Jeffs' daughter wants to drop attorney

The Salt Lake Tribune ^ | June 22, 2008 | Brooke Adams

[Saundra Duffy]

An FLDS teenager is taking a dispute with her attorney public, claiming the attorney is making her life "harder" and asking the lawyer to "please leave me alone." Teresa Jeffs, 16, a daughter of polygamous sect leader Warren S. Jeffs, gave The Salt Lake Tribune on Sunday a copy of an e-mail she sent Natalie Malonis of Flower Mound, Texas, after seeing news reports about her case. On Friday, Malonis won a court order banning contact between an FLDS spokesman and the girl. "The most help you will be to me now is for you to step aside and let me get a different lawyer that I feel like can help me," Jeffs wrote in the e-mail. She said her attorney ad litem is "trying to restrict me from every person in my life that I want to talk to or have anything to do with."

[Saundra Duffy]

Harassed by your own lawyer. What could be worse?

[Saundra Duffy]

“’I am so sick of being called that when I am absolutely not a victim of sexual abuse and you have no evidence to prove that I have ever had sexual relations,’ she said in her e-mail to Malonis.”

Question: Why do pro-govt-raid FReepers prefer to believe the MSM and govt officials who are proven liars instead of the 16-year-old girl herself?

[nmh]

Well ... others that escaped this cult, know it to be typical and true.

Haven’t you noticed how brainwashed they are?

[Pikachu_Dad]

It is not ‘her’ attorney. It is one foisted on her by the government to ‘represent her interests’ since clearly a 16 year old is unable to think for herself.

[mouser]

Sounds like the lawyer has her own agenda

This is the girl everyone said was wanting to be protected now the question did she want protected or was the lawyer trying for headlines.

An interesting case and in the end I see no winners.

The kids
The group
Texas le
Texas cps

all will lose in their own way

The saddest part is those who have actually broke laws will in the end walk I fear.

[Saundra Duffy]

“Well ... others that escaped this cult, know it to be typical and true.”

Others who “escaped the cult” wrote books and are making money at the expense of the FLDS. Furthermore, those who “escaped the cult” were consulted by law enforcement officials as if their testimony was gospel set in stone.

The experience of those who “escaped the cult” is not necessarily the experience of every single FLDS man, woman and child. This is a country where we are treated and tried as individuals, not as an entire community, on the basis of hearsay.

[JRochelle]

The lawyer has said she won’t fight with this girl via the media.

It was the 16 year old who called the AP.

Now why would a 16 year old girl call the AP?

This has that disgusting Willie Jessop written all over it.

[Pikachu_Dad]

Here is another story on the same case:
http://www.abc4.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=0d3ad645-cf65-4db1-9022-87bc55947c99

Looks like the attorney doesn’t know where her own ‘client’ is:

“At least one potential witness, a 16-year-old girl, has not been found. According to an affidavit filed in court in Schleicher County, Texas, investigators for the attorney general have been unable to locate Teresa Jeffs.”

What does her attorney have to say:

“What happened to her? Teresa’s attorney ad litem, Natalie Malonis, told the court, “I believe that Teresa was avoiding service because of coercion and improper influence from Willie Jessop.” “

“Based on my dealings with Willie Jessop, I believe that he exercises a great deal of control over Teresa, and I am certain that he is interested in protecting the church’s interests and the interests of certain influential male members as opposed to Teresa’s legal interests,” said Malonis. “I believe that Teresa’s best interests and her legal interests require that she be free from the influence of Willie Jessop.”

“Malonis is requesting the court grant a temporary restraining order that forbids any contact between Jessop and either Teresa Jeffs or herself. She told the court, “I fear for my safety if Willie Jessop is not restrained.” A hearing has been set for Tuesday.”

Well, if you can’t find your client, make the case about you. Now that is a novel tactic.

[Fido969]

Feminist lawyer jumped in to get those evil patriarchs.

[FastCoyote]

[Harassed by your own lawyer. What could be worse? ]

You know Saundra, if the FLDS are as pure as the driven snow as you seem to imply in every post, why don’t you join them yourself? Apparently they are closer to Joseph Smith’s original vision than the tame LDS you now belong to.

[nmh]

Surely you are not defending the OBVIOUS about this group?

I have a relative that lives in AZ,. They RESCUE girls from this all the time. Believe it or not, OLD men love young virgin girls. They've got them brainwashed that it's okay to be their “spiritual bride” and pump out the kiddies. It's a pedophile heaven.

