Fisking Fabulous Teresa Steed's Latest Escapade

(Fisk?) Regardless of what you may think of the FLDS, you can't call the women or girls immature or childish. This is first rate bait and switch.

The Dallas Morning News/AP - "Texas child welfare authorities have asked a judge to order (17 year old Teresa Steed) to submit to a psychological evaluation after she showed up to an appointment for genetic testing with someone else's baby."

What, did they want to know how she could be such a formidable opponent at such a young age? First she stonewalled them back in November, now they can't seem to find out which baby she brought with her, until they DNA test the child, and find out, they've been fooled again.

"(Teresa) had previously refused to disclose the whereabouts of the infant born in June, when she was 16 and shortly after she and the other 437 children taken from the Yearning For Zion Ranch in Eldorado were returned to their parents from foster care."

Aw, did a hopeless mind controlled 16 year old blow you off? Too smart for you?

"(Teresa) teen produced a baby purported to be her biological child for genetic testing in January, but tests revealed she is not the infant's biological mother, said Child Protective Services attorney John Dolezal in a court filing on Thursday."

I think what this means is that back when we thought she had caved to pressure, Teresa not only fooled them, she fooled us all. I seriously like this woman (Yes, a 17 year old CAN be a woman). Dang, why does she have to be married already? I was so disappointed, now I'm so pumped she pulled the wool over my eyes, and theirs too.

"State officials believe (Teresa Steed) was married to a man in the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints when she was 14. In Texas, someone younger than 17 generally cannot consent to sex with an adult, and The Associated Press is withholding her name because it generally does not name possible victims of sex crimes."

That's ok, I'm not. She'll be 18 in 6 months anyway.

" 'It appears that (the girl) has been separated from her child,' (CPS lead attorney d'jour John R.) Dolezal said in the filing."

It appears that you have no idea who the child is, where the child is, and Teresa has been pulling of a job of acting that makes her the overlooked real winner of the Oscar for Best Actress this year.

"The agency is also concerned the girl is 'being improperly influenced, against her best interest, into making choices to not produce her child and to produce another individual's child,' he wrote."

No, this is an intelligent adult in all ways except age alone. She's protecting her child cunningly from people she doesn't trust who have lied to her family. She's doing it for good reason. She knows that if she can pull it off for another 6 months, she can tell CPS to take a hike. She doesn't believe the state when they say they aren't trying to get custody of her child and she figures that if they don't see see the child before she turns 18, she'll have a lot better chance. Hows that for a rational reason? A mom thinks enhancing her baby's chances to remain with her mother, is a good thing and acts to preserve that.

"CPS officials have said they want to ensure the infant is safe and are not seeking custody."

Yeah. Right. Sure. Mom knows that the infant is safe and that CPS can't seek custody if they can't find the child.

"The girl's attorney, Kelly Ellis, is on maternity leave and couldn't immediately be reached for comment on Monday."

What's this? Did they try to get at Teresa Steed while her lawyer was otherwise occupied? That's what it looks like to me.

Willie Jessop weighed in on the fascinating situation;

"The department has reaffirmed that they're not trustworthy. She was concerned that they would take the baby."

Jessop said.

"A hearing in the teen's case is scheduled for Friday."

Oh, I think this is shaping up to be a fun week.

"Her case is one of just two remaining cases in what was initially one of the largest custody cases in U.S. history."

And now we have the first official PRESS acknowledgment that I know of, that Bill Medvecky told us the truth back on February 17th. There are only two children left. Merrianne Jessop, and Teresa Steed's child. This has become though, the proverbial riddle, wrapped up in an enigma. The problem is it all might be wrapped up in a misdirection and layered under a mystery. No one including me knows what's up, except those at the heart of the matter. Teresa intends to keep her child away from CPS, and I don't blame her at all.

If I got any of this wrong, I hope I got someone at CPS to believe me. It doesn't look like that because of the way the San Angelo Standard-Times is reporting the story.

