John T. Floyd weighs in on the Motion to Suppress, and just about the whole case.

I really don't know where to begin. The article does not deserve comment, it deserves to be read. Here's just a tiny taste:

"Factual misrepresentations and misinformation are the thread that now bounds the FLDS case."

John ranges through the whole case in summary form and touches on the entire injustice of it, in all areas including the appearance of the FLDS before the Texas legislature. He hits on the cost, the comparative statistical frequency of child abuse and the duplicity of Ranger Brooks Long. Just go read it.

By the way, now that the arguments are in, and a Criminal Attorney has weighed in on the topic, I call all the "ANTI FLDS" bloggers who imply or claim they are legal eagles and lawyers and experts to be refuted. Simply put, until they tell us who they are, they're just loud cowards.

I no longer recognize "TxBluesMan" or "FLDSTexas" or "Ron in Houston" as having any standing or any valid opinion. John T. Floyd is a criminal law attorney, he's made this judgment armed with all the facts available on the record. He's qualified. I'll listen to qualified opinions thank you.

Own up, or go home, trolls.

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Red Herring - "Pedophilia is not a religion"

Allegedly said by Representative Drew Darby of Texas.

I have this to observe. I know of NO RELIGION, particularly those of Judeo Christian origin, that define pedophilia. This has always been a matter of law. The thorny problem this presents for people who rabidly shake the finger and foam at the mouth over the horrible crime of pedophilia, is that it is just that, a crime.

Without the strength of law behind it, it would be no crime at all, and my religion (which is not FLDS or LDS or any of it's offshoots) does not forbid it. I'm sure a lot of you will begin to spit and speak at the audacity of this and drown your keyboards in saliva while you attempt to bang out an impassioned response, but it's nonetheless true.

The insulation from the acts we term "pedophilia" are the right of parents, and our concerns for children and the sanctity of marriage. Even society says no pedophilia occurs inside marriage, and as Willie Jessop so correctly pointed out, and as the Motion to Suppress correctly points out, marriage can occur down to three years of age. Even in Texas.

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No one reports Drew Darby's threat.

During the hearing yesterday, Rep. Drew Darby (San Angelo) "got tired" of hearing Willie Jessop characterize the San Angelo Colosseum as a "Hay Barn/Stable." Willie apologized and stated that he really meant Fort Concho. Be that as it may, Drew Darby's threat, that elicited Willie's apology was that he and Willie would "Come to Blows" if Willie kept saying that.

Ok, it's all a little jostling by a couple of big country boys, right? Not really. I had a couple of email exchanges by email with one of those few people who is fair enough to act as a lens to both sides of the issue and ended up saying this:

"But (Drew) did mean something by it. It was a dominance gesture, and a successful one. He said 'I can threaten you with violence allegorically and get away with it.' If Willie had said the same thing in the same tone, he would have been arrested. It's like one dog walking up and peeing on the other dog. All Willie can do is lie down and whimper, because if he doesn't, they'll literally tear him apart."

And the effect indeed was immediate, because Willie went right to an apology. Again, going back to the dog illustration, I'm sure you've seen one growl and the other roll over and expose themselves in a gesture of submission and this in fact is precisely what happened.

I'm not impugning Willie's manliness or courage by observing this. I am pointing out that this was a form of public abuse that Willie had little choice but to accept if he wanted to remain a free man. Drew Darby knows this, he's both a lawyer, and a politician. In the WHOLE WORLD of media with access to the event, only your Modern Pharisee reported on this aspect of the hearings. I know of no other video or story reflecting this shameless exercise of pure power.

This should make you think about EVERY aspect of packaged news that you hear or read. It's not what your reporter tells you, it's just as much what they won't tell you.

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UPDATED Willie is testifying. Physically THREATENED by Texas representative.

It is getting ugly, one representative (Hildebran, I think) Drew Darby suggested they would "Come to blows." Willie has made the interesting assertion that he has doubtless researched, that the youngest age allowable for marriage with judicial consent in Texas is THREE. The next witness, Judge Scott McCowan confirmed this is so. That seemed to shut things down, as no one on the panel knew that. The chairman is apparently declaring that he doesn't believe that Willie doesn't know certain facts, but they're asking him for hearsay. They have decided to swear Willie in. Willie is being confronted with the well known pictures of Warren Jeffs with Merrianne Jessop. Here's the link.

Texas. Stream 7. Willie was asked if he knows of underage marriage and he said he doesn't live there.

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