The attorneys representing those that live in the ranch that serves as an FLDS compound in El Dorado, Texas, have challenged the legality of what had happened in regards to the warrant, the raid, and the taking of the 400+ children. They have presented the argument that search warrants were not properly issued. They also argue that the authorities already knew that they did not have sufficient evidence that abuse was taking place at the ranch owned by FLDS leader, Warren Jeffs, who is serving ten years to life in prison.
Recently, Judge Barbara Walther, residing over the custody hearings of the 400+ children taken from the Yearning for Zion (YFZ) Ranch during the raid on April 3. Walther had given the ruling that there was sufficient evidence to keep the children in state custody. Currently, the children are being scattered towards group homes away from other children until the hearings. In that respect, the state of Texas is charged with the task of keeping the children from going through a culture shock.
Also, the Texas branch of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) also weighed in on the case. They are seeking to see if the authorities violated the fundamental rights of those 400+ children.
Some of the sect’s men spoke out. They said that they did not know it was illegal to marry girls at such a young age.
While officials said they found evidence of girls forced into marriages with older men and a bunch of pregnant teenagers, the evidence was obtained by the search warrants issued and the raids on the compound. The warrants and the raids were the key elements of the FLDS case that continues to brew.
All of this was the result of a phone call. So far, authorities have given the indication that 33 year old Rozita Swinson of Colorado Springs was the person to give the report. However, she has a criminal record of giving falsified reports about sexual abuse over the phone to various law enforcement agencies.
This piece of evidence could possibly ruin the integrity of the whole case. Also, Swinson looks African-American in the photograph released through various media outlets. But, she is currently regarded as a “person of interest” and not a suspect.
This part alones raises a lot of questions. The Southern Poverty Law Center has classified the FLDS as a hate group during its report during spring of 2005. It had published various statements given by Jeffs. In those statements, Jeffs was attacking the Black community.
Jeffs cited Blacks as those that work for the devil and bringing people onto the Earth. He called Cain, the father of all Negros. Jeffs said that interracial marriages are the evil works of the Devil.
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