Reader comments
FLDS teen's lawyer stays, judge says
23 comments | Read story
getreal | 6:11 a.m. Sept. 5, 2008
Just the way it should have been all along. The FLDS is not all powerful, and
are finally beginning to realize that.
Anonymous | 7:00 a.m. Sept. 5, 2008
Excellent. The girl will not be represented by the lawyers of her abusers.
Thank you, Ms Walther.
R | 8:30 a.m. Sept. 5, 2008
So Walthers thinks the best choice for attorney is someone who publically
speculates about her sexual activities and threatened to have Teresa put back in
foster care if she didn't stop criticizing her. Real smart. But
predictable.
Get real - there are lots of other attorneys she could have appointed, like the ones who were assigned to the rest of the children. Why is it so important she be stuck with this drama queen?
Get real - there are lots of other attorneys she could have appointed, like the ones who were assigned to the rest of the children. Why is it so important she be stuck with this drama queen?
Comments continue below
SLIPPERY-SLOPE | 8:41 a.m. Sept. 5, 2008
Anti-polygamists use the dangerous word ABSOLUTELY.
Absolutely is a DANGEROUS WORD used by anti-polygamists in every opportunity.
Absolutely is a DANGEROUS WORD used by anti-polygamists in every opportunity.
YA, RIGHT!!!!!!!!! | 9:18 a.m. Sept. 5, 2008
48 percent...thats coming from Angie Voss! thats only if you include 38 year old
disputed teenagers
x | 9:22 a.m. Sept. 5, 2008
I can see why the girl would want another lawyer,if she wants to continue a FLDS
life. This article states that her lawyer said if she visited home, had contact
with her dad and did other things, she could be in great danger. But, sooner or
later folks, she will be 18 ,then what will happen? I can see protecting her
know, but when she is 18, she can return and no one can do nothing. By the time
the girl got a new lawyer, waited to file paper work, she will be a legal adult.
I know that this isn't the point, but you can't stop an adult from
doing what they want after they are 18.
Gal50 | 9:56 a.m. Sept. 5, 2008
The FLDS appears to be targeting Malonis because Malonis blew apart the FLDS
members' efforts to portray themselves as victims instead of perpetrators.
Warren Jeffs and other FLDS leaders don't want this attorney for Teresa Jeffs and one could imagine that they want to get rid of this thorn and pull Teresa back into the fold. Perhaps they want Teresa to remain brainwashed and not influenced by the outside world.
This is a crucial year for Teresa. Hopefully she is in therapy so she can get a clear picture of what has happened to her.
Next year she will be free to return to her FLDS assigned husband or she can leave. From where we are sitting, it is impossible to tell whether Teresa's statement that she is not a sexual abuse victim reflected her own feelings or the wishes of the FLDS.
As others have pointed out, the judge could have simply assigned a new lawyer to Teresa. I think the judge elected to keep Malonis because she stands up to the FLDS and that is what is needed in this case.
Warren Jeffs and other FLDS leaders don't want this attorney for Teresa Jeffs and one could imagine that they want to get rid of this thorn and pull Teresa back into the fold. Perhaps they want Teresa to remain brainwashed and not influenced by the outside world.
This is a crucial year for Teresa. Hopefully she is in therapy so she can get a clear picture of what has happened to her.
Next year she will be free to return to her FLDS assigned husband or she can leave. From where we are sitting, it is impossible to tell whether Teresa's statement that she is not a sexual abuse victim reflected her own feelings or the wishes of the FLDS.
As others have pointed out, the judge could have simply assigned a new lawyer to Teresa. I think the judge elected to keep Malonis because she stands up to the FLDS and that is what is needed in this case.
realitycheck | 11:00 a.m. Sept. 5, 2008
There's no point in putting in a new attorney. The girl's almost 18
and trying to get a new lawyer up to speed is a waste of money.
In fact, this is really all just a waste of money anyway. It's unclear to me why we would care whether these children live like this. By the time they are married (at 12 yrs old) they are already so brainwashed that there is no realistic way of getting them to understand just how badly their rights are being trampled by FLDS. Even if you remove them, they will just go back as soon as they can. They're simply not bright enough to grasp their plight.
Given that lack of intellect, and the fact that their major contribution to society would be making more of the same, there's really no point in interfering with their lifestyle. The smart ones will get out when they are of age, and should we even care about the others? Has no one seen Deliverance and the effects of inbreeding?
I say leave them be. Texas should save their money for people that are smart enough to want freedom. If they'd rather be slaves, let them.
