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Texas fires back with photos in FLDS case

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more lies | 3:47 a.m. May 24, 2008
If the CPS can not tell the age of a person when they have them in custody. How can they tell it from a photograph. For that matter where is the photo. Sounds to like CPS is clutching at straws, and will use any underhanded dirty trick to get their way
Oh bother | 5:26 a.m. May 24, 2008
Jeffs is safely housed in Draper, so ALL the children are still not in imminent and immediate danger. As the FLDS expert and the psychiatrist stated in court, all the children should not be removed since all are not in danger. The only risk is those girls that are prepubescent. The court removed ALL the children regardless. While the picture causes a knee-jerk reaction, it changes nothing.
The question given the mother was:
Have you done anything to prevent an underage marriage? Her response, as would be expected: "I don't Know."
Now I ask you: Have you done anything to prevent the murder of your mother?
Only a savvy person could follow that question and answer appropriately while under the stress of having had a child/children removed.

Why also are they refusing to answer where the picture was found? If it was found using the search warrant, then it will eventually be tossed since the warrant was not valid per the Court of Appeals.

-Agnostic mom of 3
oh oh | 5:45 a.m. May 24, 2008
The state is refusing to say where they obtained the pictures. I will wager they found them using the warrant which the Court of Appeals determined invalid. The CPS case is tanking, especially when they force a woman that only gave birth a week ago to testify to gain her child back. I am sure the mother isn't at all emotionally charged and physically impacted by this...rolls eyes.
Comments continue below
marty | 7:17 a.m. May 24, 2008
What I can't figure out is why the State of Texas CPS has not raided some of the inner city neighborhoods of Houston and Dallas. Many young girls there are impregnated on a regular basis, and, seemingly encouraged to do so as this will increase the income on their welfare checks. There seems to be a cultural bias in some of these neighborhoods that promotes the impregnation of young women, WITHOUT marriage and all of the responsability that that entails. If social cultural mores are sufficient rationale for removing children from their families, why do we have any babies in any inner city having mothers less than 17 years of age?
? | 8:16 a.m. May 24, 2008
If CPS has decided that MS. Bradshaw is an adult, why is she still in their custody? If she is an adult as they now have decided, why isn't she free to go?
Anonymous | 8:20 a.m. May 24, 2008
Any time the government is rounding up hundreds of citizens for anything, we all should be alarmed.

The Child Protection Services failed to meet their legal burden in the trial court, and the case was reversed.

If they had further evidence, the time to introduce that was at trial, not when the appellate courts are slaming them.

This is obviously now about playing to the public.
tammy | 8:51 a.m. May 24, 2008
as far as i am concerned...cps is full of lies to get their way. i know i have dealt with them and they do nothing but destroy familes and send them to doctors, counselors, ect. these people dont help they just want the money they are paid. the children have more harm done to them than help. they loose respect for their family because families are not allowed to talk to them about the situation. only cps is allowed to talk to them and tell them what they want them to know, coerce them into saying what they want them to say so that they can get the texas court to do what they want. the judges and such dont ever talk to the children let alone see them, they only get to hear what cps has to say about the situation. i hope the supreme court stands up for families and take cps down a few notches because they are the ones that put the children in terrible situations.
Kissing like a married couple | 9:07 a.m. May 24, 2008
I've seen lots of pictures of Presidential candidates kissing babies and children on the lips exactly like that. Is CPS investigating them for child abuse? One candidate, George Bush, is from Texas!!! Go get him!
Just goodle image: Bush kissing Child; or Bush Kissing baby! there's Tons and tons! to of evidence!
Does CPS know the names of the people who are in the same house as Louisa Jessop's children, or the other FLDS children? Does the CPS know these residents of foster care personally? Is CPS worried about the dangers that foster life presents to these children? Apparently; only when children are with their own families is the CPS concerned even though there's a terrible history of abuse in Texas foster homes.
I am not FLDS | 9:14 a.m. May 24, 2008
That's no 12 yr. old. Look at her hands. Cps is going to pay big time with all the lawsuits. If this girl was truly 12, I could see being in an uproar...I wouldn't put it past CPS to doctor the picture up, they're desperate now that Appeals court struck their ruling DOWN, DOWN, DOWN....LOL ROF. POOR CHILDREN NEED TO BE REUNITED WITH THEIR MOTHERS.
gal50 | 9:22 a.m. May 24, 2008
One of the questions this article raises is why are parents not answering simple questions? These are questions the judge and everyone else in the courtroom know that normal adults can answer. Given that many people have been uncooperative, one must wonder whether the FLDS leadership is threatening these parents not to tell anyone anything. All of this evasiveness on television and in the courtroom is given the impression that there is rampant illegal behavior that must be hidden from view of the outside world. It is clear that they wouldn't want to answer questions about the marriage of a twelve year-old girl to an adult male or that they live in the home of a person who has been accused in writing of practicing very serious child abuse. So, what is the deal with Colorado? Was this man responsible for protecting Warren Jeffs while he was on the run? Is there a secret hideaway where other men avoiding Texas prosecution may be currently located?

