Producer of 'Banking on Heaven' FLDS, Warren Jeffs film, speaks to In Session

Edward Lane Wichita Falls Law Enforcement Examiner Examiner.com

Credits: Arizona State Attorney's Office Warren Jeffs embraces 12-year-old child bride in photo that has now been submitted as evidence in his trial On July 26, 2011, Laurie Allen, the producer of the documentary film "Banking on Heaven" spoke live with In Session. In Session is covering the Warren Jeffs trial during their programming which airs each weekday from 9:00 am until 3:00 pm. Jeffs faces two sexual abuse charges stemming from the revelation he had married two child brides. The film "Banking on Heaven" interviews several escapees from the polygamist group including Warren Jeffs sister, Elaine Jeffs. Laurie Allen also spoke with Dr. Drew Pinsky on his program that aired on Monday, July 25, 2011. Laurie Allen spoke about how she escaped from the Lebaron polygamous sect when she lived in Central America. She was sixteen-years-old at the time. Allen described her escape as follows, "Well, I actually jumped out the second-story window on to a flat bed truckload of pigs. One of my uncles had kidnapped me, and we were living in Central America. He was kind of like Jeffs. He was an outlaw, and you know, running from the law. And so, it was quite an ordeal escaping From Central America when I was 16 and not knowing where I had a single relative on the outside. "When I finally got a job as a live-in nanny, basically, in Florida, they paid for my flight to the United States. And when I got here, it took me nine months to find a relative on the outside as I didn't know where anybody was." Laurie Allen continued speaking about Warren Jeffs' sister, Elaine, "You know, that women – children - I mean, children, there's no protection for them whatsoever. And, you know, one of the things Elaine Jeffs says in my film, this is Warren Jeffs' sister, they take children from the time they're born and they just strip them of all their emotions. "Like babies, for example, they water board them. When the baby starts crying, they'll hold its face under water so that it will stop crying." You may see a video recording from Dr. Drew where Warren Jeffs speaks about brides and the cult in the video player to the left. You may also see the trailer to Laurie Allen’s film "Banking on Heaven" in the player as well. Edward Lane graduated from Midwestern State University with a bachelor's degree in history and Baylor University School of law with a juris doctorate degree(law) before passing the Texas Bar Exam and being licensed as an attorney in Texas. A prosecutor for more than 20 years handling murder, child abuse, drug and sexual assault cases, he lost only one felony jury trial. Prior to attending law school Edward worked as a reporter for the Wichita Falls Times and Record News.

Examiner.com Originally published July 26, 2011

Back

For more information email: