San Angelo, Texas • A jury on Tuesday sentenced polygamous sect leader Warren Jeffs to life in prison for having sex with underage girls.
Jurors deliberated for 40 minutes before ordering Jeffs to serve life in prison on one count of aggravated sexual assault of a child and 20 years in prison on one count of sexual assault of a child. They also determined Jeffs must pay a $10,000 fine.
In a closing statement given Tuesday morning, prosecutor Eric Nichols told the jury the 55-year-old Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints leader was a man who "perverted a religion to his own ends" and treated women and children not as human beings but as "property for sexual gratification and child bearing."
"Evidence is this case shows this is not the prosecution of a people, this is a prosecution to protect a people," Nichols said.
Prosecutors rested their case against Jeffs in the sentencing phase of his trial on Monday. Jurors last week convicted Jeffs in connection with two plural marriages to girls ages 12 and 15.
During the sentencing phase, prosecutors presented evidence of other so-called bad acts committed by Jeffs. Jurors were told Jeffs took a total of 78 plural wives, including 12 girls he wed at age 16 and another 12 he married at age 15 or younger, according to evidence and testimony presented in court Monday.
Jurors heard several audio recordings of what prosecutors said was Jeffs giving sexual instruction to underage wives and even having intercourse in a baptismal font inside a temple at the sect’s Yearning for Zion Ranch in Eldorado.
Jeffs represented himself during the guilt or innocence phase of his trial and chose not to attend his sentencing hearings. After prosecutors rested their sentencing case against Jeffs on Monday, new Jeffs defense lawyer, Jed Silverman, of Houston, declined to call any witnesses.
YEAH! Jeffs is so sick he shouldn't ever be allowed communication with his former followers.
ReplyDeleteThey gave him a fine, too. I wonder how and if that will be paid out. Anyhow, less than half an hour for them to sentence him!
ReplyDeleteHe WILL NOT have ACCESS to a phone or any of the communications he was allowed in jail once he gets to prison (more than likely but so far, this is what is being said). They say he should be transferred to the real "Big House" (lol not his compound, I hope he understands that much!) within one to two days. I wonder if his communications will be monitored over the next few days until transfer is complete.
I worry for the members at the Ranch. I wonder if they have been allowed to hear the verdict.
The tapes are taken to be transcribed so I wonder what more will come out when/if we get to hear the documentations.
Tonight Dr. Drew is interviewing victims if anyone is interested:
Jeffs’ guilty verdict: Victims speak out
Warren Jeffs has been found guilty on two counts of having sex with children.
Now, victims are reacting to the verdict. Tonight on Dr. Drew ... the feelings of victimization that we've been hearing about from former female FLDS members that are relatable to anyone who has been a victim of abuse.
Watch it all unfold at 9 p.m. ET/PT on HLN.
I've been checking every hour to find the tapes online! I'm sure when they do, It will be when I'm not looking! Sneeky peepers! I have really never heard something so disgusting in my life.
ReplyDeleteI've heard horror stories from my foster children, incest, etc., this guy tops them all- and the ones that went along with it- the adults, do they get any charges?
Where's those women that cut ding dong's off when you need them. That should be his punishment. He likes boys, so he'll still be a sicko happy camper
ReplyDeleteDrita , icky but true. His poor nephew. Wonder how his bigamy trial in October will go.
ReplyDeleteThey are saying that just can't go in and search they won't go back to the ranch blah blah they need probably cause.
Terrible because you know if the prophet is sanctioning it then the followers are following it.
When is the next trial up? Anyone know? No telling what we will hear.
ReplyDeleteEveryone is asking about the witnesses to molestation in the jeffs case and they said the AG has not ruled out going after them but everyone just agrees that the women are brainwashed and the cases would not be easy to put together and that juries wouldn't want to convict the women due to brainwashing. Who will testify against them, wives won't tell on one another etc. So it looks like those that take witness to child molestation, those that give their children over to the molester will get off free and clear.
I wonder if the bigamy ruling will come in before the Brown's suit so that there is some legal presumption? Interesting watching it unfold.
http://www.deseretnews.com/article/705388924/The-downfall-of-Warren-Jeffs-began-long-before-Texas-raid.html?pg=1
ReplyDeleteThe Downfall of Jeffs long article
and Texas reports jeffs was en route to big house Huntsville asap and now has arrived at state prison unsure if he will be given protection
http://www.daytondailynews.com/news/nation-world-news/polygamist-leader-arrives-at-texas-prison-1225975.html
Big question on parole is answered too he wont be eligible for 45 years.
"The head of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints won't be eligible for parole for 45 years. He must serve at least 35 years of a life sentence on one of the child sex charges, and at least 10 years on the other."
Yeah confirmed on news Merrill Jessop is the next trial. I can't help but think he is related to every sister wife that has the eyebrows thing going on.
ReplyDeleteHas anyone reported if the Ranch knows Jeffs has been whisked off to Huntsvile?
I'm sure that the wolves on the ranch know what is going on with their "prophet" (profit?). The sheep aren't allowed to have TVs, radios nor computers, but you can bet that those in charge know what is up outside the walls.
ReplyDeleteI sure hope there isn't a Kool-Aid plan that they will be putting into place.
ohh, good use of words!
ReplyDeleteI pray there isn't either. I heard one of Warren's siblings committed suicide.
Coloroado City is very quiet this morning. People moving about as if nothing has happened. I could see the power elite hiding Jeffs verdict but there are plenty of wives that do work out in the community, supplying businesses that have a certain amount of privy to the outside world. They were out and about doing their business.
ReplyDeleteA weird sensation of the quiet before the storm.
Many going through communities and coming back with same report. Quiet, going about daily business as if nothing has happened.
YFZ is not so easy to gauge but other than inner bickering between family, I have not heard anything new this morning. Anyone else?
Wow, nice report!!! Let us know what tomorrow brings!
ReplyDeleteSo, no defense, no witnesses - no that sunrises me. He really didn't try.
ReplyDelete