Polygamist leader Warren Jeffs is already in prison, faces charges elsewhere, and is on trial in Texas for child sex assault. He’s decided to defend himself, a decision that invariably ends badly for the defendant.
Jeffs heads the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Later Day Saints (FLDS) which is based in Hildale UT. They are the town, the police, the mayor, etc. The Merry Wives Cafe there is open to all. It has good food. They don’t hide the polygamy. But if you venture into the little town itself a cop will probably follow you and residents will tell you to leave.
Forcing 12 year-old girls to “marry” middle-aged men is abhorrent. They have no choice in the matter and it basically amounts to rape.
The Mormon Church does not tolerate polygamy now and rightfully points out that FLDS members are not Mormon.
For more on this see my review of God’s Brothel: The extortion of sex for salvation in contemporary Mormon and Christian fundamentalist polygamy and the stories of 18 women who escaped
