But it's starting to get INTERESTING again

My first involvement with the FLDS, YFZ, Warren Jeffs and the rest had to do with a certain commonality of purpose. I lost interest and couldn't advocate for anyone when fissures began to appear within the FLDS over the whole matter. Warren made it worse by being guilty of a few genuine crimes, and then falling on his sword, stupidly and publicly. So I thought I was out. Now I'm "pulled back in" by the sheer fascination of the ongoing hypocrisy and "Inspector Javert" quality of Texas' pursuit.

Fredrick Merril Jessop was a very bad man, and a very bad man was he.

Right?

The San Angelo Standard-Times - "When his eligibility date arrived, the parole board already had voted against releasing (Merril Jessop).

But:

"The parole panel voted in October against releasing Jessop, Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles spokesman Harry Battson said. Such pre-emptive actions are not uncommon."

Merril's crime, you know, the thing he was convicted of doing?

"Fredrick Merril Jessop, 76, is serving a 10-year sentence, which along with the $10,000 fine levied against him is the maximum penalty for the third-degree felony of performing an illegal ceremony."

A third degree felon is in essence an "accessory before the fact," Merril is said to have "said words" that motivated others to commit felonies. He had an opinion. He expressed it. He didn't cause anyone to do anything, that is anything for which he is imprisoned.

The FIRST Amendment to the US Constitution?

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."

I frequently cite and quote Wikipedia though I have deep issues and differences with them regarding methodology and content. Wikipedia is a supreme example of Hegelian "synthesis" in real life. Whatever most people think is "the truth" according to the Wiki people. This is exacerbated when people with a cause masquerade as hundreds of people and "stuff the ballot box" of synthesis so as to send truth sliding into the ditch.

It thus (oddly) becomes useful to quote Wikipedia or cite them because often it is good to use a source that agrees with you, even though their every inclination is to disagree. It's sorta like the apostle Paul asserting that even heathens know better than to do some things, in his letters to the Corinthians.

The point? Merril is a very bad man from Wikipedia standards*, but you can still glean much from their heavily biased description. Namely, that he doesn't have much, if any, in the way of a criminal past.

He's not eligible for parole again until next year, in October, and he's in jail for an opinion, openly expressed and supposedly stated in our constitution, to be a protected form of speech coupled with a free practice of religion. It would appear that because Merril is in jail and is saddled with a staggering monthly child support bill, that if he ever gets parole, he's going straight back into the hoosegow for contempt. Effectively, he is at 76, being jailed for life for having a constitutionally protected opinion. (Qatar anyone?) At 76, and being jailed now for a while, he may not have the wherewithal to write a large 6 figure check.

When your freedoms are all gone, remember, this is the way they were lost.





*An example: The way the Wikipedia article on Merril is edited/written, we end up with this result: "Merril Jessop (born December 27, 1935[1]) was believed to be the de facto leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (FLDS Church) after its former leader, Warren Jeffs, resigned when he was convicted as an accomplice to rape in 2007..."

Who was convicted of rape? Merril or Warren? A reader might come away with an impression that Merril was. In addition, though it is literally true that Warren was "convicted as an accomplice to rape in 2007," Warren's conviction was overturned, in large part due to the fact that it was later found a star witness had perjured herself. Utah has no plans to retry the case, because a conviction is impossible per the Utah Supreme Court's opinion on the matter.

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Massive Lurch Towards Legal Polygamy

With a judge striking down the defense of marriage act that defines marriage as being between a man and a woman, what's to stop a man and a woman and a woman from stepping into the void and getting married?

The Boston Globe - "A federal district court judge in Boston today struck down the 1996 federal law that defines marriage as a union exclusively between a man and a woman.

Judge Joseph L. Tauro ruled that the federal Defense of Marriage law violates the Constitutional right of married same-sex couples to equal protection under the law and upends the federal government’s long history of allowing states to set their own marriage laws."

Where does this leave the "enhancement clause" on which the super long sentences of FLDS members is based as well?

It may be no longer necessary to lobby for legal polygamy, it may very well be here. I'd encourage some already polygynous family to rush out and attempt to marry themselves, all three, four or five (or however many) they are.

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"Not a lot of evidence has been presented," Walther said. "There have been a lot of speeches this morning."

Wait, how is it that you give evidence of no evidence? Is "Athaliah" Walther asking that FLDS attorneys prove the negative? She's signaling her ruling here, in the face of overwhelming lack of evidence, namely, the overwhelming lack of evidence that there was a girl in distress at the ranch.

The San Angelo Standard Times - "The calls from Sarah are now believed to be a hoax, likely perpetrated by a 33-year-old Colorado Springs woman arrested on charges of making similar but unrelated calls in Colorado.

(Gerry) Goldstein said the person who made the call said she had been taken to a hospital, but it was later revealed no such person was admitted at the local hospital. The caller also initially refused to give a name or address, he said.

The caller also couldn't give the first name of the alleged husband until she was presented with several FLDS members' names, Goldstein said.

'The caller was given a multiple choice exam to her husband's first name,' Goldstein said.

Long was the only witness called so far, but it was early in the hearing and he was asked whether defendant Frederick Merril Jessop lived on the ranch and if he was considered the ranch leader. The defendants signed affidavits stating they reside on the ranch and follow the church's teachings.

This is why Rozita, who in my estimation has the IQ of a rock, sounded so convincing, she was given a script.

The ruling clearly will be for the inclusion of the evidence. "Athaliah" is already making speeches. Probably some of those very words will be used in the appeal to show she had her mind made up and was playing diva to the press.