The photo printed here is not nearly the worst of the photos. At least one other photo shows these two making out. It looked like child pornography.
? | 9:44 a.m. May 24, 2008
How can you live in the same area as your little sister and not know if she is married to someone you consider to be a "perfect" "prophet"? If families are so important then how do you miss your sisters wedding?
It seems the witnesses are using the "I don't know" answers to invoke the 5th ammendment....
Anonymous | 9:52 a.m. May 24, 2008
asked if she would allow her daughter to be married at age 13...Jessop answered NO...NOT RIGHT NOW !!
Just wondering..would her answer of been YES..if the raid on the compound had not taken place " NOT RIGHT NOW". hmmmmmmm
FLDS LIES | 9:59 a.m. May 24, 2008
Well, those women in the photograph are hopefully Warrens daughters. They definitely look 20 to 30 years younger than Warren Jeffs. They just need to identify the women in the photos.
God Bless America | 10:10 a.m. May 24, 2008
Why wont they let FLDS present evidence?
Thats all They have? | 10:36 a.m. May 24, 2008
Really folks, is this the best they can do, I have a few questions,
1. How old is the Photo? We don�t know
2. How old is the Women in it? From what we know of FLDS and CPS one could assume she is 27 year old minor. Don�t two adults have the right to do as they please, if they don�t, we are all in trouble.
3. How did they get it? (Is this evidence from the ranch being leaked? if so Texas has stooped to an all time low in criminal investigation practices.
The fact that there putting out this kind of attack, tell any intelligent mind that they are desperate. If this is evidence why not use it in Court to bring some justice instead of smearing it all over the web?
Evidence? | 10:40 a.m. May 24, 2008
We can't see the face of the girl in the photo to even guess at her age. We don't know where or when the picture was taken, whether it is genuine, or where and how CPS got the picture. We don't know whether the girl is married to the man. And I don't see that there is any proof that this picture has anything to do with this individual case! I don't think most judges would accept such a photo as evidence of anything. For all we know, this is a father kissing his daughter--we don't kiss our children on the lips in our family, but I know many families that do--and in public, too.
And no, I'm not FLDS, and I am afraid that Warren Jeffs has been a terrible leader to the FLDS, many of whom do revere him as their prophet. But believing that he is their prophet at this minute doesn't mean that he will remain their leader, or that his followers will continue to do so. After all, he has said himself that he isn't a prophet.
THis couple is willing to leave the ranch with their children--let them leave.
Abusive bureaucracy | 10:54 a.m. May 24, 2008
CPS is an abusive layer of bureaucracy that needs to be made to obey the consitituional protections guaranteed to all Americans--even unpopular ones.

