| FLDS trial to start | |
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By Beth Karas Case Updates In Session: Sidebar CNN | |
NEW YORK – The first criminal trial following the April 2008 raid on the FLDS ranch in Texas begins Monday in Eldorado, Texas. Raymond Merril Jessop, 38, is charged with one count of Sexual Assault of a Child under the age of 17. Jessop is also charged with Bigamy, but that trial will be held at some later date. The raid on the Yearning for Zion Ranch in Schleicher County, Texas took place between April 3 and April 9 last year. Hundred of documents and photographs were seized including certificates of "spiritual unions" which are expected to be used to corroborate the allegations that underage marriages were taking place, birth records, dictations of prophet Warren Jeffs, and photographs of FLDS men and their numerous wives. Following the raid, more than 400 children were removed from the ranch by the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services. An appellate court eventually ruled that the State did not have grounds to remove the children. Most of the children were reunited with their families in June 2008. A child named Merianne, who had purportedly married Warren Jeffs when she was twelve years old, was later sent to live with a relative. She’s now fifteen. Child Protective Services, within DFPS, was building a number of cases of child abuse and other crimes against the parents but ultimately "non-suited" most of them. The cases were dropped after the mothers took parenting classes during which they were advised, among other things, of Texas law forbidding underage marriages. The mothers signed a "service plan" prepared by CPS where they promised to abide by the advice they learned in the classes. CPS, however, has no jurisdiction to follow up on cases that were non-suited so, aside from limited self-reporting coming out of the YFZ ranch, there is no way to know how the children are faring. The Texas Attorney General, however, built criminal cases against 12 men following the raid. These men, who include Warren Jeffs and the current defendant Raymond Merril Jessop, were indicted in July and August last year and charged with crimes ranging from Failure to Report Child Abuse and Unlawful Marriage Ceremony of a Minor Child to Sexual Assault and Bigamy. The alleged victim in this first trial was 15 when she was purportedly married to Jessop on August 12, 2004. She had been married to Jessop’s brother, Ernest. Ernest had been kicked out of the ranch by prophet Warren Jeffs and three of his wives were reassigned to his brother, Raymond. In this trial against Raymond Jessop, the Attorney General is seeking to introduce what is called evidence of "extraneous acts." The defense vigorously opposes these acts on the grounds that they cannot be proven, are highly prejudicial, and irrelevant to the charge of Sexual Assault. One of the acts, however, is about the alleged victim in this case. In a motion filed late last month, the Attorney General wrote that "Jessop placed his purported wife and unborn baby in danger by not seeking medical treatment for them." The alleged victim, who was 16 at the time, was in labor for three days in August 2005. She was not taken to a hospital "because of her age and the associated governmental pressures against the Prophet," according to the motion which quotes Warren Jeffs. Other acts the Attorney General wants to introduce include Jessop’s purported marriage to eight other women, allegations that he engaged in illegal banking activities, and aiding and abetting a fugitive when he failed to turn in Warren Jeffs while Jeffs was on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitive List. Jessop faces up to 20 years in prison. He has been free pending the outcome of the trial after posting a $100,000 bond. - Beth Karas, In Session correspondent | |
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insession.blogs.cnn.com Originally published October 23, 2009 | |
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