An interview with one of the women that LEFT that particular cult, was very interesting ... You won't find me defending polygamy or sexually assaulting a minor under the guise of “religion”.

[L.N. Smithee]

Question: Why do pro-govt-raid FReepers prefer to believe the MSM and govt officials who are proven liars instead of the 16-year-old girl herself?

Saying that someone must be a liar simply because s/he is in the employ of the government is just as prejudicial and unfair as saying that the daughter of Warren Jeffs must be lying about not being the victim of sexual abuse because she's the daughter of Warren Jeffs.

However, IMHO, Ms. Jeffs' declaration to her appointed attorney that "you have no evidence to prove that I have ever had sexual relations" sounds a lot like Bart Simpson's quote "I didn't do it. Nobody saw me do it. You can't prove anything."

[Saundra Duffy]

“Feminist lawyer jumped in to get those evil patriarchs.”

Feminist lawyer looking for 5 minutes of fame gets her 5 minutes but ends up looking like a fool.

[Saundra Duffy]

There are documented lies on the record told by TX law enforcement, TX CPS, and the media. For example, all that B.S. about the FLDS boys having broken bones and being sexually molested. Lies! When pro-gov’t-raid FReepers spread those same lies, I don’t have to like it.

A certain pro-govt-raid freeper Polit——Mom forbid me to post to her because I disagree with her. In a free country. Go figure.

If I forbid all FReepers who disagree with me on any given subject from posting replies to me, there’d be no one left to have a discussion with. Sheeeesh already.

[buck jarret]

Firing a lawyer for the first time is a sign of growing up.

[Saundra Duffy]

“Firing a lawyer for the first time is a sign of growing up.”

Oh, thank you for a good belly laugh. I mean it. I needed that.

[Saundra Duffy]

why don’t you join them yourself?”

First of all, the FLDS are not Mormons and you know it very well. The FLDS in my opinion have a right to religious freedom, freedom of association, and they are free to be stupid. Stupidity is not against the law. I may be stupid, but not that stupid. That is not a lifestyle I wish to join. I think it is horribly outrageous and evil the way the anti FLDS forces have joined ranks to persecute these people.

[mouser]

It was the 16 year old who called the AP.

Yes it was.

When you are declared a child and the court assigns a lawyer to speak for you and that lawyer is not saying what you want what do you do.

The media is the quickest and easiest way to get attention and a new lawyer.

[L.N. Smithee]

The saddest part is those who have actually broke laws will in the end walk I fear.

My greatest fear is that all the charges of abuse will go up in smoke, and that it will serve as the basis for the next lawsuit that will end up unraveling the American nuclear family as we know it.

About twenty-five years or so ago, I argued with a San Francisco talk show host who proposed that there should be no laws outlawing consensual incest because if nobody complains, the government has no business intruding on a family matter. I thought it was a sick but purely hypothetical discussion at the time.

Now I see people here at FR coming dangerously close to agreeing with that stance. And this is just a month after an ego-tripping Republican-appointed California justice legalized same-sex marriage in California despite a clear vote by the people stating it should be prohibited.

[Tennessee Nana]

Others who “escaped the cult” wrote books and are making money at the expense of the FLDS.
__________________________________________

Well, BOO HOO

Why does that concern you, Saundra ???

Do you get upset about victims of 9/11 writing books..

Or victims of past bigotry and hatred against the blacks before the Civil Rights Act ??? What about their books ???

Do you have a personal connection to the fLDS ???

You just seem to be a constant cheerleader for them ...

[Ratblaster]

FDLS are more Mormon, than Mormons are Christian.

[Ratblaster]

FDLS = FLDS

[Alice in Wonderland]

Did you catch this documented lie?

Dateline interviewed Lurrene & Rulon . . . clinging together, coaxing a garden to life . . .

They are a monogamous couple, parents of six. Lurrene laments about being separated from her children, especially little Natalie. Photos of the cutest little girl in the whole wide world are shown.

On the Today Show Lurrene and Rulon are once again being interviewed, along with another couple and, of course, Willie the Thug.

When asked if it abuse to have a teenage girl married, Rulon says that it "doesn't apply to them, that all of their six children are boys".

hummm . . .

BTW, check out MSNBC at the top of the hour. They are airing "Religion or Mind Control", a program about the flds.

[Saundra Duffy]

Good grief! No one is in favor of incest or child rape. I don’t even know what you’re talking about. The thing about our country is that people can’t just throw out heinous accusations against people willy nilly. We have a Constitution. This whole nightmare started as a result of a false report. I don’t think you’d like it if someone falsely accused you of some heinous crime against your own children and then before you could respond come and take your children away by force.

