Posted on 08/04/2011 8:41:36 AM PDT by MizSterious
The West Texas jury deciding the fate of polygamy cult leader Warren Jeffs listened through headphones to 21 minutes of heavy breathing yesterday. Some in the room wept. Others held their hands over their mouths. The X-rated recording, a cornerstone of the state’s child-sex-assault case, allegedly chronicled Jeffs’ encounter with a 12-year-old girl, an episode that ended with the self-proclaimed prophet declaring, “In Jesus Christ, amen.”
The jurors heard an almost inaudible voice. “Amen,” echoed the child.
It got worse. According to prosecutors, Jeffs and his new “celestial wife” were not alone. A dozen of his most trusted men were witnesses to the “sealing.” It was a family affair: At least one of Jeffs’ other wives, his purported favorite, Naomi, was also in the room. “What are you feeling?” Jeffs asked the girl. And in a moment that froze everyone in the courtroom, she answered meekly, “Very well, thank you.”
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
Warren Jeffs trial pinglist—if you want on or off, let me know via Freepmail!
SAN ANGELO, Texas (AP) - The child sex assault case of polygamist leader Warren Jeffs is heading to closing arguments.
Jeffs, head of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, asked Thursday to suspend the trial for two days to call more witnesses, saying he didn't have enough time to prepare from jail.
State District Judge Barbara Walther rejected the request after quizzing Jeffs over what witnesses he planned to call. Jeffs didn't offer any names.
(Excerpt--click here for the rest of the article.)
Expect a verdict today. As someone tweeted, it will take longer to read the jury instructions than it will to come back with a guilty verdict on this guy.
I am confused... when the article mentions “other people were in the room to witness the sealing”... does that mean what I think it means?
Yes. And one of them was reportedly the child’s own mother, who they said helped hold her down. Despicable.
I was thinking that my brain went way out initially. I don’t even know what to say. I am that dumbfounded! I would kill or die trying to kill ANYONE hurting my daughter (or son for that matter). This is beyond sick and evil... How can people much less the child’s own MOTHER watch and participate in her rape?
If “marrying” 12 year old girls is Jeffs’ worst crime, this may be closer than we think to becoming a non-crime at some point in the future, though he’s nailed six ways from Sunday under present law and most consider his acts to be very odious.
Polygamy — making a claim to a governmentally recognized state of simultaneous marriage to multiple spouses — is still against the law, because the government refuses to define that kind of “marriage” — yet. But living with multiple persons of the opposite (or any) sex, and privately calling it anything you want (e.g. “ham sandwich”) has been viewed as OK by the USSC itself.
In the meantime, it is modern ages that have placed taboos upon marriages of people who are at the age when marriage in biblical societies (including the Hebrews under the Mosaic law) would begin to become possible. That’s 12 for girls, 13 for boys.
Of course the latter was intended for actual marriages, not for “living together” which would have been considered either rape or fornication and severely punished.
On Wednesday, Texas prosecutors rested their case after playing a key piece of evidence for jurors: an audiotape they allege documents Jeffs' sexual assault of a then-12-year-old girl in the presence of three other "wives."
One juror wiped her eyes as she listened to the recording. Another looked at Jeffs out of the corner of her eye. Still another had a hand covering her mouth.
One of the three wives is the child's mother. I do not think he's also the father of his "bride" but with this group, who knows? I think this jury will convict this guy. If only we could next convict the mothers.
One would hope he had enough humanity left to not commit biological incest (inbreeding) — wishing a host of congenital diseases and defects upon the offspring — but who knows.
“If “marrying” 12 year old girls is Jeffs’ worst crime, this may be closer than we think to becoming a non-crime at some point in the future...”
I agree. A society that embraces homosexuality and rapidly that of homo-marriage, will eventually be accepting of anything.
JessABoyle RT @HLNTV: More at 12p on #HLN RT @erinhln #warrenjeffs has rested his case. He sat silently, refusing to answer the judge. Closing arguments next. 6 minutes ago ·
Live Tweets at San Angelo Standard Times — http://www.gosanangelo.com/news/2011/aug/03/live-tweets-from-the-warren-jeffs-trial/
You know, I don’t know why they don’t go after the women. Is it assumed that he is the cult leader and they are brainwashed thus not responsible? A woman holds down her daughter so “step-daddy” can rape her? I will say that I am glad that I am not a juror. I think I would have gotten physically ill listening to the tape. All the Lysol in the world that I could bathe in wouldn’t make me feel any more clean after that testimony.
I know some here think that eventually all this will be legal in this country. I sure hope not, because the day that happens is the end of this country. It will have no moral ground whatever, and I think it will just fall apart.
I agree. I understand why some think it will become legal. Marriage is between a man and woman. Change that via law that it can include man-man or woman-woman. If that is done, then every “match” can be up for debate. Man-multiple women, woman-multiple men. Not too far behind that is children. Whether that can be disguised as a “religious freedom” or not.. I don’t know. You are right though. I pray that it doesn’t. If it does, we have embraced the D_vi_ as a nation IMHO.
My only objection to those raids was that they should have happened much sooner.
Hiding behind the cloak of or religion and religious freedom is an atrocity and abomination.
I am confident that the framers of the Constitution never had any intent of protecting such disgusting, vile immorality in the name of God.
It's amazing the tape was even found.
Yeah. He had an audience.
Nothing like real, live pron in the name of religion, eh?
Er. porn. Sorry for the misspelling. I’m so angry right now that I am not thinking clearly.
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