And it's obvious that this judge has already made up her mind--she sounds more like a lawyer for CPS than she does a judge whose duty is to weigh evidence. This couple will never get their children back under her rule.
kissing booth judge | 11:16 a.m. May 24, 2008
I'm not sure how to judge a kissing photograph but I've seen countless pictures of politicians kissing children and infants, often on the lips. This includes presidential candidates. Any search engine with images will show countless examples of such 'evidence'.
If this is the CPS great smoking gun, then they're shooting duds.
AJ | 11:30 a.m. May 24, 2008
Looking at the pictures, it looks like 2 different females to me. The one being kissed looks pregnant, the other does not. Then again maybe the dress hides it in the one picture.

What these pictures have to do with anything is also a puzzle. If my Bishop kissed and copulated with an underage girl, and lived next door to me in the flat I live in, would that mean in America they would be allowed to take my children away from me? Here in the Netherlands I would expect it not to be allowed.
Anonymous | 11:37 a.m. May 24, 2008
She doesn't look 12 to me, but obviously is a minor. It still makes me sick...to see that evil man doing his thing. Yes, he should be in jail.

FLDS men, I have been somewhat on the fence. But if you support this man as a prophet of God...forget it. No more defending you.
Gross | 11:48 a.m. May 24, 2008
Okay...you must see the second picture to believe how young this baby girl is.

I am so glad they made this picture public because it puts everything in perspective to me. If this is really what is going on, hello. Put all of those men in jail where they belong. And put their pictures on the sex offender registry.
wrz | 11:54 a.m. May 24, 2008
To: gal50

These people don't have to say a word. They can plead the Fifth. And should.
Re: FLDS LIES | 12:02 p.m. May 24, 2008
Sorry, but nobody kisses their daughter like that. Nobody normal that is.
Think!!!!! | 12:10 p.m. May 24, 2008
Warren Jeffs is well over six feet tall. Anyone would look like a child by his side.
Dee | 12:32 p.m. May 24, 2008
This whole situation is so so sad-it sickens me. The state needs to surrender and return these children. This is all about preconceived notions and not facts... That week old baby is in no danger. This is nothing but a save face game now. I cannot imagine someone coming into my home like this. There are truly abusive parents/homes-off the ranch-out here under their noses. Being different doesnt equate to being abusive.
Yes Gross | 12:43 p.m. May 24, 2008
The pictures of Warren Jeffs kissing children does turn my stomach but I still think Texas is wrong in taking all the children. They are not in immediate danger of being married off. The CPS has plenty of time to supervise in the compound and be present rather than taking all the children and raising them mainstream. I bet a good percentage of the kids raised mainstream would still end up having babies at a young age, depending on the neighborhood of their foster family.
Re: Think!!!!! | 1:00 p.m. May 24, 2008
Do you think that everyone is stupid?
Pendulum swing | 1:09 p.m. May 24, 2008
When the tables are turned;
and the FLDS is suing the CPS;
I'd wager they'll be far more evidence of abuse under CPS care than the meager photo that the CPS claims is...? what evactly, idk.
There are ample professional witnesses to the abuse heaped on FLDS members under CPS care, there is ample proof of abuse in fosters homes.
This CPS's attack is their Pearl Harbor;
when the FLDS counter, it will be Hiroshima.
stay tuned, the fireworks will begin...
Info | 1:28 p.m. May 24, 2008
Women who do not smoke, drink alcohol nor wear make up will look much younger than their age. Even in my late 20s I looked 10 years younger - 14/15 years old.

As far as them demanding that the baby stay in state custody - they want it to adopt out as soon as they can.
Gross | 1:49 p.m. May 24, 2008
Re: Yes Gross

You are probably FLDS. Because your argument shows through;

"I bet a good percentage of the kids raised mainstream would still end up having babies at a young age, depending on the neighborhood of their foster family."

