Arrest made in Texas polygamy case

[superconnected]

Source: Associated Press

SAN ANGELO, Texas - State police made an arrest as they searched a sprawling rural compound built by polygamist leader Warren Jeffs in their investigation into a possible underage marriage, an official said Monday.

The person was charged with interfering with the duties of a public servant for actions made during the search of the religious compound, Department of Public Safety spokesman Tom Vinger said.

Vinger said the person arrested was not Dale Barlow, the man listed in warrants related to the marriage of an underage girl. He said he had no other details.

The girl's report to authorities last week led to a raid at the 1,700-acre West Texas compound run by the sect led by Jeffs, the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.



Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080407/ap_on_re_us/polygamist_retreat

[zanne]

1. I'm sure they'll be extra careful...

Not to hurt any fundie feelings.

[Tesha]

15. They bussed them all away in vans from a local Baptist church!

From the frying pan into the broiler!

Tesha

[maddezmom]

2. 400 Children Removed From Polygamist Ranch in State Custody, and 133 women left voluntarily

400 Children Removed From Polygamist Ranch
Survivor Of Polygamist Sect Says Women Are 'Breeding Machines'
CBS News Interactive: Children In Danger
SAN ANGELO, Texas (CBS) ― Authorities arrested one man at a Texas polygamist compound Monday, where they were investigating allegations of abuse by a 16-year-old girl.

Troopers began removing women and children from the 1,700-acre West Texas ranch Friday. Authorities were not sure whether the teen girl whose phone call prompted the raid was among them. They were looking for evidence that the teen was married.

As of 3 p.m. Monday, state officials say they have removed 401 children from the ranch and placed them in temporary state custody. They also say 133 women have voluntarily left the ranch.

On Friday, Child Protective Services spokeswoman Marleigh Meisner said the children had either been harmed or were in imminent danger at the compound. She would not give details.

more:http://cbs11tv.com/local/polygamist.compound.texas.2.694014.html

[kestrel91316]

3. Why do they need "evidence the girl was married"? All they have to do

is DNA test her, the baby, and the alleged father, verify her age from her birth record, then do the math.

Oh, wait, they haven't found her yet.

I suggest they check under those mounds of fresh dirt, personally........

[maddezmom]

5. was just watching MSNBC and someone said something

to the effect(or is it affect...I never remember)that she may be among the children already taken.

[Donnachaidh]

6. because MANY of the extra wives of FLDS husbands are only *spiritually* married

They don't *officially* marry the extra wives to keep from being thrown in jail for bigamy. And they also take girls as young as 14 for those *spiritual* wives. It will be interesting how this plays out.

[Thickasabrick]

10. One of the problems is a lack of birth records. Evidently there are

questions regarding determining ages since these children were not born in hospitals.

[High Plains]

16. If she exists at all. I guess we'll see how this plays out.

[AlbertCat]

8. four HUNDRED and one????

plus 133 women? That's 534(+)mostly babies and women and they're just now noticing? Did they think it was the Junior League or a quilting bee?


Last (or nearly so....with all that oil money!) in education, most polluted...we now have Texas style politics running our nation....

Can we just give Texas back to Mexico?

[girl gone mad]

13. I have a better idea.

How about if we just expel all of these newcomers. Bush and the politicians running our state government didn't come from Texas, they hail from the Northeast. This Mormon cult didn't start in Texas, they're all outsiders.

Texas would be just fine if we could keep the rest of you out.

[SpiritMatter]

9. Federal Orthodox Church of America eliminates evil doers

The Federal Orthodox Church of America advises you to stay calm. There is nothing for you to worry about if your religious beliefs, morals and practices are in line with the correct and legal beliefs, morals and practices of true Christians and not those of evil doing heretics.

Religious freedom is only necessary when the truth is not known. Since the Federal Orthodox Church of America knows the truth, religious freedom is now obsolete. The time saved by every citizen not having to determine if some thought, belief or action is right or wrong, or good or evil is an added bonus that will help to stimulate the economy and bring about the peace we all yearn for. You are welcome!

The Federal Religious Police will require admittance into your homes also to certify compliance with the "Zero Tolerance for Evil Doers" manifesto. If you are not an evil doer, you have nothing to fear.

[Shakespeare]

17. Wow, brand new to DU and defending child rape!

You certainly know how to make an entrance. :sarcasm:

[LanternWaste]

18. Said from the outside looking in...

Said from the outside looking in...

:eyes:

[maddezmom]

4. 401 children from FLDS compound now in protective custody

Article Last Updated: 04/07/2008 02:19:56 PM MDT


2:23 PM- SAN ANGELO, Texas -- Texas authorities have removed 401 children from the FLDS compound in Eldorado and are almost finished searching the property, according to a spokeswoman for the Texas Child Protective Service.

Marleigh Meisner said the CPS is trying to find shelter for all of them, but she's not sure where that might be.
In the meantime, the sheer number of people now in state care may soon strain state resources.

Debra Brown, executive director of the Children's Advocacy Center in Tom Green County, said that in a year her agency typically works with 271 children from a 10-county area.

more:http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_8839610?source=rss

[IsItJustMe]

7. Damn fundamentalist Republicans. They need to quit this shit! nuff said.

[mac2]

12. It's not a new thing either.

People want to allow freedom of religion so the action to remove people from their cult is very risky.

[mac2]

11. Many ruined lives.

I hope the victims can be "adjusted" to life outside their "religious prison." It's like when they raided those cults in the sixties.

This is not religion but abuse of power.

[Tesha]

14. That part that struck me as funny was the ABC reporting *NEVER MENTIONED MORMONISM*.

By comparison, some dinky local radio coverage this morning
characterized the group correctly as a "breakaway Mormon sect".

Maybe ABC's still hopping that Mitt the Twitt will be McCain's
VP pick?

Tesha