By Harvey Rice
Houston Chronicle
November 23, 2011
http://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/Area-judges-mailed-prophesies-of-imprisoned-2277242.php
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| David Farr, chief judge of the family court, was one of several judges who received a book titled Proclamation. Photo: For The Chronicle, Eric Kayne / © 2011 Eric Kayne |
GALVESTON - What District Judge Susan Criss thought was a law book in her mail this week turned out to be a thick paperback containing the apocalyptic prophesies of imprisoned cult leader Warren Jeffs.
The "revelations" predict instability in the United States and a withering of its power, tidal waves on the East Coast and in Seattle, earthquakes in Arizona and Utah, and melting fire in Idaho.
"I looked at this and thought, either they sent this to every judge or I got some bad stuff coming my way," said Criss, whose court is in Galveston County.
The 247-page book with writings by Jeffs and other members of his Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints also went to most family court judges in Harris County, said Family Court Chief Judge David Farr. The book, titled Proclamation, arrived Monday in the mail of judges in several other Texas cities and the Utah Attorney General's Office.
The five "revelations" in eight loose-leaf pages in the back of the book were written at different locations as Jeffs' was moved through the Texas prison system after his sentencing in August to life imprisonment for sexually assaulting a child bride.
'Mouthpiece on earth'
The first "revelation" was written in August in Huntsville and the last in October in Palestine. In them Jeffs writes that he is Jesus Christ's "mouthpiece on earth" and asks that he be freed and property be restored to his followers.
Criss said she posted a photo of the book on her Facebook page and got replies from judges in Houston and Dallas saying they also received copies of the book.
"I don't know what the point of it is," she said. "Maybe they think there is going to be more litigation in Texas."
Although she does not feel threatened, she believes it's an effort at intimidation.
Glancing randomly at passages in the book, which contains writings by other authors as well as Jeffs, she found, "a warning to release my servant Warren Jeffs and his brethren from imprisonment; let my people be no longer persecuted or prosecuted; hear my message of warning."
Sheriff has judge's copy
She turned the book over to the Galveston County Sheriff's Office the next day, as called for by courthouse protocol.
"We're examining the material and will be conferring as needed with the Joint FBI Task Force (on terrorism) to see what else may be required," said Galveston County sheriff's spokesman Maj. Ray Tuttoilmondo.
Family Court Judge James Lombardino tossed his copy in the trash without looking at it after his assistant discovered it in the mail. "I thought it might be from somebody in jail and not mentally stable," Lombardino said. "I just didn't want to review it."
Farr said most judges followed Lombardino's example, as recommended by the court's staff attorney, although he was able to find a surviving copy.
"I don't know that there was much reaction from my brethren," Farr said. "I don't know frankly how it would affect our lives unless we have a case that somehow was connected to that."
On sale for $8
Neither Criss nor any of the Harris County judges have any connection to the Jeffs case, which was tried in San Angelo.
The last loose-leaf page of the "revelations" says Proclamation can be purchased by sending $8 to church Patriarch Vaughn Taylor at a post office box in Colorado City, Ariz. Taylor, reached by phone, declined comment.
Paul Murphy, spokesman for the Utah Attorney General, said no investigation is planned and that the cult did not have a violent history.
"The threats according to Warren Jeffs seem to be coming from God ... and there is nothing I can do about that," Murphy said.
Contact: harvey.rice@chron.com
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