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Emails show that Texas was in a reactive mode.

Texas was accutely aware of how the raid was being covered. Check out the Plural Life. More →

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What? No more "Nonsuits?"

Friday is usually a good day for sweeping news under the rug. Halloween, and a big political weekend are usually good cover for news Texas doesn't want us noticing. To my knowledge, Friday passed without any announcement. This next week also provides a gigantic dose of dust behind which Texas could hide a lot of embarrassing moves.

When Charles Childress resigns and the State Capital's newspaper doesn't make mention of it, you don't need a lot of cover, but still, this is a great time and there's no news. At least no news we know of. Maybe that's because the tactic is working unusually well.

Texas has reached the "fish or cut bait" point in their persecution of the FLDS. In the past they have been noisy when it comes even to the appearance of wrongdoing at YFZ. With 37 children left, there has to be a narrative coming out of Texas as to what actually happened at YFZ to provoke their ongoing investigation. Texas is either remiss in it's duties, allowing "children with children" to return to their abusive environments or this small number of children now represent their best case.

But they're not making it.

Reporters need to find a way to discuss the case with Texas. If nothing else, give each child a number. Child "1" for instance should be Merrianne Jessop, the child back in state custody. Child "2" should be 17 year old red headed and defiant firebrand Teresa Jeffs who has no interest whatsoever in the status she has been assigned by the state. That leaves 35 other children that reporters can ask questions about without naming names.

Reporter: Mr. Crimmons, what is that the state is concerned about with Child 3? Is child 3 male or female? If child 3 is female, is she between the ages of 11 and 18? If no, there are no further questions. If child 3 is between 11 and 18, then you ask has child 3 been pregnant? Is there evidence of child 3 having sexual relations? Last, you ask if child 3 is pregnant now. The last three questions overlap a bit, but they need to be asked seperately to "nail down" the fact that there is no abuse, or if they state is preparing an abuse case.

These questions continue for child 4-37.

By Monday or mid week next week there may be 22 children or less. That makes the job even less difficult. We're talking a small pocket notebook, a pen, and about an hour of a CPS official's time. That would change though, if we got to child 37 and none had been pregnant, were pregnant or had sexual relations. Then the question is, as I have said before, "what exactly did you see at YFZ?" More →

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Texas now Grasping on all fronts.

Texas MUST have one abused child, preferably several. Childress has telegraphed that there may be no more than three candidates. These charges are by no means certain of sticking. If there is one abused child then they might be able to rationalize the continued search. If there are none, they cannot.

If there is no abused child, they have no rationale for collecting any evidence at YFZ. None. Arguably they don't have any if there is no "pregnant underage girl" seen at YFZ and since the only pregnant girl at YFZ that could have been seen can now have only been three months pregnant or less, that is getting thin.

Double digit abused children give you at least a smoke screen to bluster behind. Three do not. More →

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Childress Sworn to Secrecy? CPS Resignation REEKS of internal warfare.

The evidence becomes overwhelming for a clear and sharp dispute behind the scenes leading up to the Charles Childress resignation. A more detailed article appeared today in the San Angelo Standard-Times:

"I cannot say a word about it," Childress said when reached at his Austin home Friday. "There is nothing I can say that wouldn't be out of line."

Wowsers. This sounds like it really got heated. Nothing he could say? Not even "This is best for me and my family" like Gary Banks said? "I think I'll go back to teaching?" Nope. There's NOTHING he could say that wouldn't be out of line. This more clearly seems to be the emotional residue of a forced resignation. Normally when someone says things like that one of two things are true, or both. Childress is still so angry over the affair that he can't trust himself to speak of it for fear of losing his composure and/or the dispute would be so damaging to one or both of the parties in the dispute that an agreement was signed not to speak of it.

"Banks, who sent the letter Sept. 5 and left the agency early this month, could not be reached for comment Friday."

Yeah right, "No comment."