[L.N. Smithee]

There are documented lies on the record told by TX law enforcement, TX CPS, and the media. For example, all that B.S. about the FLDS boys having broken bones and being sexually molested. Lies!

Here's what you wrote earlier in the thread:

---

This is a country where we are treated and tried as individuals, not as an entire community, on the basis of hearsay.

---

You are suggesting that Ms. Jeffs' attorney is a liar because other Texas attorneys in this case have lied (I'll have to take your word on that -- I haven't followed this case closely).

Now, can you tell us for what reason are we to believe Ms. Malonis is the liar, and Ms. Jeffs is telling the truth about not being influenced by her father or Mr. Jessop?

And do you find (as do I) her statement about nobody having "proof" of her being sexually active significantly short of a declaration that she is not?

[trumandogz]

Is this the same girl that Jeffs is kissing in that picture?

[L.N. Smithee]

I don’t think you’d like it if someone falsely accused you of some heinous crime against your own children and then before you could respond come and take your children away by force.

If I chose to be in an organization that has as one of its tenets heinous crimes against its own children, I would have no reasonable expectation that the law eventually would not find its way inside to find out if I could be accused.

As culpable as the FBI and BATF were in the unnecessary deaths of the Branch Davidians, with their questionable gun sales and David Koresh's child brides, the cultists knew they were playing with fire (pun not intended).

[Alice in Wonderland]

No, this is Warren Jeffs daughter by his first wife, Annette.

There is a specific order from Judge Walther that set restrictions for the girl. She is prohibited from contact with her father or Raymond Jessop, 38. The order also requires the girl to stay away from the ranch. The girl is living with her mother and siblings in Bexar County.

The child’s attorney ad litem is Natalie Malonis and her guardian ad litem is Connie Gauwain.

Both Malonis and Gauwain allege that Willie Jessop has intimidated and improperly influenced the 16-year-old girl, encouraging her to seek a new attorney and to avoid service of a subpoena to appear before a grand jury next week in Schleicher County.

The judge has temporarily barred Willie Jessop, who is accused of intimidation, from contacting the girl. The judge also ordered Annette Jeffs, the girl’s mother, to notify law enforcement if Jessop attempts to contact her. The judge has set a hearing on the matter for next week.

I doubt that the mother, Annette Jeffs, will comply with the order to notify law enforcement if Willie Jessop shows up. The women are trained to obey orders, FLDS orders, without question.

Here’s a tidbit about mom:

Some followers play the tapes all day long, listening as a droning Jeffs describes a woman’s duty to be submissive, “Negro” devilishness and the right of God’s anointed leader to “rule in all areas of life.” Jeffs drove home the first point during a home economics class taught by his first wife, Annette. Jeffs ordered male students to join female classmates in the meeting hall. Jeffs grabbed his wife’s long braid and twisted it, sending her to her knees and ripping her hair out. He told an audience of gaping boys that this was how obedient their wives should be to them. A man has a duty, he said, to be a leader. And a wife needs to be submissive, no questions asked. “He left. The boys left. She got up, fixed her hair and went on talking,” said Jaleena Fischer Jessop, 31, who witnessed the display. “She was a fun person. I think that is why he did it to her.”

[trumandogz]

The girl is living with her mother and siblings in Bexar County.

Mother's Day and Father's Day must be quite confusing at that house.

[Flo Nightengale]

What proof do we have that the girl wrote this email free of coercion by someone (most likely Willie Jessop, or her father, the lovely Warren Jeffs)? Apparently she's not available for questioning by anyone but reporters.

You know, just because the attorney for a minor isn't doing what her client requests, it doesn't mean the lawyer is harassing or poorly representing her. According to Texas family code, and what is stated in the article, an attorney ad litem represents a client's position in court, unless a child is not acting in her own best interest. A guardian ad litem represents what is in a child's best interest - which may be contrary to what a minor wants.

[commonguymd]

Are you talking about the one raking in all the dough by selling her book during this fiasco?

[commonguymd]

This is the same lawyer that is a regular on Nancy Grace. If she didn’t do this, she might lose airtime on Nancy’s show.

[commonguymd]

uhhhhh, she is a regular on Nancy Grace fighting this in the media for quite some time now.

[UCANSEE2]

Isn’t this the daughter that Warren forced to marry his 19 year old cousin?

