For other people named William Jessop, see William Jessop (disambiguation).
William Roy Jessop is a former leader and spokesman for the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (FLDS Church). Jessop should not be confused with William E. Jessop, the person Warren Jeffs designated as his successor to the presidency of the FLDS Church.
Jessop was a bodyguard during the tenure of FLDS Church president Warren Jeffs. After Jeffs' arrest and the April 2008 raids on the church's YFZ Ranch near Eldorado, Texas, Jessop became a frequent spokesman for the FLDS Church. In May 2008, Jessop wrote an open letter to United States president George W. Bush, requesting that he intervene against the removal of children from FLDS Church families.[1]
In a January 2009 deposition, Jessop refused to answer 110 questions put to him on the grounds that doing so would violate his Fifth Amendment rights under the United States Constitution.[2]
In February 2011, Jessop left the church[citation needed] and in April denounced Jeffs.[3] After leaving the church, Jessop continues to live in Hildale, Utah. In October, a 25-year-old wife of Jeffs fleeing the church sought refuge in his house before being removed by law enforcement.[4]
Jessop has been nicknamed "Willie the Thug", "Fat Willie", "Willie Doughnuts" and "King Willie" by disaffected FLDS Church members. He has been described by police as having "a passion for violence, weapons (legal and illegal) and explosives" and has been said to be "the most serious threat affiliated with the FLDS religion".[5] Police have also suggested that Jessop attempted to intimidate witnesses during Warren Jeffs' 2007 trial.[5]
Willie Jessop's reversal and denouncement of Warren Jeffs occurred after he discovered incriminating evidence (documents and audio recordings) that proved Jeffs was guilty of crimes he had been charged with and subsequently found guilty of in 2011 (namely accessory to rape and rape of minors). Jessop was shocked and disgusted to discover that the prophet he had been protecting had in fact been using his status to facilitate group sex with young girls.[citation needed] Jessop received further confirmation after interviewing some of Jeffs' wives.
After publicly denouncing Warren Jeffs in 2011, Willie Jessop was subject to discrimination, harassment and burglary by FLDS members and sect leaders. He later won a lawsuit against them in court. In March 2015, he appeared on the Oprah Winfrey show to reveal the truth in his change of allegiance, as well as open up about the aftermath that followed.[6]
^"Letter to President George W. Bush" (PDF). captivefldschildren.org. 10 May 2008.
^Paul A. Anthony, "FLDS spokesman pleads the Fifth", San Angelo Standard-Times, 2009-01-30.
^Whitehurst, Lindsay. "Former Jeffs supporter calls him 'morally indefensible'", The Salt Lake Tribune, 2011-04-28
^"Authorities help woman leave polygamous sect in Texas", Associated Press, 2011-10-12
^ ab"Washington County sends dossiers of select FLDS members to Texas officials", Deseret News, 2008-06-11.
^Nate Carlisle (March 20, 2015). "Willie Jessop, who once defended Warren Jeffs, talks to Oprah again". The Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved 2024-02-17.
removed by law enforcement. Jessop has been nicknamed "Willie the Thug", "Fat Willie", "Willie Doughnuts" and "King Willie" by disaffected FLDS Church...
William Jessop (disambiguation), multiple people WillieJessop, leader of Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints Jessop & Company...
spokesperson WillieJessop wrote a letter to President George W. Bush, asking him to intervene, and outlining the harsh conditions that Jessop believed that...
McCaughey, Irish Republican, died on hunger strike (b. 1915) 1955 – Gilbert Jessop, English cricketer (b. 1874) 1960 – John D. Rockefeller Jr., American businessman...
Daniels Frank Oliver Evans Frederick Fleet Luigi Gatti Robert Hichens Violet Jessop Archie Jewell Charles Joughin Reginald Lee Evelyn Marsden William Mintram...
Haven Kimmel A Girl Named Zippy 2001 Paula Fox Borrowed Finery 2001 Keith Jessop Goldfinder 2001 Stan Lee Excelsior 2002 Taslima Nasrin Gusty Wind 2002 Gabriel...
Megan McChesney, Anna Mancini, Tony Mark, Ian Downie, Jack Newman, Jack Jessop, Delores Etienne, Joel Gordon, Victor Ertmanis, Richard Blackburn, Holly...
Doug Keefer. Paul De Rolf appears as Larry. Winnie Coffin appears as Mrs. Jessop. 92 18 "Billie Jo's Independence Day" Dick Moder Al Schwartz & Lou Huston...
Allen, James Wilby, Kevin McKidd, Richard Dillane, John Barrowman, Peter Jessop, Edward Baker-Duly, Jeff Harding, Caroline O'Connor, Lara Fabian, Cole Porter...
Crone, Dan Duran, Robert Bockstael, Andrew Tarbet, Christian Lloyd, Jack Jessop, John Connolly, Angela Gei, Frank Moore, Ken James, Oliver Dennis, Bernard...
from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 15 September 2014. Kolesnikov-Jessop, Sonia (8 September 2013). "8 Iconic Artworks Featuring Lee Kuan Yew". BlouinArtInfo...
of the Season Bruce Leek, Fred Vogler & Trent Walker, engineers (Craig Jessop, Mack Wilberg & Mormon Tabernacle Choir) Strauss: Don Juan, Death and Transfiguration...
(shipping company owner) Frank Jessop (In 1935 founded The Jessop Group Limited, photographic retailers and suppliers. "Jessops of Leicester") Harry Peach...
Monthly Review Press. pp. 317–331. doi:10.17605/OSF.IO/65MXD. Henderson, Willie (2000). John Ruskin's political economy. London: Routledge. ISBN 0-203-15946-2...
appeal. Morin is 100% exonerated with the discovery, in 2020, of Jessop's murderer. Willie Nepoose was convicted in 1987 for the 1986 murder of Rose Marie...
February 27, 2020. Retrieved March 8, 2020. "Archives". Los Angeles Times. Jessop, Alicia (January 5, 2013). "ESPN's Path to Becoming a Bowl Game Owner and...
Cottage to Let Flt. Lieutenant Perry 1942 The Black Sheep of Whitehall Bobby Jessop The Big Blockade Tom In Which We Serve Ordinary Seaman Blake (with daughter...
Archived from the original on May 29, 2019. Retrieved February 8, 2015. Jessop, Alicia (April 7, 2013). "WrestleMania Brings 70,000 Fans And Multi-Million...
Archived from the original on July 1, 2019. Retrieved July 1, 2019. Alicia Jessop (January 31, 2014). "Texas A&M Stands To Earn More in Upcoming 12th Man...
volume of greats, that include Jack Hobbs (157), Tom Hayward (97), Gilbert Jessop (122) and Wilfred Rhodes (121) means that the age retains a fond place in...
Richardson Hugh Trumble 1898 Frederick Bull Willis Cuttell Frank Druce Gilbert Jessop Jack Mason 1899 Wilfred Rhodes William Storer Charlie Townsend Albert Trott...
Irish Fianna Fáil politician and teacher. She was the sister of Patrick and Willie Pearse, two of the leaders of the 1916 Easter Rising. Margaret Mary Pearse...
Global Information