"The attorneys join a growing list of officials associated with the April raid who have since left their jobs. Cary Cockerell, commissioner of the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services - of which CPS is a part - retired Aug. 31 for personal reasons, while Texas Ranger Lt. Barry Caver, who commanded the April raid, left law enforcement in June to pursue a better-paying oil-industry job.

None of the officials has cited the FLDS case as a reason for leaving. In Cockerell's case, CPS officials said specifically the case was not a factor in his decision.

Childress, a former University of Texas law professor who worked for CPS in the late 1990s, was brought back to help coordinate the massive case, which involved 439 children and 26 adults initially believed to be children."

Folks, this is war. This is an agency lurching out of control without direction. If you have any doubts, read on.

"The loss of essentially the two lead attorneys in the case likely will bring another CPS lawyer to the fore - perhaps Jeff Schmidt, who has represented CPS during some hearings.

'There is a group of attorneys out there' at CPS' San Angelo offices, said agency spokesman Patrick Crimmins. 'He (Childress) was just acting as lead attorney. We're just trying to figure out their roles and responsibilities.' "

CPS doesn't know WHO is going to take over. By the way, who would want the job? It's a greased rail to unemployment and disgrace. This wasn't planned IMHO. Someone threatened Childress without knowing how he'd respond and he quit or some issue came to light that someone had to take the blame for and Childress got the nod. Something happened that scattered the pieces on the chess board and they're in full scramble mode.

Once again, a rule of politics is that you don't make your constituency (your co workers in a bureaucracy) LOOK bad. This LOOKS bad, so it IS BAD. You don't DO it unless something profound happens because it looks that way and everyone will think it is for some earth shattering reason. Planned resignations take place with the outgoing head giving plenty of time and citing "good reasons" and praising their peers. Tom Brady doesn't quit the Patriots during the introduction of the starting line up in the Super Bowl. It's DESTRUCTIVE. It's not what a career "team player" does. Bureaucrats are CONSUMATE team players. They don't survive unless they are.

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The Other Resignation at CPS and Confirmation of Turmoil (AKA "Reorganization")

If you needed confirmation of the internal fight going on at CPS, look no further than this story;

The Deseret News - "Texas Child Protective Services officials also are not commenting on why (Charles) Childress is leaving, but said they are in the process of reorganizing their legal team based in San Angelo, Texas, right now.

Childress is not the only lawyer who worked the FLDS child custody case to resign recently. Gary Banks, who was the lead counsel when the 439 children were taken into state custody immediately following the raid, resigned Oct. 3 to take a position with a Texas law firm."

The powerful and connected do not stay unemployed. They are offered safety nets even before they leave one job, even in disgrace. Politics is like that. Who needs a "Golden Parachute" when what you will be offered instead is lifetime security? But I digress. That is a discussion for both the Economic Pharisee and the Political Pharisee (both me, of course).

The key here is that whoever is ultimately pulling the strings in the whole CPS/FLDS/YFZ fiasco, it has been determined from the top that the handling of the custody cases is a disaster. Since this is politics, the disaster part is determined by how it makes those at the top look. Charles Childress had NOTHING to do with the raid taking place, but still falls on the sword. Preceding him was Gary Banks, who WAS lead counsel at the time of the raid.

Clearly the RESULT is important to those at the top. Gary is made responsible, but taken care of. It will be interesting to see how things go for Charles Childress. There are some days when you wish illegal wiretapping wasn't. I'd love to be able to speak to the mouse in the corner in those conference rooms.

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More Nonsuits, FLDS pulls out of Evidence Challenge

In a move that probably was inevitable, the FLDS Church itself has ceased to challenge the warrants.

The Deseret News - "The motion lists several reasons why they are withdrawing the challenge. Most notably, none of them have been charged with a crime.

'Accordingly, movants are not "defendants" in any criminal proceeding,' attorneys Daniel Hurley and Cynthia Orr wrote."

