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

Debra Weyermann

Aug 2011 · Chicago Review Press

About this eBook

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 exposé presents a detailed, chilling account of how a hostile, destructive group can manipulate the U.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.

Ratings and reviews

What most of us know about the despicable Warren Jeffs is really only the tip of the iceberg. With all the recent flash of cable coverage, blips in the blogosphere and passing media attention, there's an even more outrageous story overlooked about a system that allowed a "Warren Jeffs" to flourish and prosper. Ms. Weyermann's well-researched book tells that story in grand style, from the first Time Magazine media whitewash of the Short Creek raid in the early fifties up to the the Eldorado incident that led to the conviction of Mr. Jeffs in Texas, after similar charges were mysteriously dismissed in Utah. This gifted writer knows her subject, knows the players, some personally, and presents it all in a book that grabs you from the first page. You'll walk away amazed that the inhumanity of Jeffs and the FLDS has gone unchecked all these years, in many cases financed with our tax dollars. If you want to know the whole story of the FLDS, this is the one book to read.

This book is an eye opener and then some. I can't believe this happens in this day and age ..WITH the unofficial backing of many powers that be.

About the author

Debra Weyermann is an award-winning journalist who has written for numerous publications, including the Arizona Daily Star, the Denver Post, Harper’s, and the Santa Barbara News-Press. She lives in Navarre, Florida.