EXCLUSIVE: Wallace Jeffs speaks to ABC 4 News
 
Reported by: Brent Hunsaker
ABC 4 News
 
ST GEORGE, Utah (ABC 4 News) - Warren Jeff's own half brother is suing him. As we first told you Tuesday, the suit charges Jeffs with fraud and other FLDS leaders with conspiracy.

ABC 4's Brent Hunsaker had an exclusive interview with the man behind the lawsuit

Up until a few months ago Wallace Jeffs, brother of Warren Jeffs, who filed the lawsuit in 5th district court, was a true believer in his brother's prophetic calling. Then he saw his brother utter the following words.

"I am not a prophet... I never was the prophet." "What he has said in his own words, in his own confession, proved that wrong," said Jeffs.

It was then Wallace realized he'd made a terrible mistake. When Warren kicked him out of the polygamous community of Hildale, Utah in January he left without his wife and children.

"It’s something that's been very hard on me, but I did leave them and I never should have done that," said Jeffs. He tried to talk Warren. He wrote and called. "I wanted to work this out between us, between two brothers," said Jeffs. "But he didn't want to."

The lawsuit was his last resort. He charges there's a conspiracy among FLDS leaders to keep Warren's confessions from the people.

"Anybody who was involved in it and saw it from the start that didn't expose it is guilty of it," said Jeffs. "Because he said it right in there, show this to the priesthood people and they refused to do that." And worse still, he says there are far too many people here who are willing to blindly follow.

He said, "Everybody has to make that choice for themselves. But they have to choose to want to know the truth. The truth is out there. You can believe a lie if you want to believe a lie or you can search for the truth. But you have to look for it truth. I choose not to follow him because of what I know about him."

Even so, the soft-spoken Wallace is unwilling to speak unkindly of Warren. Yet Wallace knows there is no going back. He will never again be welcomed in town. Not while Warren is revered as a prophet.

Within the next couple days there will be a hearing at 5th District Court. Wallace Jeffs will ask for a temporary restraining order. His next step is getting his children out of the reach of his brothers.
 
ABC4.com
Originally broadcast July 14, 2011
 
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