I'm no legal eagle so I'll take their word for it. They have no iron in the fire, even if they would like to have. The FLDS is saying they have to have standing, which they have to have, and don't. Since there are persons charged in this case, there will be a challenge since those persons do have standing. The state in it's response though, did seem to show it's entire hand, including claiming that certain entities had no standing.

At the same time, Texas nonsuits other children, bringing the "nonsuit" total to 300 out of 439. That's more than 68% of the kids (that actually were kids) taken into custody that Texas is saying have no case.

"On Monday, CPS filed to have four more children 'nonsuited,' said agency spokesman Patrick Crimmins. That brings the number of people dropped from the case to 300. The Deseret News tally includes 26 FLDS women that CPS initially believed were minors, but eventually conceded were adults."

The numbers are so confusing that intially no one could come up with an accurate account of kids in custody and some of them, 5.5 percent of the Deseret News accounting, turned out to be adults. Overall of the 465 persons initially termed kids in danger, over 7 in 10 have been "nonsuited" or dropped altogether. More →

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Help me out, why did Merrianne go back into state custody?

I'm trying to figure this out.

The Deseret News - "A 14-year-old girl (Merrianne Jessop) from the Fundamentalist LDS Church's YFZ Ranch ordered back into foster care may be reunited with her mother by next year.

That's according to a progress report recently compiled by Texas Child Protective Services and obtained Wednesday by the Deseret News. The report is being presented to a judge in San Angelo, Texas, handling the massive custody case involving children from the Utah-based polygamous sect. The girl's case is scheduled for a permanency hearing on Sept. 25."

They're allowing "unsupervised" phone contact between Merrianne and her mother.

" 'After this visit, it was discovered that (the girl) had at least 21 unsupervised phone calls with her mother in a period of one week,' the report said. 'Both presented as though they had been adhering to the monitored phone contact only. Many of the phone calls occurred in the middle of the night and some lasted in duration of longer than 30 minutes.' "

So Mom can talk to Merrianne, unsupervised in some sort of violation, and still they're going to "reunite" them next year, and mom is not cooperating with authorities.

"Barbara Jessop also is required to undergo psychological evaluations, attend parenting classes and have a social study. But caseworkers say no progress has been made."

Barbara pushes the envelope.

"Barbara Jessop first visited her daughter on Aug. 26. Since then, CPS caseworkers indicated Jessop has pushed the boundaries of her supervised visits, including bringing unapproved people with her and making unmonitored phone calls. The girl was not allowed to keep her cell phone while in foster placement, the CPS report said."

Why did they take Merrianne again? Nothing is changing. Mom is militantly resisting being "reformed," they allow Mom and daughter to talk, if only because of inadequate supervision or rebellion on the part of mother and daughter. Was this just an outburst of anger on the part of Texas and a practical example of "who's in charge here?" Or is Merrianne a hostage?

"The girl's father is YFZ Ranch leader Merril Jessop, who has been absent from custody hearings. He is believed to be under investigation in the ongoing criminal probe involving church members.

'Ms. Jessop has not provided any locating information on Mr. Jessop, although she has been asked on multiple occasions,' the report said."

It would seem that Merrianne is being held to extort information from her mother, regarding Merril.

The Salt Lake Tribune seems to thinks the reunification is NOT in the offing.

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Wrong twice as often as they were "right," CPS admits failure on an ever increasing scale.

By weeks end will we even have a quarter of the kids under court supervision that originally were in CPS custody? Probably not. Certainly it will be that way soon. The ratio of mistakes admitted by CPS is now 2 to 1. 3-1 very soon, I'm sure. 4-1 shortly after that.

"On Tuesday, Texas Child Protective Services filed to 'nonsuit' four more children taken into state custody in the raid on the YFZ Ranch. That brings the total number dropped to 291, agency spokesman Patrick Crimmins told the Deseret News."

