| Warren Jeffs Abandoned By His Flock Of Supporters? | |
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By Doug Ware - KUTV.com Dan Rascon Reporting KUTV Channel 2 News | |
(KUTV) ST. GEORGE - Just over a year ago, Warren Jeffs was a fugitive from justice, a man on the FBI's ten "Most Wanted" list and maintained tremendous influence over polygamous communities in southern Utah -- as well as out-of-state. Now, Jeffs appears in court every day while facing a future in prison. And his religious authority is hemorrhaging like blood from a cavernous wound. His so-called polygamous "flock" of followers seem to be breaking formation from Jeffs' way of life -- perhaps because they no longer fear the self-proclaimed "prophet" of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, now that he is behind bars. Joseph Broadbent, 18, once saw Jeffs as the supreme religious authority. Now, however, he feels as though he's been cheated out of a normal life. "The way I was taught... he was basically God," he said. "We worshipped him every day." A year ago, Broadbent escaped his polygamist lifestyle along the Utah-Arizona border -- Jeffs' stronghold to command his FLDS followers -- saying that he no longer wanted any part of the religion. "The way he breaks up the families... he actually tells you who you are going to marry. I hope he stays in jail for life, That's what I'm hoping." Broadbent said. Jeffs, 51, is on trial as an alleged accomplice to child rape. Prosecutors say he arranged a marriage between a 14-year-old girl and her 19-year-old cousin. The girl says she was forced to have sex with her cousin, and that Jeffs did nothing to stop it. "He alread had put me in this position and he was the only one who could get me out... and he wouldn't," the girl testified during the trial. Broadbent has dealt with a similar situation with his own sister, who is 15. She has contacted him recently asking to be taken away from her polygamous family -- saying that she is being pressured into an unwanted marriage. Broadbent -- who has 18 siblings, two mothers and one father -- has removed his sister from her family. "Her dad tried to get her married off when she was 14," Broadbent said. "And she called me today and said, 'come get me.'" | |
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KUTV.com Originally broadcast September 20, 2007 | |
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