Answer Them Nothing: Bringing Down the Polygamous Empire of Warren Jeffs

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Description

The compelling story of the struggle by law enforcement and activists to dismantle the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (FLDS) is finally told. In 1953, when police raided the Short Creek compound of the FLDS, it soon became a political and publicity nightmare eventually costing the governor of Arizona his job. Thus began 50 years of skittish public officials turning a blind eye to heinous offenses such as child abandonment, kidnapping, statutory rape, and incest, as well as massive tax and welfare fraud. Warren Jeffs became the new FLDS prophet and president in 2002, and anti-FLDS activists watched in horror as he used his boundless authority and the resources of a tax-supported community to devastate thousands of lives on cruel whims. This expos presents a detailed, chilling account of how a hostile, destructive group can manipulate theU.S. judicial system. It is a mesmerizing journey into one of the United States's darkest corners, a story that stretches over three states and deep into the history of the powerful Mormon Church.

Reviews

"Weyermann's powerful expos on the FLDS' origins, its subsequent rise to power and how it held court over the U.S. political system is essential reading as the struggle for justice continues today. A masterful exploration of one of America's most shameful secrets." --Kirkus Reviews
"A worthy read . . . Weyermann writes crisply." --Phoenix New Times
"The book is undeniably unsettling--the author doesn't pull any punches in her descriptions of the FLDS' illegal acts--but it's also definitely worth reading as a reminder of the horrors that can go on in our own backyards." --Booklist
"Weyermann's well-researched muckracking is colorful and gripping . . . a disturbing account of how a religious quasi-dictatorship can flourish on American soil." --Publishers Weekly

Author Bio

Debra Weyermann was an award-winning journalist who wrote for numerous publications, including the Arizona Daily Star, the Denver Post, Harper's, and the Santa Barbara News-Press.