As we approach that magic number where there are more than TWICE the number of kids "nonsuited" than there are still under formal court scrutiny, it becomes more and more pathetic to suggest that the initial action of CPS was justified in any way. Going in with guns and APC's is not how you respond to a report of domestic abuse. Taking all the neighbor's kids is not a way that you respond to domestic abuse. Since it's fair to say that this now represents a huge embarassment and black eye to an incompetent state of Texas, it's also fair to say that they would continue in their bumbling way to cover up the unsightly mess they made in the first place.

Let's put that another way. It cannot be argued to me or to any other casual observer, with this set of facts, that Texas knew what it was doing. It can hardly be argued that they were "fair" to the FLDS either. Why would we expect that they would be NOW?

The courts forced them to give the kids back, and now CPS is finding it difficult to "reacquire" them. Had the courts NOT forced CPS to give the children back, do you have any doubt that most of them would still be in Foster Care? Being unable to assert custody over more than twice as many children as they still have under court supervision is simple proof of bad judgement. They now stand by their own admission, without proof of the need to have jurisdiction over 2/3rds of the kids. Once again, that's TWICE as many that didn't need there help, as did, by their own admission, and they're NOT done "nonsuiting" the children. The fog of war is disappearing and with it any illusion of "cause." More →

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Check out Texas Teen Pregnancy Stats

Priceless, Read the post at "Free the FLDS Children;"

How Often Does a Teenager in Texas Get Pregnant?

Every 10 minutes, a teen in Texas gets pregnant.
Every 10 hours, a 14-year-old teen gets pregnant.
Every 3 hours, a 15-year-old teen gets pregnant.
Every 1.5 hours, a 16-year-old teen gets pregnant.
Every 52 minutes, a 17-year-old-teen gets pregnant.

Go there and read the rest of the article. More →

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What a concept, there is no evidence of a crime that did not occur.

In the Austin American-Statesman it seems that Texas has a hard time grasping the obvious. When there is no crime, it's hard to find.

"'The FLDS group is very difficult to penetrate,' (Texas Attorney General Greg) Abbott said. 'They have a veil of silence that they operate under, and as a result, the kind of evidence that's necessary to prosecute the crimes that they may be committing is difficult to obtain. I think with what Senator Reid is proposing, what the committee is considering, it will provide greater tools for the federal authorities to help go in and begin to eradicate some of the criminal activity that may be taking place.'"

You said it yourself Greg, "may be taking place." Examine your own words for a moment. They mean that there COULD be NO CRIME taking place. Nothing leaves no trace, which COULD account for the difficulty of penetrating the "veil of silence." There always is silence when no one makes a sound. There is no evidence when something does not occur, making it "difficult to obtain."

What a concept. Spend time and money on places that crimes aren't difficult to find, because they actually leave evidence. The idea that you THINK there is a crime, and are frustrated by the absence of evidence leads many people to believe that they were wrong. But not Texas. Not Greg Abbott. More →

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Yeah, parenting class, that's it, it's a "Parenting Class" (nudge nudge wink wink)

The total lack of abuse discovered at the FLDS ranch suggest we should all be polygynists, yet the State of Texas is customizing it's "Parenting Classes" to fit the FLDS. Want a sample of the agenda?

"During hearings prior to those rulings, Child Protective Service workers had said that one aim of the parenting classes would be to educate FLDS parents about Texas laws regarding marriage, bigamy and other legal issues."

Yeah, that's right, a, um, "Parenting Class." Sounds like a brainwashing session. Oops, sorry, a "Deprogramming the cult" session. The article appears in the Salt Lake Tribune.
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It's quiet.....TOO quiet

Lest anyone think there's nothing going on, Brooke Adams blogs on what IS;

CPS in Texas is asking questions of the families, you can be sure they're trying to make the answers fit a prosecution template and a custody template. Check out the "Plural Life" and give her your thoughts.

"They are asking, of course, about specific allegations in each case -- broken bones, for instance.

