Legal News

Settlements Reached in Yearning for Zion Ranch Cases

By Dan Slater

Barbara Jessop, front, along with her attorney are shown before Judge Barbara Walther, May 19, 2008, in San Angelo, Texas. (AP Photo/Brigitte Woosley)

As we follow the tug-o-war between the Yearning for Zion Ranch and Child Protective Services, we never know what the day’s news will bring.

Yesterday, we noted that in Texas District Judge Barbara Walther’s courtroom lawyers had called a timeout to negotiate over the future of a group of children who, in May, were taken from the polygamist sect’s ranch, placed in foster care and then returned to their parents in June. The lawyers were back in court because Texas child welfare authorities were asking to put the children, ranging in age from 5 to 17, back in state custody, alleging their mothers had refused to limit contact with men accused of being involved in underage marriages.

Now we have news of the deal they worked out: A 14-year-old girl who was allegedly married to jailed polygamist sect leader Warren Jeffs at age 12 will go back into foster care. Judge Walther, according to the AP, said there was “uncontroverted evidence of the underage marriage” and that the girl’s mother, Barbara Jessop, refused to guarantee the girl’s safety. In photographs submitted to the court, the girl was shown kissing Jeffs.

Her 11-year-old brother will be allowed to stay with his mother but will have to undergo psychological evaluation in the next month. Lawyers also reached settlements in the cases of five other girls, agreeing that they can stay with their mothers provided the women restrict contact with men accused of being involved in underage marriages and comply with other, more routine custody-related court orders.

On Monday, Jessop the mother refused to answer roughly 50 questions asked by attorneys for Child Protective Services, including what constituted abuse, the names of her children and her relationship with their father.

“I stand on the Fifth,” she said repeatedly.

Jessop is married to Fredrick “Merril” Jessop, who according to court documents blessed several underage marriages. FLDS spokesman Willie Jessop said no marriages have been conducted for two years, and the church has said it will refuse to bless any unions involving underage girls.

Full post as published by Law Blog - WSJ.com on August 20, 2008 (boomark / email).