Warren Jeffs, four other polygamists, charged with sexually assaulting girls under age 17

[Elphaba]

Texas grand jury indicts polygamist sect leader, 4 members, on child sex charges

ELDORADO, Texas - A Texas grand jury indicted polygamist sect leader Warren Jeffs and four of his followers Tuesday on charges of felony sexual assault of a child. Another was indicted for failing to report child abuse.

Attorney General Greg Abbott said the five men are charged with one count of sexually assaulting girls under age 17. One of them, but not the 52-year-old Jeffs, faces an additional charge of bigamy.

. . . .

Among the hundreds of boxes of photos, papers and family Bibles, investigators found photos of Jeffs in intimate embraces and kissing several apparently underage girls.

A journal entry purportedly from Jeffs attached to a report by a child advocate indicates he married his daughter to a 34-year-old man the day after she turned 15. The girl turns 17 on Saturday and has denied being married, though the child advocate report indicates intimate notes between the girl and man were also found in the raid.

In addition to discussions of the girl's marriage, the Jeffs journal entry also indicates he blessed marriages of two other underage sect members to himself and another member.

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As I recall on some of the last threads about the polygamist raids, the majority of people were saying it was wrong to claim the polygamists were forcing underage girls into these marriages.

Fifteen years old IS underage, they did force them into marriages, and it is obscene.

I do sincerely, and with a heavy heart, regret the obviously traumatic consequences to those who are not guilty of any of these offenses. And I admit I have no idea what the answer to this is.

However, when some of us said they were forcing young girls into these marriages, we weren't just making it up.

The child abuse in these corrupt compounds is palpable for those who care enough about the children to see it. I still applaud the state of Texas for doing what the state of Utah never would.

Elphaba

Edited July 23, 2008 by Elphaba

[VisionOfLehi]

I don't grammatically understand your title. o.O

[Elphaba]

I don't grammatically understand your title. o.O

Okay, you caught me!

It should read: Warren Jeffs, four other polygamists, charged WITH sexually assaulting girls under age 17.

It was late and I hate writing titles. Thanks for pointing out my errrors.

Elphie

[john doe]

Okay, you caught me!

It should read: Warren Jeffs, four other polygamists, charged WITH sexually assaulting girls under age 17.

It was late and I hate writing titles. Thanks for pointing out my errrors.

Elphie

I fixed it for you.

[Elphaba]

I fixed it for you.

Thank you John. I appreciate it.

Elphie

[VisionOfLehi]

Sorry, didn't mean to nitpick, I was just confused.

[Moksha]

I assume they will just ship Warren Jeffs around for the various trials. If Texas is the last place to sentence him, will they get to keep him?

[TheyCallMeMom]

this case was quite a circus event..

I started investigating the church like 2 days before this story broke.. it made for some interesting conversation I tell ya..

anyhow.. while I truly feel these abusers should have been charged, the means in which they came to these conclusions was wrong.. IMO

[Elphaba]

this case was quite a circus event..

I started investigating the church like 2 days before this story broke.. it made for some interesting conversation I tell ya..

I hope the missionaries, or whomever you're talking to about the Church, have explained this man has nothing to do with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I'm sure they have, but thought I'd mention it just in case.

anyhow.. while I truly feel these abusers should have been charged, the means in which they came to these conclusions was wrong.. IMO

So how do you think it should have been handled?

Elphaba