Polygamist leader Warren Jeffs convicted of child sex abuse

[uppityperson]

Source: Deseret News

A Texas jury convicted polygamist sect leader Warren Jeffs of child sexual assault Thursday in a case stemming from two young followers he took as brides in what his church calls "spiritual marriages."

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Jeffs, who acted as his own attorney, faces up to life in prison. The jury went immediately into sentencing proceedings. They had deliberated on a verdict for more than three hours.

Prosecutors used DNA evidence to show Jeffs fathered a child with a 15-year-old girl and played an audio recording of what they said was him sexually assaulting a 12-year-old girl. They also played audio recordings in which Jeffs was heard instructing young women on how to please him sexually.
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"You have heard the defendant make repeated arguments about religious freedoms," said lead prosecutor Eric Nichols. "Make no mistake, this case is not about any people, this case is not about any religion. It is about one individual, Warren Steed Jeffs, and his actions."...(more)

Read more: http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700168321/Polygamist-leader-Warren-Jeffs-convicted-of-child-sex-abuse.html

[lunatica]

1. Good.

He deserves the worst they can throw at him. May he spend the rest of his days in prison.

[Ruby the Liberal]

2. Excellent news.

May this set the standard. I don't care what your religion thinks is Ok. There are standards in society.

[SemperEadem]

3. good

pedophile.

[DrDan]

4. I understand he did his own closing argument today - had 30 minutes

and stared at the jury and said nothing except "I am at peace". The judge gave him the whole 30 minutes just so it could not later be claimed he was cut short of time.

Apparently the jury stared right back.

[derby378]

7. "I am at peace - with screwing underage girls against their will"

Where's Lorena Bobbitt now that we really need her?

[Booster]

8. Wow. Bet that jury was creeped out after 30 mins. I'm glad

they stared back at him though. Good for this jury.:toast:

[Blue_Tires]

34. just the final act of his "martrydom" theater

[RebelOne]

5. Good. This creep should spend the rest of his life in prison. n/t

[Journeyman]

6. TTFN . . .

and hopefully forever. . .

[arbusto_baboso]

9. Good, now they need to emphasize that his acts stem directly from the template of ol' Joe Smith.

AND that the current "mainstream" mormon church still teaches the doctrine of eternal polygamy as expressed by its Doctrine and Covenants, Section 132.

[existentialist]

18. Poligamy is one thing.

Raping 12 year olds is something beyond that.

[arbusto_baboso]

29. So, it's okay that Smith raped 14 year olds?

You gots to read up on your history.

[Kali]

32. it wasn't just mormons marrying young girls in those days

pretty common really, have some young wives in my ancestry as do many

[arbusto_baboso]

35. Sorry, but I don't accept the "it was okay then, but not now" argument.

[existentialist]

37. Of course not

I simply used the most extreme fact available for purposes of comparison. If there hadn't been evidence that he raped a twelve year old, I would have spoken of the 15 year old.

I'm not actually aware of allegations with regard tot he rape of a 14 year old, but given what I do know I would be surprised if he didn't rape a 14 year old at some point too--or several of them . . .

[Kali]

26. polygamy isn't the same thing as pedophilia

[arbusto_baboso]

30. It is in the case of Joseph Smith.

If you think otherwise, it's only because you accept the whitewashed version of history that the mormon church has sold you.

[Kali]

33. there can be overlap I am sure

but they aren't the same thing

[arbusto_baboso]

36. I'm not saying ALL polygamy = pedophilia. BUT....

in mormon or fundie mormon practice, the two CANNOT be separated. Seriously, you need to educate yourself more on mormon history. Read Krakauer's Under the Banner of Heaven. You'll see what I'm talking about.

[kestrel91316]

10. Betcha the jury gives him the maximum. Anybody know what that is?

[JAnthony]

15. up to life in prison.

Usually reserved for repeat offenders convicted more than once, not just for two charges.

I hope they go for the max. But 10-30 years would be about right, at his age. And, of course, he will be in a prison where everybody else, (those big ugly 300 pound guys) know why he's there.

Child molesters and child killers don't do too well in prison.

[udbcrzy2]

25. Yeah no kidding

He's a sex offender and will be in with other sex offenders. Maybe they will give him a taste of his own medicine.

[plumbob]

21. 99 years for aggravated sexual assault of the 12 year old and 20 years

for sexual assault of the 14 year old. 119 years if the jury wants it. I do.

[Cartoonist]

11. Tony will help

If he has enough money to appeal his way up, I'm sure Scalia will honor his "religious freedom".

[Name removed]

12. Deleted message

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Joe Bacon]

13. This sick freak deserves the death penalty.

What it did to those kids was BEYOND DISGUSTING!!!!!!

[Muskypundit]

28. Oh he will.

Infamous pedophiles tend to not do to well in prison. Most inmates are fathers themselves.

[Name removed]

14. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[noel711]

16. Isn't that what 'short eyes' means in prison?

I've heard that the term 'short eyes' is a derogative designation
for child molesters... who get a taste of their own medicine.

But I'd wager big money he hires a big shot lawyer to appeal
the conviction because he was 'practicing his freedom of religion'
which was 'biblical marriage..' polygamy as practiced in the days
of the patriarchs.

[Faygo Kid]

17. Finally some good news today.

I found it very difficult to read of what he did to that 12-year-old girl with an audience of his demented and brainwashed followers - and he taped it.

Life in prison. Please.

[Dont call me Shirley]

19. Good now the creep won't come back to New Mexico

[McCamy Taylor]

20. If this gets MSM coverage that means Romney has been dumped for Perry.

If it disappears quickly, then corporate America is supporting Romney.

[uppityperson]

23. New website to jump to Mormonism’s defense

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/faith/52329295-142/church-fair-mdl-mormonism.html.csp

BY PEGGY FLETCHER STACK
THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE
First published 1 hour ago
Updated 13 minutes ago
With two Mormons in the presidential campaign and a hit Broadway show about LDS missionaries, a group of church loyalists felt the time was ripe to begin scrutinizing media reports for inaccuracies about the Utah-based faith.

On Thursday, the Foundation for Apologetic Information and Research (FAIR) announced that it was launching the Mormon Defense League (MDL) to help journalists "get it right," said Scott Gordon, FAIR’s president who will direct the new project.

If the MDL notices a misstatement or mischaracterization, the group will first contact the journalist, Gordon said. But if a pattern of misrepresentation emerges, the defense league will "go after the writer" by posting the piece or pieces on its website (mdl.org) and pointing out the errors.

In this effort, the MDL will mirror the work of the church’s own Public Affairs Department. In recent weeks, for example, department head Michael Otterson, a regular contributor to The Washington Post, decried journalists’ use of the word "cult" to describe Mormonism. During the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, the church posted articles it viewed as inaccurate, spelling out the mistakes....(more)

Direct link to the site:
http://mdl.org/

Link to what they say about polyamy (those who do are excommunicated) http://mdl.org/103/polygamy

[alp227]

22. Bye. n/t

[udbcrzy2]

24. He had a 12-year-old bride

Now, that dude is very very odd. Must be a reThug.

[Renew Deal]

27. This is great news.

As it was the first time he was convicted.

[SHRED]

31. a self absorbed kook who will now be someone's "wife" in prison