(NBC) Tonight, an all-new two-hour Dateline features the behind the scenes story of Rebecca Muser versus Warren Jeffs, one of the FBIs most notorious fugitives. It was there that Musser first crossed paths with Warren Jeffs, who served as the schools goofy, yet unyieldingly strict, principal. And I thought finally it was over., Rebeccas sister Elissa Wall was also impacted by the FLDS, though she was not married to Warren. The women in the sect wore prairie dresses and kept their long hair swept up in braids as they were taught to keep sweet, a phrase used to convey the idea that women should be obedient and do whatever is asked of them. The Munsters: Who stars in the Netflix film? When Rulon Jeffs eventually died at the age of 92 in 2002, Warren officially assumed the role as the new prophet and leader of the group. Like her sister Rebecca Musser, Wall was a state witness against Warren Jeffs. Keep Sweet: Pray and Obey is a four-part. I thought I cant sit by and let this happen, Musser recalled. No, not LDS. The story of Rebecca Musser vs. FLDS leader and notorious FBI fugitive Warren Jeffs. Defense witness Christine Shaply answers questions during Warren Jeffs trial September 18 September 2007 in St. George, Utah. Keep Sweet: Pray and Obey is a four-part Netflix docuseries that delves into what happened within the FLDS compound walls. Rebecca opens up to Keith Morrison about life in the church and why she decided to leave the denomination.The story of Rebecca Musser vs. FLDS leader and notorious FBI fugitive Warren Jeffs. While Wall was now safe, Musser knew that she had other siblings and female cousins who were still in danger of being forced to marry as underage teens and decided to encourage Wall to file criminal charges against Warren Jeffs and Steed. Every day is a gift and what we choose to do with that gift becomes the sum total of our life. However, a few who have broken away from the faith, have come forward to speak of their abusive marriages with Rulon Jeffs. The parents of the girls are currently facing charges for taking them across the border to the US so that they could be married. During that trial, one of his wives, Margaret Thomas, and several other members of his religious sect, were called by the defense team. And yet here was this man who was supposed to be God in mortality and then to see the very human, the very carnal side of this man was incredibly overwhelming because I could no longer deny the reality of the incongruity. He is. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. Rebecca Musser was married to Rulon Jeffs, Warren Jeffs' father. Originally aired on NBC on May 8, 2020. Would love your thoughts, please comment. Musser is mentioned in the book, including her reaction to the fact that Elissa had to marry their cousin at age 14. Rate. As a member of the polygamous Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (FLDS), Musser grew up believing that the purpose of a woman was to get married and she was forced into marriage at 19 years old. 5 things to know about FLDS survivor Rebecca Musser - Sportskeeda Here lived some eight thousand souls the core, the center of what they call the work. Most people know it as the FLDS, Fundamentalist Church Of Latter-Day Saints. . Rebecca also wrote a memoir titled The Witness Wore Red that recounts her life inside and outside the compound. Warren Steed Jeffs was the president of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (FLDS), a polygamous denomination of the Mormon Church (LDS). Though Warren Jeffs was sentenced to life plus 20 years in prison for child abuse, rape, and arranging marriages between young girls and older men, many still consider him the leader of the FLDS today. Rebecca Musser, former polygamist sect wife, speaks out There was always a calculated part of him, about what his next best move was, whether it was for power or position, but I never felt completely relaxed around him, Musser said. Warren slowly gained control of the group and began to arrange marriages for girls who were younger and younger. And I grew up with that kind of terror, and I did not tell anyone until I was an adult woman. Wall eventually left her husband and the FLDS community, too, and headed to Oregon to join her sister. When Rebecca isnt working, she raises her two kids and enjoys playing the violin in addition to discovering what the state has to offer. Warren Jeffs ordered the FLDS membership to sell . She was a wife of the late Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints prophet Rulon Jeffs and escaped the compound before bringing legal proceedings against the church. The story of Rebecca Musser vs. FLDS leader and notorious FBI fugitive Warren Jeffs. And I was 19." . Rebecca Wall Now: Where is Rulon Jeffs' Ex-Wife Today? "Warren Jeffs documented everything," Dretzin revealed. This time, Warren Jeffs conviction would lead to a life sentence. Every day, she inspires me to be better. In 2007, a breakaway extremist offshoot of the Mormon Church called the Fundamentalist Church of the Latter Day Saints made national news. Though the 2007 conviction was eventually overturned, in 2017, a judge ordered Jeffs to pay Elissa $16 million in damages, which could be gotten from either Jeffs himself or from the churchs assets. After Rulon died, his son Warren told Musser that she would need to remarry, but she fled the compound before that marriage could take place. [4] She stated when Myrna found out about the abuse Musser was "threatened", and did not tell anyone again until she was an adult. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. Take the power to love what you want in life and love it honestly. Be wild and gloriously free. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. According to the Facebook page, the organization also helps people rebuild their lives and redefine themselves after abuse and oppression. Source: NBC Article continues below advertisement Just seven years after marrying Rebecca Wall, Rulon Jeffs passed away in September of 2002 at the age of 92. She was the 19th wife of 85-year-old Rulon Jeffs and underwent trauma and sexual abuse until he passed away in 2002. Rulon was 85 at the time. For more information on cookies including how to manage your consent visit our. I had just resigned myself to the fact that this was my fate and just to surrender to it, Musser toldDateline. I was forced to marry my cousin at 14 by sick Mormon cult leader Warren Who were Warren Jeffs' wives and where are they now? Every day, Im grateful to be his mom. What we were taught versus what was really going on. [1] The book received a positive welcome from The Today Show and was featured in their 'Today Books' section. The Rebecca Musser episode of Dateline NBCairs Friday, May 8 at 9 p.m. on NBC. Rate. I begged him, I said, Please, dont do this to me, and he said, You know thats what God wants, and I said, No, I dont, and he pointed his finger at me and he said, I will break you, Musser recalled. GettyDefense witness Verleen Jessop thinks about her answer before speaking during Warren Jeffs trial September 18 September 2007 in St. George, Utah. I was able to slip out past security guards and get away. . She told her story in the 2008 book Stolen Innocence: My Story of Growing Up in a Polygamous Sect, Becoming a Teenage Bride, and Breaking Free of Warren Jeffs.. Rebecca was instrumental in sending Warren to prison by testifying about the inner workings of the organization at several trials. He had a wife and five children at the time of his conversion. hide caption. Warren Steed Jeffs (born December 3, 1955) is an American religious leader who has been convicted of several sex crimes and two assisted sex crimes involving children. In September 2019, she wrote a National Daughters Day post to Natalia, writing, One of the greatest gifts of my life is being mom to this beautiful, courageous, loving, kind, inspiring, sassy, adventurous, determined, brilliant, fun, sparkling, ABBA-loving soul, Natalia. The story of Rebecca Musser vs. FLDS leader and notorious FBI fugitive Warren Jeffs. Musser arranged for her brother, who had already escaped, to pick her up and help her start a new life outside the compound. Lets go for an adventure! . GettyDefense witness Margaret Thomas answers questions during Warren Jeffs trial 18 September 2007 in St. George, Utah. Warren Jeffs had at least 78 wives, and at the time of his arrest, 24 of them were under the age of 17. Rebecca Musser - Wikipedia . Defense witness Charlotte Jessop answers questions during Warren Jeffs trial September 18 September 2007 in St. George, Utah. You were fulfilling this higher law by being a plural wife. a judge ordered Jeffs to pay Elissa $16 million in damages, Gary Ridgway, the Green River Killer: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know. While Rulon passed in 2002 at the age of 92, Warren is still alive at 66, but is serving a life sentence plus 20 years at the Louis C. Powledge Unit in Palestine, Texas for sexually assaulting. Warren Jeffs was at one time married to over 60 women. Women sit outside Warren Jeffs' FLDS compound. The story of Rebecca Musser vs. FLDS leader and notorious FBI fugitive Warren Jeffs. Rebecca opens up to Keith Morrison about life in the church and why she decided to leave the denomination, Friday, May 8 at 9/8c on NBC. I had no idea how to do my hair, how to dress, and what social rituals to follow.. In 2011, Warren Jeffs was found guilty of sexual assault of a child and aggravated sexual assault against a child, relating to the raid. [2] As Sharon was the second wife, she was lower in rank than Myrna; Sharon and her children lived in the family's basement while Myrna and her children lived upstairs. Rebecca opens up to Keith Morrison about life in the church and why she decided to leave the denomination. Warren Jeffs once threatened to "break" Rebecca Musser, but the former FLDS member would find her own power while playing a critical role more than once in taking down the powerful polygamist leader. Take the power to control your own life. Let your voice be part of the change youd like to see in your communities and the world. Rebecca, a former . Stolen Innocence: My Story of Growing Up in a Polygamous Sect, Becoming a Teenage Bride, and Breaking Free of Warren Jeffs is an autobiography by American author Elissa Wall detailing her childhood in the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (FLDS) and subsequent later life outside of the church. [8] After Jeffs' death, Musser was told by Jeffs' son and new church leader Warren Jeffs that she needed to remarry. The 19th Wife Who Brought Polygamous Cult Leaders To Justice. [2] Musser remembers her father being frustrated with only having two wives, as other men in the religion had many more. Everyone needs that sister or friend who says, get your pack! There were also Merrianne and Naomie Jessop, sisters who were both married to Jeffs. He is the president of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (FLDS Church), a polygamous movement. No one else can do it for you. "[12] After testifying, Musser made headlines in the New York Daily News,[13] AOL,[14] and Marie Claire,[15] among others. Explore the nuances of feng shui and find product recommendations for setting up your ideal bedroom, from calming water fountains to handy closet organizers. Testimony revealed a pattern of underage girls being married off to older