They might be having babies elsewhere, but that doesn't take away from the fact that the FLDS LEADER of an ORGANIZED religion is not only molesting children, but encouraging others to molest children. And the people that he is encouraging to molest children don't view it as molesting children.

So anyways, this is where I draw the line. I agree that there are other teen pregnancies. But where this is an organization with money,and the means to keep going, it has to stop somewhere doesn't it?







Think!!!! to Re: Think!!!! | 1:52 p.m. May 24, 2008
I guess your "eyeball" is as good as CPS. Look at his hair. Obviously this picture is several years old because he is grey now. Compare to the court pictures. I see a lot of prejudice building on evidence that could have been twisted by CPS in an effort to save their hides. Remember they seized a LOT of stuff illegally. Maybe they should come to your house and see what all you have. There sure is a lot of "flow with the tide" instead of noticing how CPS has lied and lied and lied.
Idiots | 1:57 p.m. May 24, 2008
I have never smoked, drank liquor or drugs! I stared wearing makeup at eighteen, I have been married 36 years to the same man. I have four daughters and that girl the picture with Jeffs, looks younger than I did at 12 years old, or any of my daughters. She is a minor with or without make up. You sick people need quit protecting these over sexed deviate men. get a life!
Girl looks like a minor | 2:06 p.m. May 24, 2008
You don't kiss your daughters like that or any young girl for that matter like that.

Stop defending the FLDS. Warren Jeffs has ruined the church, and it HAS TO STOP. They are still following him (just look at the visitors he gets in jail).
Re: 1:52 | 2:06 p.m. May 24, 2008
I can tell you right now that they wouldn't find pictures of my daughters making out with Warren Jeffs.
PhotoShop | 3:05 p.m. May 24, 2008
Look at the shadow cast to the right in one of the "pictures". A flash-bulb camera does not do that.

Look at the blurred background and straight lines in the hair. The computer program is called "photoshop".

You are all correct, that one would not find photographs like these ... they are computer generated.
Steve | 3:29 p.m. May 24, 2008
The most disturbing part of this is not even the pictures.

It is Mr. Dan Jessop. This man knows that his 12 year old sister was raped by Warren Jeffs. What is his reaction? To cover up by claiming to not know that they are "married".

This man clearly thinks that his loyalty to Warren Jeffs trumps the trauma to his sister.

That is the fundamental problem with the FLDS. They are so deep in to the trance that they will do anything --- anything -- to protect their leaders and lifestyle.

That is why Texas was justified in doing what it did. Hopefully, the Texas Supreme Court will step in and save this kids from the deviancy perpetuated by their parents and the other adults.
Re: Photoshop | 3:44 p.m. May 24, 2008
If I were you, I would just stop talking. You are just opening the eyes of the public to your ways, and it's not helping you.
John Lambert | 3:46 p.m. May 24, 2008
I would guess the woman is 20. I could by way off, but I do not think this is convincing evidence.
Anyway, Jeffs did not live at YFZ ranch and he has resigned as head of the FLDS Church so how is anything he did relevant?
DC | 3:49 p.m. May 24, 2008
To Steve