They also are going through this uniform list of questions:

1. Who is currently living in your house? (names and ages)

2. Who lived in your building/house at the ranch? (names and ages)

3. How do you discipline your children?

4. How old to you think a child needs to be care for a younger child? Do other children in the family have responsibility for potty training or discipline?

5. What adjustment issues have you experienced since your children have been home? Have there been any specific behavior problems that have been difficult to deal with? How have you dealt with these?

6. What is your position on underage marriage? Do you think it is appropriate?"

What's number FOUR all about? There is a section in Texas law that I have said virtually makes changing a diaper sexual abuse.

UPDATE - ANOTHER THOUGHT: Are they trying to imply that the mothers can't keep up with the kids? Does this suggest an ideal number of children and an ideal spacing of children? That's a weird area. Are they trying to document the "Training of young girls to be mothers?"

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The Official News Release

NEWS RELEASE

Albert Hawkins
Executive Commissioner

Date: June 27, 2008
Contact: Stephanie Goodman, 512-424-6951

Department of Family and Protective Services Commissioner to Retire

AUSTIN – Carey Cockerell, commissioner of the Department of Family and Protective Services, will retire on Aug. 31 after overseeing a reform effort that led to dramatic declines in caseloads, an increase in adoptions, and improvements in training and technology for caseworkers.

“For many years, Commissioner Cockerell has dedicated himself to protecting those who cannot protect themselves,” Gov. Rick Perry said. “At a time when there were reports of cases being closed too quickly and children and the elderly being left in dangerous conditions, Carey helped our state refocus protective services to its vital mission ― protecting Texas’ most vulnerable. I thank him for his tireless service and effective leadership, and wish him well in his future ventures.”

Cockerell joined the agency in January 2005, just months after Gov. Perry had issued executive orders directing review and reform of the state’s protective services programs. During the 2005 legislative session, state lawmakers approved a $248 million Child Protective Services reform plan to add 2,500 caseworkers and support staff, strengthen management of the program and improve caseworker training. The Legislature also approved additional staff and resources for Adult Protective Services.

“Carey took on one of the most difficult jobs in state government and achieved significant improvements in just a few short years,” said Texas Health and Human Services Executive Commissioner Albert Hawkins. “His thorough and thoughtful approach made real reform possible, and he quickly earned the respect of staff and caregivers across the state as a leader deeply committed to protecting children and vulnerable adults.”

Under Cockerell’s leadership:

• Child Protective Services began an aggressive hiring effort to fill new positions and reduced investigation caseloads by 41 percent, from a daily average of 43.2 cases per worker in fiscal year 2005 to 25.3 cases in 2007.

• The number of residential child care inspections almost doubled, going from 4,590 inspections in 2005 to 8,839 inspections in 2007.

• With the addition of more than 200 new staff, Adult Protective Services caseloads fell 31 percent, from a daily average of 52 cases in 2005 to 36 in 2007.

• Adoptions of children in the Child Protective Services system increased 27 percent.

“I’m proud of the improvements we made in our programs, but I’m even prouder of the thousands of caseworkers and other staff who made it all possible,” Cockerell said. “They really came together and supported the rebuilding of the agency into one that was stronger and better equipped to protect Texans.”

Cockerell said he’s been thinking about retirement since late last year.

“I’ll soon be a grandfather, and I’m looking forward to a lot of quality time with my family after four decades of working in state and local programs.”

Before joining the Department of Family and Protective Services, Cockerell was director of Juvenile Services for Tarrant County. He served in that role from 1984 through 2004, and he pioneered the first Texas youth advocacy program using paid mentors to work with youth. He also established an education program for expelled middle school students that became a statewide model for mandated juvenile justice alternative education programs.

Hawkins said the selection process for a new Department of Family and Protective Services commissioner will begin quickly.

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The Dallas Morning News Reports on Cockerell's Resignation.

Brace yourself.