Isn’t she the one that was filing a lawsuit against Warren and the UEP ?

Wasn’t the ‘ceremony’ done in a cheap hotel while Warren was on the run?

Doesn’t this girl already have a ‘baby’?

[commonguymd]

Is it the same one?

[UCANSEE2]

That’s what I’m asking.

There has been so much information, and it is difficult when the only reference is ‘a 16 year old girl’, and no name.

Willie stated that he wanted to get rid of the present attorney ad litem, and get one who would be better for the daughter because he would put protection of the FLDS as a primary concern. And he stated that weeks ago, before the ‘incident’ of writing a letter and running off for another lawyer occurred.

The attorney ad litem(and guardian) have said things were fine until Willie INSISTED he be allowed at the private client-attorney-guardian meetings.

WHY, for whatever possible legal reasons, was Willie present at those meetings, and even ALLOWED to try and ‘infuence’ the witness in any way, shape, or form???????????????

He is not her father, guardian, attorney, or mother.

Why was he there?

What deal has he made with Warren’s daughter, for her to refuse to testify against the FLDS? Has he offered her the chance to be his ‘bride’, after he takes her away from this other man and excommunicates him? Or did he offer to give her, and her ‘husband’ (who might also be charged with crimes) a bunch of money so they could run away?

---

Remember, Willie wasn’t even at the Ranch during the ‘raid’.

He came flying in, out of the blue, to protect Warren, the Loyal Inner Circle, and the UEP Fund. From what I read, none of the current FLDS members at the YFZ Ranch asked Willie to even come.

So WHY, of all people, was Willie the one who had to be ‘present’ during a private meeting, especially since it is possible he could end up with Criminal charges in this case?

[commonguymd]

Willie stated he wanted a new lawyer for her? He wrote a letter? I didn’t read that in the articles did I?

[UCANSEE2]

“Stupidity is not against the law. “

Well, yes it is.

Just ask the DUCT TAPE BANDIT.

But you are not in any way stupid, and you are not trying to break the law, knowingly, or unknowingly.

The point, I think, that the other poster is trying to make is that your focus on the ‘abuse by CPS’ and ‘constitutional rights’ is keeping you from seeing anything else.

The fact that FLDS members themselves state they didn’t ‘know’ that any of their ‘practices’ were against the law, adds to the suspicion that the illegal practices were continuing. I think the scale of the child abuse, child-brides issue is way well below the ‘image’ the media has put out there, but I think it exists.

But there are FLDS members (Loyal Inner Circle) who do ‘know’ what they practice is illegal.

The purpose of Justice, IMHO, will be for it to separate, the willing breakers of the law, from the ignorant whose faith and devotion to their religion was the key to keeping them ignorant.

[Alice in Wonderland]

Isn’t this the daughter that Warren forced to marry his 19 year old cousin?

This is Teresa Jeffs, 16 year old daughter of Warren Jeffs and maybe spiritual wife of Raymond Jessop, 38. (I'm suprised they published her name since she's a minor). Elissa Wall was the 14 year old who was maried off to her cousin Allen Steed. It is Elissa's testimony that got Warren put away and she just published a book.

Isn’t she the one that was filing a lawsuit against Warren and the UEP ?

Elissa Wall is suing Jeffs and the UEP.

Wasn’t the ‘ceremony’ done in a cheap hotel while Warren was on the run?

I think so, but I would have to further delve into the story before I'd say that is fact.

Doesn’t this girl already have a ‘baby’?

From what I gather, CPS told the attorney that Teresa 'might' have had a baby. But when the DNA results came back, it was found she was not the mother of the child in question.

[UCANSEE2]

“Willie stated he wanted a new lawyer for her?”

Yes. His statement is on record.

---

“He wrote a letter? “

Sorry for the confusion.

correction for clarity: “And he stated that weeks ago, before the ‘incident’ of Jeffs daughter writing a letter and running off for another lawyer occurred.”

[UCANSEE2]

(I’m suprised they published her name since she’s a minor).

I’m surprised the NYTIMES reveals ‘secret’ information to the enemy.

...wait a minute. The media wouldn’t attempt to ‘influence’ a case, would they?

[UCANSEE2]

“Now why would a 16 year old girl call the AP?”

Because she knows the AP gets $12.50 a word.

[UCANSEE2]

THANK YOU.

I like to keep the facts as straight as possible.

And I think many others should THANK YOU because you tend to respond to questions with the best info you have, and without any criticism, bias, or personal slam, regardless to ‘who’ you are answering.