men and fear-based worship, among other disturbing things. Dateline is anchored by Lester Holt and features correspondents Andrea Canning, Josh Mankiewicz, Keith Morrison and Dennis Murphy. What Happened to Rulon Jeffs? The FLDS President's Ex Speaks Out Rebecca Wall was born to Lloyd Wall and Sharon Steed, both of whom were members of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (FLDS) and had a polygamous family. Growing up in the FLDS, the women were taught from a young age to be obedient to their husbands, and she stated that she never had the option of saying no to Rulons sexual advances. [5] At around age five, Musser was the victim of sexual abuse along with some of her sisters by an upstairs half-brother. When I found out that I was going to be married to Rulon Jeffs, it was tremendously hard because on one hand, I had all this principle going on in my head telling me this is right, this is holy, this is what I've been taught that I've lived for my entire life. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. Prior to leaving, she shared a husband, Rulon, with more than 60 other women. Rebecca Wall, one of the women who escaped from the FLDS and started her own life on the outside, is featured on the show. He used scripture to tell me it is your duty to be a comfort to your husband, especially my husband, because he was the prophet, Musser said. Mussers sister Elissa Wall was just 14 years old when she was pressured to marry her first-cousin Allen Steed. As the start of summer brought several landmark Supreme Court rulings that jerked the law to the right, across the street, the Democratic-controlled Senate was confirming judicial nominees whose . Powered by. . And it matters. I bless the state of Texas that somebody finally stood up to this man and hes sitting in prison now for the rest of his life, Musser said, later adding, The power of words means breaking your silence.. As per Rebecca, Cole had also been kicked out of the FLDS a few years prior. Musser recounts her experiences in the 2022 Netflix documentary Keep Sweet: Pray and Obey, directed by Rachel Dretzin. And I did, I finally just realized I could not say yes to something I no longer agreed with, and I did, I left a note on my bed. 0. See you out on the trails. In 2006, Warren Jeffs was charged with two counts of rape as an accomplice but he had already gone on the run two years earlier, even earning a spot on the FBIs Most Wanted fugitive list. The next year, Musser and Wall would both serve as key witnesses against the man they once believed was their prophet in a sensational trial that captivated the nation. GettyDefense witness Joanna Keate answers questions during Warren Jeffs trial 18 September 2007 in St. George, Utah. The organization is a nonprofit organization aiming to inspire people to claim their human rights, provide education on the mechanisms of manipulation, abuse and control. Rebecca Musser Now 2020: Is She Still a FLDS Member Today? Her fears nearly came to fruition after she was caught kissing another man and Warren called her into his office, threatened her, and ordered her to be married in a weeks time. The View hosts Sunny Hostin and Sara Haines both break down in tears during emotional plea on live TV, Jeopardy! 15 May 2020 Episode #28.31. But, this is, after all, America, blessed with a constitution that quite pointedly shelters religious freedoms in all their stunning variety. [20], Actress Sabina Gadecki portrays Musser in the 2014 film Outlaw Prophet: Warren Jeffs. Endlessly.. The church's leader, Warren Jeffs, was sentenced to life plus 20 years behind bars for sexually assaulting children. Heres what you need to know about Warren Jeffs many wives, some of which were underage and are why he is currently in prison. See production, box office & company info. Every day, I am endlessly grateful for her., She also shared a photo of herself and Kyle, writing Every day, Im inspired by this handsome guy. Musser found herself at odds with her now-stepson Warren Jeffs once again after refusing to visit Rulon when he had summoned her for sexual relations. She used the platform of the nonprofit to speak nationally on behalf of victims of human trafficking and continually advocate for the oppressed and educate communities on the plights of millions in slavery and inspire individuals to change the world. In the film Outlaw Prophet: Warren Jeffs, Musser is portrayed by actress Sabina Gadecki. Warren Jeffs' Children & Family: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know Musser tried to intervene to stop the marriage, but Warren insisted the wedding would be carried out and he presided over the nuptials himself. You can leave. Mildred "Millie" Blackmore & her sisters, Alyshia Rae Blackmore and Nolita Collen Blackmore. Rulon Jeffs is the father of the current FLDS President, Warren Jeffs, who is in prison for multiple counts of child sexual assault. Your purchase helps support NPR programming. Testimony revealed a pattern of underage girls being married off to older men and fear-based worship, among other disturbing things. Jeffs was the son of FLDS prophet Rulon Jeffs, who was believed among his followers to speak directly to God. Daughter of polygamist Warren Jeffs tells how she broke free of - TODAY RELATED:Who Killed A Former French Model Discovered Dead In Her Backyard Pool? . Warren was an authority in the school. I looked him square in the eyes and we both nodded slightly as if to say, we meet again, Musser recalled of taking the stand. Here's what you need to know about Warren Jeffs' many wives, some of which were child brides and are why he is currently in federal prison. Be bold. 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