"Department spokesman Patrick Crimmins said Mr. Cockerell is departing for personal reasons. The release said Mr. Cockerell will soon be a grandfather and wants to spend more time with family.

'There is no connection between the Eldorado operation and the commissioner’s retirement,' Mr. Crimmins said"

Hehe...

Ho ho...

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA....!

(medic! I think I broke a rib..)

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Heads start to roll, Cockerell Resigns

I told you (on June 4th), when I found out Perry was keeping up, BUT NOT BY EMAIL, that people below him would go. Cockerell resigns. The buck stops a few rungs lower than the Governor.

The Salt Lake Tribune Posted: 1:25 PM- AUSTIN, Texas - "The head of the Texas agency behind the seizure of more than 400 children from a polygamist group announced Friday that he is retiring.
The news release announcing Carey Cockerell's retirement as commissioner of the Department of Family and Protective Services offered no reason for his departure, but he said in the announcement that he had been thinking about stepping down since late last year.
'I'll soon be a grandfather and I'm looking forward to a lot of quality time with my family after four decades of working in state and local programs,' said Cockerell, 61."

Oh yeah, spend more time with the family. If I were the Grand Jury, I'd forget about meeting again. I'm on the road, so I'm hardly following this closely, but, there it is.

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The Grand Jury Final Report for June? No Indictments?

With this confusing story it seems that the Grand Jury is done for the month, and won't meet again for another month. There were no indictments. My UNDERSTANDING is that the Grand Jury has to be empaneled to issue the indictments, and if they're done, and there are none, no one knows even now who to indict and for what. That is frankly amazing. Alan Futrell seems as confused about it as I am.

The San Angelo Standard-Times - ELDORADO - "With today's meeting of the Schleicher County grand jury at an end, no indictments have been issued and the panel has agreed to meet again July 22.

Alan Fatrell (sic?), the criminal defense attorney for the 16-year-old daughter of Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints leader Warren Jeffs, told reporters earlier in the afternoon that the grand jury would call one more witness before recessing until July 22. However, he said he did not know whether the continuation means the panel will not issue any indictments until that date."

Unless a Grand Jury can have a PHONE conference and issue indictments this turned out to be one big wet firecracker. That in and of itself should be a major news story across the country in the MSM. They can't even get a Grand Jury in their own home town to tell them what they think might have happened, when they are SPOON FEEDING them the "Evidence." My only guess is they were trying to gather evidence against Warren Jeffs, otherwise unless and indictment comes out, Walthers looks like a complete moron and hack.

UPDATE: It's probably fair to say we don't like each other much but I have no reason to think that "Texas Blues Man" over at "Coram Non Judice" is SUBSTANTIALLY wrong about this one, so I'll pass his answer along to you about Grand Juries in Texas;

"Hugh, the GJ is still technically in session, and they serve for the term of the court. In this case, the term ends on September 30th, so a quorum (9 jurors) can meet at any time between now and then.

If they decide to indict, the DA will prepare the indictment and the foreman will sign it.

Conceivably, the GJ could have indicted some today, and it is merely waiting for the copy for the foreman to sign, but more likely it will be ready for signature in July.

They can meet at any time until the end of the term, but usually will meet once a month or so - more often if needed.

Also, the term of the GJ can be extended for 90 days if needed.

Finally, if the indictments were sealed, they could already be issued and they are just waiting to serve them."

There were no indictments today, signed or unsigned by the foreman. That is unless news reports are wrong and about such technical details they usually are not in this case. I have no reason to suspect that the San Angelo Standard-Times got it wrong. This does mean that Barbara can call a quorum of the GJ at any time including tomorrow and get an indictment issued. The last time the GJ met they handed down 18 sealed indictments right away but the indictments were said to have nothing to do with the YFZ case so I doubt that there are any sealed indictments.

IMHO the failure to hand down any indictments in this case indicates it's extreme weakness. It would sound like the DA and the Judge were trolling today, trying to find something on which to build a case.

