The kicker
I really like the ending my colleague Lisa Rosetta put on her story about the interaction between anti-polygamy activist Flora Jessop and Rozita Swinton, the Colorado woman who made the fake calls of abuse to a Texas shelter.
Some suspect Flora Jessop was Sheriff David Doran's informant about the YFZ Ranch. I do not know if that is the case. One court filing refers to the sheriff's informant as a ''he,'' for one thing.
On April 4, I spoke to Flora as I made my way to Eldorado. It was about noon, and I was just getting on a plane in Dallas for the second leg of the trip.
I asked Flora if she was coming to Texas. She told me no. I was surprised and asked why.
She told me that Texas authorities had the wrong guy -- referring to Dale Evans Barlow, the man who supposedly had beat up his 16-year-old wife.
Well, Flora's language was much more colorful than that, but you get the idea.
And you can imagine my shock. A full-scale raid was underway at the YFZ Ranch in a search for the wrong guy?
I did not know what to make of it except that Flora knew more about the situation than she was letting on to me. Since then, the pieces have slowly come together, but the puzzle is not yet complete.
So here is the ending of Lisa's story:
The day after Swinton was released on bail, Jessop got a call from the familiar voice of Sarah. But the caller now said she was ''Rose,'' a friend of Laura, Sarah's sister. But Jessop confronted her.
''I've been talking to you for two weeks now and I have a bunch of lies and tricks that you've played on me,'' Jessop says on a tape of their conversation, the last they had.
''It wasn't like that,'' Rose says, sobbing.
''Yeah, it was like that. You told me your name was Laura, her name was Sarah, and that [Sarah's husband] hurt you guys,'' Jessop said. ''OK. That is a lie, a straight up lie. You got a bunch of people getting searched over a bunch of lies, honey. You've got to understand that's not all right.''
''It's the truth," Rose said, nearly hysterical. ''It's her story.''
Some suspect Flora Jessop was Sheriff David Doran's informant about the YFZ Ranch. I do not know if that is the case. One court filing refers to the sheriff's informant as a ''he,'' for one thing.
On April 4, I spoke to Flora as I made my way to Eldorado. It was about noon, and I was just getting on a plane in Dallas for the second leg of the trip.
I asked Flora if she was coming to Texas. She told me no. I was surprised and asked why.
She told me that Texas authorities had the wrong guy -- referring to Dale Evans Barlow, the man who supposedly had beat up his 16-year-old wife.
Well, Flora's language was much more colorful than that, but you get the idea.
And you can imagine my shock. A full-scale raid was underway at the YFZ Ranch in a search for the wrong guy?
I did not know what to make of it except that Flora knew more about the situation than she was letting on to me. Since then, the pieces have slowly come together, but the puzzle is not yet complete.
So here is the ending of Lisa's story:
The day after Swinton was released on bail, Jessop got a call from the familiar voice of Sarah. But the caller now said she was ''Rose,'' a friend of Laura, Sarah's sister. But Jessop confronted her.
''I've been talking to you for two weeks now and I have a bunch of lies and tricks that you've played on me,'' Jessop says on a tape of their conversation, the last they had.
''It wasn't like that,'' Rose says, sobbing.
''Yeah, it was like that. You told me your name was Laura, her name was Sarah, and that [Sarah's husband] hurt you guys,'' Jessop said. ''OK. That is a lie, a straight up lie. You got a bunch of people getting searched over a bunch of lies, honey. You've got to understand that's not all right.''
''It's the truth," Rose said, nearly hysterical. ''It's her story.''
4 Comments:
Thanks Brooke!
First reading leaves one thinking Flora could not have been involved.
Could be a mystery that will remain unsolved: Was anyone else involved with Rozita?
Meanwhile, we still do not have a copy of the Order For Temporary Custody that walthers signed.
;)
Good job Brooke. Do you think Flora had ANY involvement?
I know she has personal reasons (which are valid) for seeing the raid happen (some people call this a MOTIVE?).
I am still wondering when this order will be revealed. Will it take a Freedom of Information action to reveal it?
Of course Flora had involvement! The question I have is how many years has Flora known Swinton or whoever she is.
The Freedom of Information Act deals with Federal records, not state.
The Texas Public Information Act covers State records (Chap 552, Govt Code). Unfortunately, judicial records are specifically excluded from the act, and are therefore not available unless released by the judge or made public by other law.
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