Reader comments
'I stand on Fifth,' FLDS mom tells court in custody battle

What a bunch of junk. CPS needs to either focus on real child abuse or be disbanded. This is a waste of taxpayer money!

Well, if she's crying, "I plead the fifth" they must be hiding alot of things that are going on within that religious sect. Cause if they had nothing to hide she wouldn't be afraid to answer.

This is absolutely asinine. In no other home in America are children removed because a sibling gets pregnant or married. This remains a witch hunt with those closes to leadership being persecuted more vehemently (i.e., Teresa Jeffs and Barbara Jessop).

I'm looking forward to reading Betty's testimony and learning what she has to say about the truthfulness of Carolyn's memories and her own treatment in the homes of the FLDS.

"I stand on the Fifth"!!! Calling on her legal rights but disregarding those against her beliefs. Must be working for her.

If anyone should be on trial is the Child Protective Services for wrongful actions to start with from the beginning. Now the CPS with the blessing of the courts are trying to coverup their initial illegal actions. Prosecution has the power and money to be creative in their powers to manufacture and present evidence to suit their needs. They don't need physical and tangible evidence, any 'what if' scenario can be presented as facts. Truth does not fit in to the justice system and judges courts. The laws of possibilities and probalities prevail, just like in the scientific world. Justice is now a science that has nothing to do with right, wrong, or the truth. The legal system is now a science of statistics and accumulated data of posibilities, probablities, and assumptions. The CPS fits right in with these lawyers and courts with misinformantion and manufacturing of falsehoods. Child protective sercives have become a cold, uncaring, group more interested in prosecting their own form of child care than caring about family and child welfare.

It's the 'ollie north' defense. Still, in no other home in America, with the exception of their brethern in Utah, Arizona and wherever else they are squirreled away do siblings get pregnant, with approval, by their uncle.
The FLDS needs to be harangued out of existence.

I thought that pleading the 5th meant you didn't want to incriminate yourself? I must have gotten that wrong for the number of people commenting here that the FLDS have done nothing wrong and eveyone else is wrong. I guess it all boils down to why is she pleading the 5th Amendment when her church has taught her everything outside the ranch is evil and wicked?

Where is Merrill? Seems he would appear in court and defend his wife and children.

Looks like the FLDS are lighting up the comment board on this. Their defamatory comments about CPS are nothing but a futile attempt to shift the focus away from the real issue. OLD MEN RAPING YOUNG GIRLS!

This poor excuse for a mom failed to protect her daughter from a sexual predator.

Pleading the 5th, "...nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself..." The only problem with this defense is we now know without a doubt that she is guilty. We have evidence. Pregnant Children is against the law, you need to stop defending such behavior. This is not the errant teenager that messes around and gets pregnant, this is an organized policy of illegal marriage, rape and destruction of the lives of young women. Why can't so many of you see that clearly for yourselves.

The raid was overblown and poorly executed. But this woman won't even answer how many children she's given birth to. She also allowed her less-than-adolescent daughter to be married to a man in his 50s. Sorry - that's just sketchy. I will gladly listen to arguments about religious freedom as it relates to the FLDS as a whole, but not with regard to Barbara and Merril Jessop. They crossed the line into depravity.

The problem with using the 5th (Pleading the 5th) is that once you answer any question, the Judge can rule that you've given up the right and must answer ALL questions.

She is caught in a difficult situation, if she "gives the appearance of being married" then she gives weight to bigamy charges. If she is deemed by the court to be a "common law wife" with a man that is already legally married, then there are other crimes that can be attached.

If instead, she is just "shacking up" with somebody then she is not guilty of those other crimes.

henry:: there is noway they can get rid of the flds church. it is an organized and recognized religion therefore it was a right to exist.

we must remember here that non of the men except jeffs has been convicted of anything and they are innocent until proven guilty

Did I read this article right.
Did a 12 year old girl actually get married to Warren Jeffs? Is there actually a picture of them kissing? I don't even want to imagine what went on behind closed doors. And the majority of commenters to this article see nothing wrong with that?

What a sick world!

I'm not FLDS or even LDS. In fact, I come from a Protestant background, but I have to say this fiasco has all the earmarks of the Salem witch hunts in the 1600�s. This ongoing stalking of a community and disruption of family life, in my view, is far more detrimental to the children than a mother who may spank a child to correct them. The government really needs to honor the Constitution - leave the collection of this community alone and concentrate on real, specific complaints of abuse that may be going on in some of these families (they certainly are going on outside this community too!) but only AFTER they have substantiated the source of the complaint. I thought that is how it was suppose to work in this country anyway. I really do think there is a lot of bullying going on by �officials� with the appearance of protecting the children than we would like to admit.

Jrz: what you don't get is that she has every right not to answer any question they ask.

This is not by their choice that these children are forced into marriage to older men. Disgusting! Even one time of this happening is one time too many. How gross to have a beautiful 12 year old girl kissing that old man and then marrying a 50 year old. These are pedophiles hiding under a religion. Parents should protect their children. I think this needs to play all the way out to see what is really happening. I am more than happy to tell how many children I have and what is going on in our lives.

well, I admit I'm confused. Some of you are saying the parents shouldn't lose their children, but how are they supposed to take care of the children if the parents are in prison?

I mean, you all must agree that this mother and father belong in prison, don't you? Is there anyone here that thinks they SHOULDN'T go to prison for prostituting their 12 yr old daughter out to a 50 yr old man?

So those of you saying they shouldn't lose their children - how are they supposed to take care of their children if they are in prison?

I'm confused. Pls explain.

More of the ole takes the fifth must be guilty argument.
The woman exercises her rights with the advice of her lawyer therefore she is guilty........
Keep up the accusations of the bookpeddlers who were never at the ranch, making accusations that can not be verified.
What a case....non case......a non existant person accuses people of abusing the non existant person and her non existant child. A person who has never been in Texas testifies to nonexistant events that occurred twenty years ago.
Then there is the threat to children by a non-existant Merrill and his jailed buddy.
Allow discovery and let these people defend themselves.........but then you open the freedom of religion defense.
Just an added question..........who are Barberas children with while she is on the stand......someone needs to make sure Merril isn't babysitting.

southern utah resident::: cps is everything that the flds has said they are