Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints

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Warren Jeffs Ordered to Pay $16M to a Former Child Bride

Elissa Wall was forced to marry her cousin at 14

(Newser) - Warren Jeffs must pay $16 million to a woman he pressured to marry her cousin when she was just 14. Elissa Wall, a child bride within the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, was awarded $4 million in damages and $12 million in punitive damages Tuesday, some 12...

Polygamous Leader Found Guilty of Having 25 Wives

Another former leader of the community found guilty of having 5 wives

(Newser) - Two former leaders of an isolated polygamous community in Canada were convicted Monday of practicing polygamy after a decades-long legal fight, setting up another potential court battle over the constitutionality of Canada's polygamy laws. Winston Blackmore, 60, and James Oler, 53, were found guilty by British Columbia Supreme Court...

Warren Jeffs' 65th 'Wife' Wants You to Tour His House

She plans to open Utah mansion to tourists, tenants

(Newser) - The Utah mansion was once home to pedophilia and polygamy. Now, it could host tourists. Brielle Decker, the 65th of Warren Jeffs' 79 wives, fled his Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints five years ago. She now plans to turn the 41-bedroom home the polygamist sect leader...

Polygamist Fugitive May Have Been 'Raptured': Attorney

Lyle Jeffs' attorney appears (we hope) to be joking with latest theory on disappearance

(Newser) - Lyle Jeffs' lawyer really wishes she could consult with him regarding a food stamp fraud trial involving 11 members of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Fox 13 reports. But the polygamist leader of the FLDS, who the New York Daily News notes had been under house...

Polygamous Towns Found Guilty of Discrimination

Cops treated nonbelievers unfairly, jury finds

(Newser) - Two polygamous towns on the Utah-Arizona border violated the constitutional rights of nonbelievers by denying them basic services such as police protection, building permits, and water hookups, a jury said Monday. The civil rights trial marks one of the boldest efforts by the government to confront what critics have long...

Warren Jeffs' Kids Say He Molested Them

New accusations against the polygamous Mormon sect leader

(Newser) - Two adult children of imprisoned, polygamous Mormon sect leader Warren Jeffs tell CNN Jeffs sexually abused them as children. Becky and Roy Jeffs recently left the 10,000-member Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-day Saints; two of Jeffs' other children have done the same. Becky Jeffs tells CNN...

Feds: Mormon Offshoot Turned Kids Into Laborers

Church in hot water allegedly pulling children from school to pick pecans

(Newser) - A fundamentalist Mormon church faces legal action from the Department of Labor after allegedly using young children to harvest pecans. Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints members Dale Barlow and Brian Jessop, and Paragon Contractors were fined $1.9 million yesterday for violating federal child labor laws, reports...

Let's Legalize Polygamy
 Let's Legalize Polygamy 
OPINION

Let's Legalize Polygamy

It's the best way to cut down on its abuses, Mark Goldfeder argues

(Newser) - The stars of Sister Wives essentially won decriminalization for polygamy in Utah last week—even as TLC released another reality show, Breaking the Faith, that focused on the dark side of the practice. "Whether or not a white-washed, clean-cut version of plural marriage could in theory legally exist, in...

Real Marriage Equality Means Legalizing Polygamy
Real Marriage Equality
Means Legalizing Polygamy
OPINION

Real Marriage Equality Means Legalizing Polygamy

Jillian Keenan argues that polygamist marriage isn't such a bad idea

(Newser) - The right-wing has been saying for years that gay marriage is a slippery slope—what's next, legalized polygamy? "We can only hope," writes Jillian Keenan at Slate . "No. I am not kidding." She argues that polygamy gets a bad rap in this country because of...

Polygamous Towns in Arizona, Utah Sued by Feds

Fed suit says non-members of FLDS targeted for harassment

(Newser) - Two adjoining towns on the Utah-Arizona border are being sued by the Justice Department, which charges that the polygamous towns are discriminating against nonbelievers in the area, reports the AP . The bulk of residents belong to the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, a group controlled by...

300 Mormons March in Utah Gay Pride Parade

'Love' extended to LGBT members who face excommunication from church

(Newser) - A group of Mormons made history yesterday when the largest number ever marched in Salt Lake City's Gay Pride Parade. The 300-strong group, dressed in their conservative Sunday best, are members of Mormons Building Bridges, and participated to "extend a message of love and support to our brothers...

Romney's Bain Gave Millions to Mormon Church

Including $1.9M in Burger King stock; was part of his tithing

(Newser) - If Mitt Romney does lift the veil on his tax returns, one thing that voters will get a look at is how much he gives to the Mormon church, and the answer might be a lot more than anyone thought. ABC News finds that Bain Capital routinely cuts the Church...

Oops: Did Warren Jeffs Preach From Prison?

If so, the polygamist leader broke the rules

(Newser) - Polygamist leader Warren Jeffs may still be preaching to his sect—over the phone. "We have confirmed that Jeffs made two phone calls on Christmas Day to a relative," a Texas official tells the Los Angeles Times . "At this point, we're investigating whether he may have...

Polygamist Warren Jeffs Hospitalized

Convicted rapist not eating, drinking in Texas prison

(Newser) - Convicted rapist and polygamist leader Warren Jeffs was sent to a Texas hospital last night after refusing to eat or drink enough in prison, the AP reports. Facing a life behind bars without parole until he is at least 100 years old, 55-year-old Jeffs "hasn't been feeling well,...

FLDS Erecting Giant Statue of Jeffs

Colossal metal prophet to tower over FLDS compound

(Newser) - With their leader locked up until after his 100th birthday, his devoted followers in the Fundamentalist Church of Latter Day Saints are turning to the next best thing: A 38-foot-tall statue of Warren Jeffs. Members of the polygamist sect are secretly assembling a colossal metal statue of Jeffs which will...

Jeffs Will Lead Church From Behind Bars

FLDS members probably aren't aware of case details

(Newser) - Warren Jeffs will spend the rest of his life in prison, but that's not likely to affect his ability to lead his Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, say former church members and expert. Followers of Jeffs' polygamist cult are likely to still revere him as...

Warren Jeffs Sentenced to Life in Prison

Polygamist leader guilty of sexually assaulting two girls in sect

(Newser) - The jury in Warren Jeffs' sex abuse trial took all of 40 minutes to decide that he should spend the rest of his life in prison. Jeffs was convicted last week of sexually assaulting two girls in his Texas polygamist sect, and the sentencing phrase wrapped up this morning. Jurors...

Warren Jeffs Convicted of Child Sex Abuse

Polygamist leader faces life in prison after sentencing phase

(Newser) - A Texas jury made quick work of the Warren Jeffs case today, deliberating for less than four hours before finding him guilty of sexually assaulting two underage girls in his polygamist sect, reports CNN . He faces life in prison when the sentencing phase of the trial wraps up. Jeffs acted...

Warren Jeffs' Panting 'Sex Tape' Played for Jurors

Cult leader utters 12-year-old 'bride's' name in heavy-breathing audio

(Newser) - A panting "sex tape" of polygamist Warren Jeffs allegedly raping his 12-year-old "spiritual bride" while uttering her name was played for a Utah jury yesterday before prosecutors rested their bigamy and sex assault case against the cult leader. As the tape ends, Jeffs proclaims: "In the name...

Warren Jeffs Fathered Child With 15-Year-Old: Expert

DNA makes forensic expert '99.99%' certain polygamist is the father

(Newser) - Warren Jeffs sure could use a good defense attorney right about now. A DNA expert testified today that there's a 99.99% chance that the embattled polygamist leader fathered a child with a 15-year-old girl, reports the AP . Jeffs, the leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of...

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