If the Texas CPS had proceeded in a deliberate, rational manner to present this evidence in court from the beginning, I wouldn't have questioned it. Their behavior up to now, however, has undermined the confidence I would otherwise have had in their veracity. I still think it likely that these photos are relevant evidence that Warren Jeffs is a child molester, although the bigotry and dishonesty that CPS has demonstrated raise at least some question about the truthfulness of the pictures. Still, I believe they probably are real pictures. That said, they are no evidence at all about Ms. Bradshaw and Mr. Jessop, who said they thought the activity was "disgusting", among other things, and that they were unaware of it. That's the point those of on this blog who are against CPS are making: not that no one in the FLDS religion is guilty of child abuse, but that certainly not everyone is, and the government must charge individuals and prove those charges, just like they must for every other crime in America.
John Lambert | 3:50 p.m. May 24, 2008
Dan Jessop is right, how do we know the picture was not photoshopped?
Anyway, since the CPS thought a 27-year-old was no older than 17, than maybe this lady is 22.
Anyway, how can they introduce evidence without saying how they got it? Was CPS following Jeffs and not telling the FBI where he was? This is all very suspicious.
John Lambert | 4:03 p.m. May 24, 2008
To 8:16 Commentor,
I have to agree that the way the CPS treated the interaction of Dan and Louisa was disturbing. Since there is no evidence that Jessop has another wife I find the whole episode questionable. Their marriage is not legal in Texas but they may qualify as being married under common law.
My best explanation is that CPS has told Louisa if she does not keep in their custody they will not give her back her other children.
John Lambert | 4:10 p.m. May 24, 2008
Two comments. People have the right to not give self incriminating information. I can believe that Louisa has never learned the names of most people in her house. If you do not know the names you can not reveal them when tortured by police.
Secondly, remember that Merrill Jessop is a bigtime polygamist. Just because the girl in the picture is Dan's sister does not mean he knows her very well. Also, with the recent crack-down on polygamists in Utah and Arizona and Warren Jeffs having been on the run from the FBI for so long, quite probably no one knows who all is married to Warren Jeffs.
PhotoShop | 4:14 p.m. May 24, 2008
On the chance that you do not think clearly, let me explain that the United States Constitution protects citizens from the unlimited resources of arbitrary government. This includes computer-generated fabrications of evidence.

"It's not helping" the government and the Courts should not tolerate such a fabrication.
Re: John Lambert | 4:21 p.m. May 24, 2008
I have to humbly disagree with you. If you knew anything about this religion, you would know that everybody knows everybody.
To RE: John Lambert | 4:35 p.m. May 24, 2008
With 10,000 or more members, nope everybody does not know everybody.
Re: Photoshop 4:14 | 4:38 p.m. May 24, 2008
If you think that you are going to in any way persuade the public that these are "fabricated" images, you are only fooling yourself. It just makes you look very ignorant and will go to any extreme to defend your leader. That is exactly why I am off the fence today, and will not be defending you any longer in these comments.

You need to take responsibility and then people will listen to you.

byl046 | 4:37 p.m. May 24, 2008
To those who question the evasiveness of the FLDS members, please remember that the burden of proof is entirely on the state, the witnesses have the right to say nothing if they so choose. I find the FLDS practices abhorrent and their lifestyle genuinely weird. But you have the right to be weird in America. You do not have the right to break the law. Clearly the law was broken on an individual basis, with some underage girls being sexually molested. So why are no men from the sect arrested? Round them all up, do some DNA testing, release the innocent and prosecute the guilty. I smell religious bigotry in all of this. The media should investigate the religious affiliations and motivations of the sheriff, the judge and the local CPS people who instigated the raid. That would be an interesting story....
concerned! | 4:42 p.m. May 24, 2008
Never ever have I seen a polotician kissing a baby on the lips,especially Presidential candidates,and I don't think any of the writers of this blog has ever seen it happen either,so youmight call that a stretch. I am a great grandfather many time over and there are probably thirty females in the family,and never have i kissed any one of them in that manner. I just do not approve of it. achild is so innocent when a babe in arms that it would a sacrilage to do that. thats my opinion of course.
Why I never... | 4:49 p.m. May 24, 2008
If ever saw any so called Prophet like Warren Jeffs, kissing my daughters, on the lips, the guy would be pushing daisies.
the kiss | 4:56 p.m. May 24, 2008
to- John Lambert.
I know more than 2,000 members in the LDS church, So 4:35 is correct. It would be interesting to know who the the young FLDS girl is that Jeffs is smooching on. It looks like one heck of a tongue lashing kiss. Blaaa!

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Photos of FLDS Church leader Warren Jeffs and a young female were entered into evidence in a custody battle over a 1-week-old baby. Lawyers would not say where they obtained the photos, which are dated July 2006.

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