Carolyn says her ex-husband and Jeffs were very close. She says Jeffs always chose young, pretty girls for his wives. "When I lived in the community, he had upwards of 60 [wives]," she says. "But I've heard stories and reports now from people who have left that now he has upwards of 180."
Carolyn and Lisa's first stop in Colorado City is Merril Jessop's former house. She says she was Merril's fourth wife, but he added a fifth and sixth wife within six months. As they stand on the street in town talking, passing cars honk their horns at Lisa and Carolyn. "I'm sure we were not here for very long before word was circulated through the entire community that there's media here," Carolyn says.
But Carolyn says she isn't scared of FLDS members. "I think I've got a lot of strength in standing up to things I believe are wrong and so I'm not intimidated by it," she says. "I know that it makes them very angry I'm here."
After leaving Merril's house, Carolyn and Lisa next go to see if they can speak with Carolyn's sister. They knock on the door and hear people inside, but no one answers. "It's tragic but then it's not shocking," Carolyn says. "When you leave this, you know what your consequences are and this is one of the consequences. It doesn't make it easy."
Published 10/26/2007