In fact, this is really all just a waste of money anyway. It's unclear to me why we would care whether these children live like this. By the time they are married (at 12 yrs old) they are already so brainwashed that there is no realistic way of getting them to understand just how badly their rights are being trampled by FLDS. Even if you remove them, they will just go back as soon as they can. They're simply not bright enough to grasp their plight.
Given that lack of intellect, and the fact that their major contribution to society would be making more of the same, there's really no point in interfering with their lifestyle. The smart ones will get out when they are of age, and should we even care about the others? Has no one seen Deliverance and the effects of inbreeding?
I say leave them be. Texas should save their money for people that are smart enough to want freedom. If they'd rather be slaves, let them.
Gilly | 11:05 a.m. Sept. 5, 2008
Horrible decision by the judge, demonstrating the continued bad decision making
by Texan authorities.
DANGEROUS WORDS | 11:41 a.m. Sept. 5, 2008
QUOTE... Malonis said she believes her relationship with her client can be
salvaged.
"Absolutely," she said. "I still have a working relationship with her."
LSAT EXAM LIST OF DANGEROUS WORDS: "ABSOLUTELY"
NOTICE: BE AWARE THAT ANTI-POLYGAMISTS USE OFTEN DANGEROUS WORDS SUCH AS "ABSOLUTELY AND NO QUESTIONS ABOUT."
"Absolutely," she said. "I still have a working relationship with her."
LSAT EXAM LIST OF DANGEROUS WORDS: "ABSOLUTELY"
NOTICE: BE AWARE THAT ANTI-POLYGAMISTS USE OFTEN DANGEROUS WORDS SUCH AS "ABSOLUTELY AND NO QUESTIONS ABOUT."
re DANGEROUS WORDS | 12:03 p.m. Sept. 5, 2008
What Malonis meant was that she could hang in there until the girl is 18, and
there's no point in wasting more money by trying to get another lawyer up
to speed. You really think a different lawyer is going to make a difference at
this point?
And don't forget that the FLDS use words that are much more dangerous than "absolutely". Like "it's God's will" and "keep sweet" and "repent from afar", and Warren Jeffs' personal favorite - "would you like some candy, little girl?"
Too funny that you would even think this is about polygamy. It's not. It's about sexual abuse, repression, slavery, and coercion. But hey - if you're ok with it, so am I. I'd rather save the money for people that want freedom over isolation and repression.
Lack of knowledge allows these people to enjoy their plight. Let's keep it that way.
And don't forget that the FLDS use words that are much more dangerous than "absolutely". Like "it's God's will" and "keep sweet" and "repent from afar", and Warren Jeffs' personal favorite - "would you like some candy, little girl?"
Too funny that you would even think this is about polygamy. It's not. It's about sexual abuse, repression, slavery, and coercion. But hey - if you're ok with it, so am I. I'd rather save the money for people that want freedom over isolation and repression.
Lack of knowledge allows these people to enjoy their plight. Let's keep it that way.
Joey | 12:57 p.m. Sept. 5, 2008
Ask Teresa if she wants to "hang" with Malonis for the next year of
her life. Read her letters and emails on the internet, telling how Malonis would
shout at her and keep her up alone in her room 'til 1AM interogating her
about personal matters. She even asked her out to breakfast that same night,
almost like Malonis is coming on to her or something. It's really quite
sickening, but you begin to undertand Malonis' psychotic behavior when you
read the affitdavits of her husbands, babysitters, and ex-husbands wives, in the
court cases wherein Malonis lost custody of her own sons. These kind of
character flaws may not matter to Walther, but they sure matter to the little
girl who has to put with Malonis' abuse on a daily basis.
re Joey 12:57pm | 4:16 p.m. Sept. 5, 2008
the "little girl" is 17. Thought you said she was old enough to make
her own decisions?
besides, she'll live. let them argue until she's 18 and then it won't matter.
besides, she'll live. let them argue until she's 18 and then it won't matter.
PALIN FAILED EQUAL JUSTICE | 8:45 p.m. Sept. 5, 2008
QUOTE: ....Stunning Palin disclosures steal thunder
TERESA JEFFS IS SIMILAR TO CERTAIN EXTENT TO PALIN'S 17 YEARS OLD DAUGHTER
SHOULD MALONI-LIKES CPS GO AFTER GOVERNOR PALIN (U.S. VICE PRESIDENT CANDIDATE) BECAUSE PALIN FAILED TO PROTECT HER DAUGHTER WHO IS NOW PREGNANT AT AGE 17...?
TERESA JEFFS IS SIMILAR TO CERTAIN EXTENT TO PALIN'S 17 YEARS OLD DAUGHTER
SHOULD MALONI-LIKES CPS GO AFTER GOVERNOR PALIN (U.S. VICE PRESIDENT CANDIDATE) BECAUSE PALIN FAILED TO PROTECT HER DAUGHTER WHO IS NOW PREGNANT AT AGE 17...?