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And then there were three.....and one of them is not Teresa Jeffs

Trying to see a plan in what Texas does (other than the making of splashy headlines) would drive anyone mad. After all that posturing and pleading the 5th in a deposition over Teresa Jeffs, Texas "nonsuits" Teresa Jeffs. My brain is breaking.

The Deseret News - "One of the most hotly fought custody cases is closer to ending. In a filing in a San Angelo, Texas, court on Monday, Texas Child Protective Services asked a judge to 'nonsuit' 17-year-old Teresa Jeffs, the daughter of FLDS leader Warren Jeffs."

To be honest, I don't honestly know what is going on. Did Malonis mess up that bad? Was this the plan all along? Is this an attempt to divert attention from something else we should be paying attention to? Does your chewing gum lose it's flavor on the bed post every night? Is there actually a method to the madness? Because wait, there's more.

"A CPS spokesman declined to speak about the dismissal, saying the agency does not talk about specific cases. Jeffs' court-appointed attorney, Natalie Malonis, said the case was not over, however."

Has some sort of strange curse been placed on our Wacky Natalie, where all she can say is "it's not over?"

"Malonis said she was served Monday with a new filing by Jeffs' mother, Annette, seeking to replace Malonis and accusing her of not doing what is in Teresa Jeffs' best interest."

Dare I say it? It looks as if Barbara Walther is hanging Natalie out to dry because this action looks coordinated. Perhaps someone with considerable legal acumen cleared their throats in Barbara's chambers Friday. Maybe the case is collapsing. I truly do not know but there are few formulations that make this look good for Texas. There are few formulations that make Ms. Malonis look sane. If I didn't think I knew them better, I'd say I heard the Ship of Fools that is Texas breaking up below decks. I feel a final plunge coming on.

Who's left now? Merrianne Jessop? Teresa Steed? Teresa Steed's Child? This shouldn't be that hard to find out. Maybe they'll nonsuit two more and we'll know it's just Merrianne Jessop.

It really looks like Barbara Walther had no idea that Natalie was that "out there" and is cutting her losses.

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Do I drive a Car? Merril invokes the fifth, citing the "Mann Act."

Hey, it's his right. Merril Jessop refuses to establish, himself, that he can drive a car. Why?

The San Angelo Standard-Times - "Jessop, a top leader of the polygamous Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints that runs the Schleicher County ranch, invoked the Fifth Amendment 267 times on questions as minor as whether he drives a car and as significant as whether his now-14-year-old daughter was involved in a sexual relationship with sect leader Warren Jeffs.

'Upon the advice of counsel, he's exerting his Fifth Amendment (rights),' Jessop's attorney, Amy Hennington, said early in the all-day Friday deposition. 'The basis is that there is potential state investigation still ongoing, as well as criminal investigations under the Mann Act out of the U.S. Attorney's office.'

The Mann Act prohibits the transportation of people across state lines for the purpose of sexual activity."

This sent Barbara Walther scrambling back to her office, to write an order. She will of course, find some justification for "compelling" Merril to testify. Thumbscrews anyone?

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So, How do you compel Merril Jessop to testify against himself? I thought Obama had ended torture.

I wouldn't say I'm a great legal mind, but this is not a tough concept

. For eight hours, Merril Jessop apparently DIDN'T testify leaving the Future Supreme Court of the United States Justice Natalie Malonis no choice but to "COMPEL TESTIMONY."

The San Angelo Standard-Times - "Attorneys for the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Later-Day Saints elder and his alleged teenage daughter-in-law will argue in court Monday over whether Jessop should be able to plead Fifth Amendment protection to a series of questions regarding the polygamous sect's financial structure.

'There are quite a few (answers) that are in controversy,' said Natalie Malonis, the Denton attorney representing a 17-year-old daughter of FLDS leader Warren Jeffs. 'He answered some of it. I hope that on Monday when we have our hearing, (the judge) will compel answers.'

51st District Judge Barbara Walther set the hearing, Malonis said, after compelling testimony in a 30-minute telephone proceeding on some efforts by Jessop to plead the Fifth, which protects witnesses from being forced to give answers under oath that could incriminate them."

Frankly, only Merril Jessop and his attorneys, bound by attorney-client privilege are the judges of what it is that might incriminate him. Only a truly special set of circumstances along with expansive knowledge missing a few minor details could possibly render another the judge of what might incriminate. Merril Jessop is NOT on trial, and as a result has every right to avoid saying things that might put him on trial.

Beyond threatening him with blackmail, such as the imprisonment of his children through child custody, there's not much they can do. Would Barbara Walther order him to testify or face contempt charges? How would Merril respond? I hardly think he is afraid of spending time in jail. Perhaps there are grounds for compelling testimony, but there are no racks, no iron maidens available to persuade him and Obama is closing Guantanamo.

If anything proves the puppet status of Natalie Malonis as the courtroom agent of Judge Walther, this episode is all the circumstantial evidence that we need. In 6 months Ms. Malonis' client is an adult. Teresa Jeffs need for Ms. Malonis' services is academic. Frankly the only reason that she can't apply for emancipation right now is that she has a guardian supplying a voice for her and a judge that would never listen to her own.

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There is a FLDS Fugitive. The Ninth Man?

I missed one.

The San Angelo Standard Times - "A ninth FLDS man remains at large despite being indicted on two undisclosed charges months ago, said Schleicher County District Clerk Peggy Williams."

Merril Jessop I presume? This will probably involve a perp walk. More →

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