Tag Archives: child protective services

YFZ Revisited – April 6, 2008 – Media and Diversity

Posted on by
2
yfzpressconference.jpg

There were a lot more cameras and reporters at today’s press conference at Eldorado High School. Marleigh Meisner of Texas CPS confirmed a total of 159 children and 60 adults removed from the FLDS YFZ Ranch to this point.

4.06.2008 0042A.jpg

We drive over by the Civic Center where a crew working for Oprah is interviewing Shannon Price of the Diversity Foundation, which helps teens leaving the FLDS sect (above), and Carolyn Jessop, the bestselling author and ex-FLDS member (below). Jessop is the ex-wife of Merrill Jessop, the overseer of the YFZ Ranch.

4.06.2008 0046.jpg

They say they’ve been brought in by Texas authorities to help provide cultural understanding and to facilitate communication with the FLDS. It seems unlikely that Jessop and Price would receive any welcome from the FLDS here in Texas, considering their positions against Warren Jeffs’ fundamentalist church.

4.06.2008 0040A.jpg

I photograph Shannon’s badge to make sure I spell her name right. I send in a photo with her name correct, but something else wrong. I heard Shannon say that she had family roots in the Short Creek community and in my caption I mistakenly called her a former FLDS member.

4.06.2008 0059.jpg

Carolyn expressed hope in the possibility of seeing some of the children (from sister-wives) that she left behind when she took her own eight children and left the community.

4.06.2008 0047.jpg

I don’t know if that meeting ever occurred, though it seems doubtful Jessop would receive any welcome under these conditions.

There seemed to be this prevailing thought among the people involved in the raid, especially CPS. That is that once the women were safely off the ranch and out of the control of the FLDS men, they would be happy to leave the group for the outside world. As far as we know, not one person caught up in the raid has left the group. They all went back.

The Warren Jeffs Photos – Time Bomb

Posted on by
Reply
jeffs2.jpg

What’s today, Wednesday? So it’s been five days since we first published the photos of Warren Jeffs and the 12-year-old girl. The photos, if legitimate, seem destined to become the poster image for the FLDS/child bride debate. But for whatever reason, the photos didn’t break into the spotlight immediately. Only today do they seem to be coming into the national conversation. Almost a week after their release are they popping up all over the Internet as news outlets and blogs “discover them.”

The delayed reaction is surprising from here in San Angelo. We hadn’t seen anything like these photographs released before and expected their release to go off like a bomb last week. We expected shows like Nancy Grace and CNN to pipe them into your homes nonstop all weekend long. And that was probably the hope of Child Protective Services (CPS).

But it didn’t happen. All was quiet over Memorial Day Weekend, and only a few outlets picked up on the photographs. But then The Smoking Gun put them online yesterday and everything kicked off from there. They are now spreading like a virus coming out of its incubation period.

One thing to note for all of you ethicists is that many news outlets are running the photographs with no attempt to conceal the identity of the girl, and some are even printing her name (which was handwritten on the sheet of photos). The Tribune decided to blur the girl’s face to protect her identity in case she is a victim of sexual abuse. Our policy is to not identify victims of sexual abuse.

050jeffs.jpg

I was in the hearing last Friday when the photos were first introduced into evidence. As the lawyers handed the three sheets of photographs showing Warren Jeffs holding and kissing two different young girls, I was craning my neck for a better view. The photos were released at the next break in testimony.

We were the only media outlet in the hearing that had two staffers. So while the reporters were stuck in the courtroom listening to testimony, I was able to wait in the clerk’s office for the first copies of the photos.

Once they were in my hand I calmly walked out and down the steps of the courthouse, trying to act normal as I went to my car to send the photos with my laptop. I didn’t want the masses of broadcast (TV) media outside to realize we had a scoop.

My call to the Tribune with news of the photographs came during the afternoon budget meeting and sent a buzz through the assembled editors. Again, I’m talking last Friday. That’s when we had it. Smoking gun or not, we were first.

401

Posted on by
Reply
flds press tn 1.jpg

Jumping ahead of the story for some breaking news. Just got out of the most packed press conference I’ve seen in a while. You could feel the shock in the air (and hear more than a few gasps) when Texas Child Protective Services spokesperson Marleigh Meisner announced that they had now taken 401 children into protective custody.

flds press tn .jpg

The 401 children were removed from the FLDS church’s YFZ “Yearning for Zion” Ranch just outside Eldorado, Texas.

Saturday at the YFZ Raid

Posted on by
Reply
4.05.2008 9822.jpg

We’re working at such a breakneck pace that there’s only so much I can do to blog in real time. Right now I’m about 24 hours behind with all the stories I want to share, and things keep happening that are unbelievable.

To continue the previous post, the bus finally came down the road from the compound with a few FLDS members inside, who ducked their heads even though the tint of the windows prevented any identification. Above is a photo showing a young woman or girl with her hair in what I would call “The Wave.” There’s probably a better name for the hairstyle. Tell me if so.

4.05.2008 9885.jpg

Later on we stumbled upon a group of women and children catching a brief bit of fresh air at the First Baptist Church (above), where they have been temporarily sheltered. We saw the scene, found the vantage point, and after I popped off a quick seven frames from afar a Texas State Trooper was roaring out after us. But we had the shot, and I don’t think the FLDS ever knew we were there.

Explaining the situation to another photographer, I realized how much of a balancing act it is photographing the FLDS people. Sure, we had our constitutional right to continue photographing these women from a public place. And the officer knew and acknowledged that. But I also know that if I get too close to the FLDS in these candid situations, if they are even aware of my presence in the slightest, the moment will be over and the shot spoiled. Another case yesterday proved this theory, when a Texas photographer new to the story walked right up to a bus that FLDS were about to exit. Instead of getting off, the bus just drove away to a more secure location where we had no access. So that’s why I don’t push it unless I have to.

4.05.2008 9864.jpg

Later we photographed a press conference with Texas Child Protective Services spokesperson Marleigh Meisner, who confirmed that they had removed a bunch of kids (as of right now (Sunday 5:49pm), the number is 159 children and 60 adults taken away from the YFZ “Yearning for Zion” Ranch.

More later. Something fantastic just happened.