Reader comments: 143 FLDS kids are back at YFZ Ranch

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Interloper | 3:16 a.m. June 13, 2008
It is a good thing to remind everyone that the child abuse and criminal investigations of the FLDS are ongoing since some folks are in denial.
Bruce | 8:14 a.m. June 13, 2008
CPS is in full damage-control mode now. They must manufacture..er,uh..discover something to help offset the potential lawsuits for the next decade or so.
L. G. KIRKPATRICK | 10:10 a.m. June 13, 2008
<QUOTE> CPS has also received "partial" DNA results from the maternity and paternity testing that had been ordered from the children and parents. "The results are being reviewed and analyzed to determine if the DNA results can help investigators in the multiple investigations to determine if abuse occurred," CPS officials said in a statement on its Web site. <END QUOTE>

I'd like to ask just WHO is doing the reviewing and analyzing of these results? And why aren't "full and complete test results" being used? And how are DNA results expected to prove or disprove "abuse"? I certainly hope that no one from any part of the State infrastructure is going to have their hands in this. The review and analysis procedure needs to be performed by independent, impartial and professional DNA technicians.
Comments continue below
Celia | 2:44 p.m. June 13, 2008
The raid was staged due to the fantasies and prejudices of narrow minded West Texas bigots. What has happened to these people is the most atrocious abuse of government authority against a religious group I have witness in my lifetime, except for perhaps WACO.

The Texas bigots should just back off and drop this whole matter. These FLDS families do not deserve to be under any continued restrictions.
Norm | 4:55 p.m. June 13, 2008
Interloper - I think it is a good thing to remind everyone about the governmental abuses that occurred: The blatant disregard for the rule of law, and individual rights and liberties that were trodden under foot by government based on fictitious information. Why do people like you have to keep stirring the "They're gonna get 'em yet" pot? Go whine somewhere else. No one is interested in your bigoted views.

**IF** there were criminal acts committed, they should be punished.

(Key word: IF ) That means that the law should be followed through every step of a legal investigation and subsequent actions by law enforcement. This is the United States - Not Nazi Germany, or Stalin's soviet Russia.

I'm not FLDS, but from what information I have, I think the worst thing most of these folks did was to put blind faith in a dispicable and power-grabbing leader, rather than doing their own thinking.
Norm | 5:18 p.m. June 13, 2008
LG Kirkpatrick: You asked about the DNA testing.

I think by **partial** the article is implying that not all the results are back yet. I'm almost certain that **full and complete** testing is being done.

As par as **proving abuse**, what is being investigated is the potential DNA matching of adult men as the fathers of children born to underage mothers. If a match occurs, then it implies that sexual acts not acceptable to Texas law did take place. (The child and the DNA test results are the evidence)

I'm not sure as to whether that evidence can be used or not, as I think there are many questions unanswered as to whether it was obtained lawfully.

We'll see.
Norm | 5:19 p.m. June 13, 2008
Personally, I think this is a circus on the part of CPS. Evidently they thought they could convince the general public that every single man on the ranch was a pervert, and all the women on the ranch were complacent victims, and therefore undeserving of keeping their children.

Their case quickly unraveled when the CPS propaganda machine was exposed, and the lies were uncovered.

Maybe there will be criminal charges filed, but I'm not holding my breath for any quick revelations. It will take some time for CPS and DPS to create a credible story that will stand up to close scrutiny (and I think from this point forward there will be VERY strict scrutiny to insure they don't trample on due process again.)

I do think that there will be charges laid, but as to the validity, my advice is for everyone to wait for the legal process to run it's course before pronouncing a verdict.

So far, the only verdict that HAS BEEN PRONOUNCED, is that CPS, The Texas Rangers, and the 11th district court violated the law and overstepped their bounds. That's fact - anything else at this point is speculation.
L. G. KIRKPATRICK | 4:14 a.m. June 14, 2008
To: Norm | 5:18 p.m. June 13, 2008

Thanks, Norm, for your explanation. You've cleared up a couple of points of confusion that have been bothering me, but I'm still cloudy about WHO (or which body of independent and competent experts) is doing this analysis review. I apologize for my sense of confusion, but I find it confusing that so many different points of view are being expressed on these comment boards. It also doesn't help me that so many contributors misspell words (thus creating different words and/or meanings) or simply repeat concepts that have been shown to be erroneous or totally the product of wild and hurtful allegations, and are in effect confusing and muddling the message that the writer intends to convey. I wish people would get into the habit of at least reading over their contributions before clicking on the "add your comment" button, to make sure that their intended meanings are apparent in their postings. It also doesn't help my grasp of the situation that the State spokespersons change their stories daily. Maybe I should just quit reading about this until the final court verdicts have been reported . . . .

Thanks, again.

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