That is pretty rare, on a hot topic like this.

[Alice in Wonderland]

A 16-year-old girl at the center of a legal fight has finally been subpoenaed to testify before a Texas grand jury investigating members of the Fundamentalist LDS Church. The girl's mother was given a subpoena on Saturday, the girl's court-appointed attorney told the Deseret News. It orders the girl to show up this week to testify in Eldorado before a grand jury considering criminal charges stemming from the raid on the FLDS Church's YFZ Ranch.

more

[Alice in Wonderland]

Well, thank you. This case interests me, not from the religious angle, but cultwise. And I happen to like to research. It's nice to be able to share my 'finds' with others who are also interested in this case.

Right now there's a BIG storm heading this way and I'll probably lose power . . . so I'll see ya later on.

[UCANSEE2]

“The thing about our country is that people can’t just throw out heinous accusations against people willy nilly.”

Yet Willie Jessop, who was not even involved in the raid, wasn’t there, lived somewhere else, flew in, and insisted he be present at private meetings between the STATES WITNESS and her attorney ad litem, and guardian ad litem, and mother.

He stated he was there to protect the FLDS and Warren, and that he insisted the daughter get a more ‘FLDS’ friendly lawyer.

He has thrown out heinous accusations against the attorney, willy-nilly.

Both the attorney and guardian (that’s 2 to 1) say that Willie’s presence altered the cooperation of the witness.

---

“We have a Constitution”.

Yes, we do. So where is it, or the laws of Texas, or any court, or Grand Jury, that a potential ‘suspect’ in the crimes is allowed to INSIST he interfere in private meetings between the attorney ad litem, the witness, the guardian ad litem (who is the one who is supposed to see to the welfare of the daughter), and mother?

---

“This whole nightmare started as a result of a false report.”

This whole nightmare started when Warren Jeffs took over the FLDS and their money, and declared himself PROPHET, and that GOD SPOKE PERSONALLY to him about what was ‘good’ for everyone else.

After breaking laws in various states, and getting his members to keep the evidence hidden because GOD WANTED THEM TO, he ran from the law, but was eventually caught, after being on the FBI TOP TEN MOST WANTED list for a while.

Before he got caught, he took the cream of the crop (his choice of children, of women, more ‘wives’ for himself, and those special buddies (Loyal Inner Circle) that were sworn to complete loyalty to Warren and the money.

He arranged for purchase of the YFZ Ranch and had the ‘front man’ lie about the ‘planned use’ of the land.

Then he moved his ‘cream of the crop’ in and they built the wonderful housing and temple that is now there. And they are to be congratulated for such fine and quick work. They are a hardworking devoted people, but they are being used.

So Texas has been investigating them for four years, and after complaints from WELFARE, the SHERIFF, and many abuse hotline calls(not the Swinton calls), and from Flora Jessop(who is the one who received the Swinton calls)
,and Carolyn Jessop, the CPS made their move and got a warrant.

(so, it wasn’t ‘just’ a false report)

---

This FLDS that Warren runs is not a religion. It is a private enterprise for the benefit of Warren and his Loyal Inner Circle.

This is all historical fact, and the UEP money has been put under control of an unbiased party, and the lawsuits over the money are ongoing. Many FLDS members (excommunicated) are trying to get their money and property back, and some of them are trying to get their wives and children back.

Do we not care about those ‘men’? Do they not have constitutional rights? Do their children and wives not have constitutional rights?

[UCANSEE2]

“Teresa is a daughter of FLDS prophet Warren Jeffs and is believed to be a child bride of Raymond Jessop. “

Teresa is 16, Raymond is 38.

I was told by many posters that no such thing was going on at the YFZ Ranch.

[UCANSEE2]

“Since many key FLDS leaders disappeared following the Texas raid, Willie Jessop also became the spokesman for the group. Jessop has been seen often on television and quoted in papers condemning Texas authorities for violating their rights. “

Is that because that’s the only thing he’s got to try and fight off the criminal charges?

Is it any surprise he would INSIST that Warren’s daughter get a “FLDS” friendly lawyer?

What ‘right’ does Willie have to tamper with a STATE WITNESS and be present at a private meeting between the witness, the attorney ad litem, the guardian ad litem, and the mother?

[commonguymd]

LOL. You slay me! Too much over eager imagination for being this early in morning.

Is she the prosecuting attorney? Good Lord. She could have you there for what it matters.

[commonguymd]

Some seem to think she is the District Attorney. She is a rogue attorney vying for television time.