing larger than ever, as they have for 100+ years.

Of Course, Angie Voss will never be indicted. And Texas Law you lost me with your second paragraph.

It's a shame that men like this can exploit those underage (women primarily) and even teach this kind of thing to young men (and older men for those involved). What are these people teaching our children?? No child should be forced into marriage or even having sex at such a young age. Every man involved should be prosecuted to the fullest. The mothers should be tried as accomplices as they know what is going on and do nothing about it.

If this were about justice, they would indict Angie Voss. Because of what she and her cohorts have done, those poor children will be traumatized for the rest of their lives. The survivors of the 1953 Short Creek Raid are stll feeling its effects.

I loath the political expedience with which career-building politicians are prosecuting these cases. Authorities have badges, guns, funds, law, the ability to make laws, courts, and judges. Everything is in their favor and to their advantages. Yet, in spite of all that, it has taken Texas more than 50 years and a recent "Act of Congress" to muster cloaking their hatred for "these people" in the law (in the interest of protecting these particular womwen and children, of course), in order to prosecute them; hoping that this will finally exterminate them.

After witnessng the flagrant voraciious lawlessness exhibited by Texas in the recent YFZ-FLDs raid and seizures, my faith in Texas state officials has been sorely shaken. Regardless, now the bottom-line is if individuals named, or any of them, have done as alleged, they need to be brougt to justice in the interst of the state.

The problem, however, is that even if the prosecution and conviction of these individuals is possible, it cannot and will not justify the state's havimg knowledge of the polygamous practices and permitting the same (including sex with "children), to openly persist unimpeded as if "unofficially sanctioned" for years.

After many years of flaunting the law and exploiting and abusing women and children, their chickens are finally coming home to roost.

Warren Jeffs and the other perpetrators are now being called to account before an earthly tribunal. I hope the State of Texas continues to follow through in bringing these individuals to justice. Of course, they will also be called to account, someday, before the judgment bar of Christ.

One can only continue to flaunt the law and live an immoral life for so long until it catches up. I hope the FLDS people will be able to face the truth now. That is that they have been following a false prophet and a criminal. Warren Jeffs has publicly admitted as much.

I applaud Flora Jessop, Elissa Wall, Carolyn Jessop and others who have had the courage to tell the truth and try to help those who are fleeing this oppressive society.

I sincerely hope these people can now be free and have a chance at a real life.

Go get em Texas and round em up!! I saw the photos on the news of this wacked out self proclaimed leader with those under age girls and it made me sick. Jeffs for one should never be allowed to be with children at all. And it looks like some of his male followers have ran away again with their tails between their legs to hide from the law. They know they are guilty and that's why once again - like Jeffs had done - are in hiding. Jeffs has already serving time in Utah and now on trial in Arizona and now Texas has him too. I have no pity for him or for any of the ones who have followed him. It's time to pay the piper.

I will be interested to see what evidence from the seizures will end up be admitted and what might be excluded as being obtained in violation of the constitution.

Here's hoping the full weight of the law will fall on anyone that abuses or offends "one of these little ones." Where's a mill stone when you need it?

And here's hoping we in Utah learn from Texas authorities. This FLDS "church" is not some cute little anachronism that helps us reconnect with our roots. Rather, it's an abomination perpetrated on the ignorant by leaders engaged in open rebellion against God and decency.

These leaders, left to their own devices by their rebellion, have lifted up their own new god, one who sanctions a �prophet,� prepared for his office by depriving his own sister of �that which was most dear and precious above all things.�

Today this �prophet� speaks for his new god by bullying, lying to, cheating, and stealing from the poor mopes who follow him. He issues, in the name of his new god, �commandments� of the most despicable sort, requiring acts completely foreign, both to our roots, and to the norms of decent society.

Let "consenting adults" engage in whatever perversion they see fit, but the full weight of the law should fall hard on any of them that abuse children -- here or in Texas.

Those poor girls...and all the dead babies. The immature body of a young girl has a very difficult time giving birth. These men are selfish!

It shows just how brainwashed Jeffs' followers and apologists are that they continue to support the sexual abuse of young girls by Jeffs and his buddies. No matter how many times Jeffs is charged and convicted of real crimes, his brainwashed followers will continue to believe that he is just a victim of persecution.

Hopefully a few of them will wake up and realize the truth that Jeffs is just a con-artist and child-abusing pedophile.

Dear JustTheFactsMaam,

You wish!

It isn�t all they have; it�s all they�ve brought forward for now.

Unlike you, I�ll wager, I was in San Angelo yesterday at the Child Protective Services offices. The FLDS is toast.

One again, the FLDS are blogging and trying to convince the rest of us that some terrible outrage has been committed against them.

I must admit I find it rather humorous that "Just the Facts Maam" is actually putting forth the idea that the FLDS are prospering and growing--like the rest of us can't see that they are nothing but a weird little cult of inbred people who are getting more isolated and weirder all the time. Do these people really think that the Lord would allow his work to turn into such a pathetic and insular little organization that is going nowhere fast?

I don't doubt that there will be those who will contintue to live in denial and practice the FLDS faith. I hope that there will be many who will now have a chance to get free of this bondage and have a real life. After so many years of brainwashing, it's going to be very difficult.

These criminals need to prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

Finally, the indictments. I suppose the evidence includes DNA and other documentation found on the ranch during the raid. Texas is doing what Arizona and Utah should have done but refused to because of the FLDS sympathizers running their state governments.

and about time too.

These polygamist men are selfish, indulging and very evil men. It's a shame they use women and god for their piggish filthy habits.

For these polygamist child abusers to ruin so many lives and then tell the world that "God" wanted them to live that way makes me sick.

I hope the child raping, beating, Kingston clan is next in line along with the other sick Polygs.

The FLDS men are not shameful they are serial sexual preditors. That's felonius, not shameful.

And the women are victims but also accessories to the crimes and should be treated as such.

When God's law comes in conflict with man's law, God's law must come first.
The consequences of living higher laws must be paid. Everyone understands that.

Society's intended result = everyone stops practicing plural marriage.

The REAL result = Stronger devotion to the principle, increased membership from disgruntled mainstream mormons, and more secretive practices in the future.