Justice Prevails - Jeffs Found Guilty

[MikeWaters]

Originally Posted by Chapel-Hill-Coug

Jeffs may not have perpetuated the abuse *in this case*, but c'mon. It is practically akin to two young trusting kids who are placed in front of a video camera by a sicko pervert. Of course the man behind the camera (so to speak) is guilty and ought to be punished, because in their world, the kids must do what the adult says.

wasn't the "husband" an adult?

[MikeWaters]

Originally Posted by Requiem

Ultimately those who condoned, encouraged, threatened, manipulated and facilitated the abuse are guilty. Certainly Jeffs is one of several - what about the girl's parents?

do you expect that anyone else will be prosecuted?

[Requiem]

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

do you expect that anyone else will be prosecuted?

Unfortunately no. Jeffs is the politically expedient and visible target. The underlying problem is cultural. The relevant question to me is will this verdict stop the ongoing abuse?

[MikeWaters]

My question is this: what is the age of consent in the relevant states?

I believe in Utah it is 14.

[Chapel-Hill-Coug]

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

wasn't the "husband" an adult?

You're playing with technicalities, and hitchhiking. The reason this young girl got married was that she was threatened with damnation by someone she thought spoke for god. While I think the husband is a victim here in some sense too, we're talking about the girl.

[MikeWaters]

Originally Posted by Chapel-Hill-Coug

You're playing with technicalities, and hitchhiking. The reason this young girl got married was that she was threatened with damnation by someone she thought spoke for god. While I think the husband is a victim here in some sense too, we're talking about the girl.

Hence she was following her religious convictions. And now she regrets it.

[Requiem]

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

Hence she was following her religious convictions. And now she regrets it.

Do you really believe she was "following" at her own consent? From the testimony, it appeared to me to be coercion in its most despicable form.

[Chapel-Hill-Coug]

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

My question is this: what is the age of consent in the relevant states?

I believe in Utah it is 14.

I actually thought it was 18. So I've heard anyway.... That may be wrong.

[MikeWaters]

Originally Posted by Requiem

Do you really believe she was "following" at her own consent? From the testimony, it appeared to me to be coercion in its most despicable form.

I don't know if she had the capacity to consent or not. If she were senile, a court of law would establish it ("competency").

So we can arbitrary laws where we set a bar (i.e. if you are under 16 you cannnot consent, no matter your maturity and situation), or we determine on a case by case basis.

So I don't know enough to know whether she consented or not.

[MikeWaters]

Originally Posted by Chapel-Hill-Coug

I actually thought it was 18. So I've heard anyway.... That may be wrong.

according to an outdated chart, it is 16.

http://teenadvice.about.com/library/...nsentchart.htm