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Tag: polygamy

  • Warren Jeffs’ Son and Daughter Say FLDS Imprisoned Leader Sexually Abused Them

    Warren Jeffs is the imprisoned leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-Day Saints. He is serving a life sentence plus 20 years for the aggravated sexual assaults of a 12-year-old girl and a 15-year-old girl who he claimed were his “spiritual wives.”

    Now two of Warren Jeffs’ adult children–Becky and Roy Jeffs–allege their father sexually abused them as children, too.

    Becky and Roy Jeffs made their claims to Lisa Ling, host of CNN’s This is Life. The show airs on Wednesday night.

    Becky Jeffs admitted she first discussed being sexually molested by her father when her sister shared that she, too, had been molested by Warren Jeffs as a child.

    “I thought, I’m not the only one molested, he’s done it to her it must be something that was in his nature,” she says on the show. “Where does it end? If he had this in him, how can I trust him? How is he really our prophet?”

    Despite being in prison, Warren Jeffs is still running the fundamental Mormon sect from behind bars. The group believes in polygamy and Jeffs is known to have fathered at least 60 children with some of his 78 wives.

    The mainstream Mormon church–the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints–renounced polygamy about 100 years ago.

    CNN tried contacting Warren Jeffs via his attorney, but so far hasn’t received a reply.

    What kind of excuses do you suppose Warren Jeffs might make regarding the alleged sexual abuse of Becky and Roy Jeffs?

    Why do you suppose Warren Jeffs’ children waited so long to come forward?

    They are only two of four of his children who have left the FLDS church.

  • ‘Sister Wives’ Family Wins Court Case

    ‘Sister Wives’ Family Wins Court Case

    The Sister Wives family–Kody Brown and his four wives–Meri, Janelle, Christine and Robyn–can now legally live as a polygamist family in the state of Utah.

    “It is with a great pleasure this evening that I can announce the final decision of United States District Court Judge Clarke Waddoups on the last remaining count in the Sister Wives case,” Kody Brown’s attorney, Jonathan Turley, posted on his blog on Thursday.

    The family was involved in a polygamy law case that meant they couldn’t legally live in their Utah home.

    “He has now ruled for the Browns in what is now a clear sweep on all counts,” Turley wrote, “that state officials (notably prosecutor Jeffrey R. Buhman) violated the constitutional rights of the Brown family in years of criminal investigation and public accusations.”

    “With the earlier decision, families like the Browns can now be both plural and legal in the state of Utah,” he added. “The court specifically struck down language criminalizing cohabitation — the provision that is used to prosecute polygamists. … Judge Waddoups reaffirmed the independence of our courts and stood against open prejudice and hostility toward plural families.”

    Sister Wives star and family head, Kody Brown, gave the following statement to his lawyer for posting publicly.

    “While we know that many people do not approve of plural families, it is our family and based on our religious beliefs. Just as we respect the personal and religious choices of other families, we hope that in time all of our neighbors and fellow citizens will come to respect our own choices as part of this wonderful country of different faiths and beliefs,” Brown said.

    The Sister Wives family might not want to start celebrating just yet, however. It seems Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes hasn’t yet decided if he will appeal the judge’s ruling.

    “The attorney general’s office is currently reviewing Judge Waddoups’ ruling of Brown v. Herbert and will make final determination of whether or not to appeal one or more of the issues in the decision within the coming weeks,” his statement read. “It is important to legally assess the ruling’s scope and how it will impact future litigation.”

    What do you think about polygamy? Is it right for a man to have more than one wife? Will Judge Waddoups’ ruling mean even more polygamist families will lay down roots in Utah?

    Season five of Sister Wives premiered on TLC in June.

  • Warren Jeffs Gets Life, Twitter Takes The High Road

    Americas’ most famous polygamist was sentenced today for his previous convictions involving crimes against children at his Texas compound.

    Warren Jeffs was given life in prison for his role in the assault of two young girls who he took as “wives.” The prosecutor said that Jeffs had “corrupted and perverted” his position as an authority in his religious organization in order to “satisfy his own appetites and desires.”

    Jeffs, 55, was given life for engaging in sexual intercourse with a 12-year-old girl that he claimed as one of his wives. This conviction was obtained largely due to an audio recording of the supposed encounter.

    He was given 20 years for the sexual assault of a 15-year-old girl that the took as one of his wives. The prosecution submitted DNA evidence that proved Jeffs as the father of one of her children. He will serve the sentences consecutively.

    Jeffs, who became the leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (not affiliated with the mainstream LDS church, or Mormons) when his father died in 2002. Some estimates put his total number of wives at 78-80, with over 20 of them under the age of 17.

    As you might expect, Twitter is all a-flutter about the news. And as you probably also expect, the comedians are out in full force –

    @BorowitzReport
    Andy Borowitz    Polygamist Warren Jeffs has been sentenced to 20 years, effectively ending his bid for the GOP nomination. 2 hours ago via web · powered by @socialditto

    @ethanmillard
    ethanmillard    Heading to prison, Warren Jeffs leaves behind dozens of wives. They are rumored to now be dating Tiger Woods. 3 hours ago via TweetDeck · powered by @socialditto

    The most popular joke is the polygamy/prison joke, with its many variations –

    @JohnFugelsang
    John Fugelsang    Polygamous child-rapist Warren Jeffs gets life in prison, where the Aryans will no doubt make him into a fine Sister Wife. 1 hour ago via Twitter for iPhone · powered by @socialditto

    @thedailydogfood
    Cosmo    Don’t worry Warren Jeffs there plenty of polygamy in Prison. Dust off your wedding dress sweetie. 3 hours ago via web · powered by @socialditto

    @samyoungman
    Sam Youngman    so Warren Jeffs got life in prison. bet it doesn’t take a week in the clink before he changes his position on monogamy 3 hours ago via web · powered by @socialditto

    Some Twitter users are against those types of jokes, however –

    @kylejack
    Kyle Nielsen    Making light of prison rape, even to mock Warren Jeffs, isn’t funny. 3 minutes ago via TweetDeck · powered by @socialditto

    Humor is cathartic. It’s how many people deal with serious issues. Warren Jeffs did some messed up stuff, that’s for sure. Is it alright to make light of his conviction? Did he get what he deserved? Let us know in the comments.

    [Image Courtesy CNN]