R | 2:36 p.m. Sept. 6, 2008
The only similarity is that they're both teenage girls. They have nothing
else in common. Alaska's age of consent is 16, and so there's no
reason CPS there would pay attention to a girl pregnant at 17.
INJUST EQUAL PROTECTIONS | 8:24 a.m. Sept. 7, 2008
R | 2:36 p.m. Sept. 6, 2008
EITHER (A) ALASKA CHIDREN DESERVED THE SAME EQUAL PROTECTIONS OR
TERESA JEFFS DESERVES THE SAME EQUAL PROTECTIONS AFFORDED IN ALASKA.
EITHER (A) ALASKA CHIDREN DESERVED THE SAME EQUAL PROTECTIONS OR
TERESA JEFFS DESERVES THE SAME EQUAL PROTECTIONS AFFORDED IN ALASKA.
FAILED EQUAL JUSTICE | 8:42 a.m. Sept. 7, 2008
response to R | 2:36 p.m. Sept. 6, 2008
FAILED EQUAL JUSTICE
FAILED EQUAL JUSTICE
FAILED EQUAL PROTECTIONS | 9:38 a.m. Sept. 7, 2008
IN REFEF: R | 2:36 p.m. Sept. 6, 2008
FAILED EQUAL PROTECTIONS
FAILED EQUAL PROTECTIONS
R | 6:55 a.m. Sept. 9, 2008
Ridiculous. You do realize that laws differ from state to state, don't you?
Teresa Jeffs doesn't "deserve" for the laws of Alaska to be taken
into account in her case. Bristol Palin doesn't "deserve" for the
laws of Texas to be applied to her circumstances.
John Pack Lambert | 8:40 p.m. Sept. 10, 2008
I know I am going to get attacked by the FLDS-haters for saying this, but it
seems to me Isenberg is being punished and attacked for reminding the women of
their fifthed admendment rights and thrwarting the efforts of the CPS to
circumvent the constitution and get people to testify against themselves.
The whole raid and then attempts to interview women without an attorney at Fort Concho were clear violations of the Fifthed Admendment, as well as the Fourth Admendment.
I hope someone stops to wonder if they want more high handed government raids before they vote for J. "Concentration Camp" Chaffetz. Vote for Bennion Spencer and save us from having a nationwide system of high handed raids where thousands of American born children will be living in worse conditions than Fort Concho.
The whole raid and then attempts to interview women without an attorney at Fort Concho were clear violations of the Fifthed Admendment, as well as the Fourth Admendment.
I hope someone stops to wonder if they want more high handed government raids before they vote for J. "Concentration Camp" Chaffetz. Vote for Bennion Spencer and save us from having a nationwide system of high handed raids where thousands of American born children will be living in worse conditions than Fort Concho.
John Pack Lambert | 8:46 p.m. Sept. 10, 2008
Why is Barbara "send the posse in without checking with doctors"
Walther aka Barbara "take 400 plus children on six accusations that have no
bearing on those under the age of 12" Walther still on this case?
I do have to say that Ms. Jeffs has the misfortune of living in Texas. If she were in other states, such as Michigan or Rhode Island sexual relations between her and any older man would be legal, although maybe not if she had the audacity to claim he was her husband, and by its very nature this being above the age of consent would make her dislike of her attorney more likely to stick.
I do have to say that Ms. Jeffs has the misfortune of living in Texas. If she were in other states, such as Michigan or Rhode Island sexual relations between her and any older man would be legal, although maybe not if she had the audacity to claim he was her husband, and by its very nature this being above the age of consent would make her dislike of her attorney more likely to stick.
John Pack Lambert | 8:51 p.m. Sept. 10, 2008
Realitycheck again shows his true colors. Giving Ms. Jeffs a lawyer who will
represent her instead of threatening her will "cost too much
money".
If realitycheck really wanted to help the FLDS people he would be willing to spend the money. However as he has shown with his past insensitive comment about being raped in foster care not being too bad a thing, he is a proponant of "Kill the FLDS, save the woman (not man because he wants all of them given life sentances)".
If realitycheck really wanted to help the FLDS people he would be willing to spend the money. However as he has shown with his past insensitive comment about being raped in foster care not being too bad a thing, he is a proponant of "Kill the FLDS, save the woman (not man because he wants all of them given life sentances)".
John Pack Lambert | 9:25 p.m. Sept. 10, 2008
To R,
You do have a good point. However, it does seem odd that age of consent varies between states. There is something flawed about such a system.
You do have a good point. However, it does seem odd that age of consent varies between states. There is something flawed about such a system.
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