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Predictable Result, Malonis & Walther win.

No Recusal. No change of attorney. Willie Jessop barred from Teresa Jeffs for 90 days.

The Salt Lake Tribune - "Malonis was prepared to present more evidence about why she wants Jeffs's mother to keep the girl away from Jessop, including apparently e-mails they exchanged. But, as urged by Walther, attorneys avoided a hearing by negotiating an agreement that extends a restraining order issued Friday for another 90 days."

Apparently the compromise that resulted involved the following;

"Walther granted Malonis' request that Jeffs be reunited with her mother and siblings under special restrictions, making her the only child governed by such an order.

The order says Jeffs may have no contact with her father or a man named Raymond Jessop. She also is prohibited from living at the YFZ Ranch - and today Walther also turned down the girl's request that she be allowed to spend the night at the ranch before making her grand jury appearance.

Jim Schmidt, an attorney for Texas Child Protective Services, said that doing so would be 'counterproductive for what we are trying to do' and not in Jeffs' best interest. Instead, Jeffs and her mother stayed at a hotel. "

Is it just me or does it seem to you that it's OBVIOUS they don't care about the "child?" It's "COUNTERPRODUCTIVE FOR WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO?" I thought this was about the children.

"Afterward, on the courtroom steps, Malonis said: 'Life goes on. I'm happy. I'm just exhausted.'"

Who cares if YOU'RE happy? Putting this teen through this torture should tear you up, even if you ARE right you IDIOT. (I was temped to use another word, but I restrained myself.)
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No indication the Walther-Malonis Team has adjourned for the evening. It's a full on Smoker?

Fight club is it? Maybe I'm reading it wrong but every news report I can get my hands on says the hearing is still in progress. If that's NOT the case, let me know. All I can say is Annette must have picked a great attorney. Barbara NEVER misses the dinner bell. More →

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The Third Pregnant Girl?

Is apparently Teresa Jeffs. Don't get me wrong, she isn't pregnant. She hasn't been. She is the last great lie it would seem of the CPS and she's about to be exposed as being chaste, virginal and not a victim of abuse.

So another theory has to be advanced if she is not a smokescreen or if that is only one of the purposes that Barbara Athaliah Jezebel Walthers has by using her in this way. One of her purposes may be CONCEALMENT. By using Grand Jury proceedings Jezebel Walthers can possibly enjoin her from speaking. At some point after the serving of the subpeona and the beginning of testimony Teresa may legally have to shut up. In which case she has about 48 hours to say her say or she won't be able to until the Grand Jury's work is over. Either that, or she already is in contempt.

Concealment also involves pixelating Teresa's face and not publishing Teresa's name though this virtuous maiden wishes now to shout from every rooftop and every street corner that her reputation is wrongly sullied, and her virtue intact. Texas by method of this concealment, preserves the ability to lead the press willingly around by the nose pretending there is a 3rd pregnant underage teen when there is only a 16 year old that has never known a man.

A number of people have approached me and asked what I'm going on about with the 3rd girl and told me it is Teresa. I have rejected up until this point that claim based on an article I read, but now cannot find in which it was said the "girl" in question was going to give birth this month. I cannot find that article. I thought I had linked to it. If it exists anywhere else but my aging geriatric mind, someone who knows please direct me to it. I can't find it any longer. If the third girl is Teresa, the state has a lot of explaining to do. They have essentially abused a virtuous young girl for the purposes of hiding the fact that they never had a cause for the second warrant, which is based on "seeing" a pregnant underage girls.

If this is the case, Texas now stands as not only an abuser, but a hostage taker and it's agents have obstructed justice. Those obstructing justice would be primarily Barbara Walthers and one of her prominent henchpersons would be Ms. Malonis, the attorney ad litem for Teresa Jeffs. I suggest they both be arrested.

If you want to read Teresa's letters yourself, they are published at "Free the FLDS Children." More →

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