Preaching Evil: A Wife on the Run with Warren Jeffs

Last updated
Preaching Evil: A Wife on the Run with Warren Jeffs
Genre Documentary
True crime
Directed byDouglas Elford-Argent
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes4
Production
CinematographyKevin Burke
Running time45–53 minutes
Production companies
Original release
Network Peacock
ReleaseApril 26, 2022 (2022-04-26)

Preaching Evil: A wife on the Run with Warren Jeffs is an American documentary miniseries on Peacock, surrounding the polygamous Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, an offshoot of mainstream Mormonism, and its current leader Warren S. Jeffs. [1] The series was released on April 26, 2022, on Peacock. [2] [3] It is directed by Douglas Elford Argent. The series focuses on Jeff's polygamous wife, and personal scribe Naomie Jessop, originally a wife of his father Rulon Jeffs. [4] [5]

Contents

Premise

Naomie Jessop Jeffs, daughter of Merril Jessop, and former wife of Rulon Jeffs details her early life, marriage to the then elderly Rulon, and her eventual marriage to his son Warren Jeffs upon him appointing himself prophet. [6] As Jeffs becomes wanted by law enforcement Naomi's own journals from her work as Warren's personal scribe are used to detail her life both in the community of Short Creek (Hilldale, Utah, and Colorado City, Arizona), as well as her time on the run with Jeffs being placed on the FBI's Ten Most Wanted List. [7]

The series also documents the construction and eventual raid of the YFZ Ranch in Eldorado, Texas. [8]

Episodes

No.Title
1"A False Prophet Rises"
Warren Jeffs brings wife and personal scribe Naomie on a mission to avoid interest from the law.
2"Heavenly Sessions"
Jeffs lands on the FBI's Most Wanted list after abusing his members.
3"The Take Down"
Jeffs is incarcerated, controls the church from prison as his the YFZ ranch is raided.
4"Justice Served"
Following Jeffs' life sentence, former members contemplate life after the FLDS

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints</span> Latter-Day Saints denomination

The Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is a religious sect of the fundamentalist Mormon denominations whose members practice polygamy. It is variously defined as a cult, a sect, or a new religious movement.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mormon fundamentalism</span> Advocates of some early Mormon doctrines

Mormon fundamentalism is a belief in the validity of selected fundamental aspects of Mormonism as taught and practiced in the nineteenth century, particularly during the administrations of Joseph Smith, Brigham Young, and John Taylor, the first three presidents of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Mormon fundamentalists seek to uphold tenets and practices no longer held by mainstream Mormons. The principle most often associated with Mormon fundamentalism is plural marriage, a form of polygyny first taught in the Latter Day Saint movement by the movement's founder, Smith. A second and closely associated principle is that of the United Order, a form of egalitarian communalism. Mormon fundamentalists believe that these and other principles were wrongly abandoned or changed by the LDS Church in its efforts to become reconciled with mainstream American society. Today, the LDS Church excommunicates any of its members who practice plural marriage or who otherwise closely associate themselves with Mormon fundamentalist practices.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Warren Jeffs</span> American criminal and religious leader (born 1955)

Warren Steed Jeffs is an American religious-cult leader and felon, convicted of several sex crimes and two assisted sex crimes involving children. He is the president of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, a polygamous movement. In 2011, he was convicted of two felony counts of child sexual assault, for which he is serving a life sentence.

Flora Jessop is an American social activist, author, and advocate for abused children.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lost boys (Mormon fundamentalism)</span> Term for young males excommunicated or pressured to leave a polygamous Mormon community

"Lost boys" is a term used for young men who have been excommunicated or pressured to leave polygamous Mormon fundamentalist groups, such as the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (FLDS). Although sometimes officially accused of apostasy or disobedience, it is thought that they are mainly pressured to leave by older adult men to reduce competition for wives within such sects, usually when they are between the ages of 13 and 21.

Carolyn Jessop is an American author and former Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints member who wrote Escape, an autobiographical account of her upbringing in the polygamist sect and later flight from that community. She is the cousin, by marriage, of Flora Jessop, another former FLDS member and advocate for abused children. Carolyn Jessop now lives in the Salt Lake City area with her children.

Merril Jessop was a high-ranking bishop in the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, commonly referred to as the FLDS Church. He was briefly the de facto leader of the FLDS. Jessop was also in charge of the YFZ Ranch during the 2008 raid.

Winston Blackmore is the leader of a polygamous Fundamentalist Latter Day Saint religious group in Bountiful, British Columbia, Canada. He is described as "Canada's best-known avowed polygamist". He has 150 children with his 27 "spiritual" wives, some of whom he has admitted were underage.

William Edson Jessop is a leader in the Mormon fundamentalist movement.

William Roy Jessop is a former leader and spokesman for the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Jessop should not be confused with William E. Jessop, the person Warren Jeffs designated as his successor to the presidency of the FLDS Church.

Irene Spencer was an American author and a widow of Verlan LeBaron, brother of former prophet Joel LeBaron of the Church of the Firstborn of the Fulness of Times, a fundamentalist Mormon offshoot.

Wendell Loy Nielsen was the president of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, replacing Warren Jeffs, at that time imprisoned on charges related to sexual assaults against minors.

<i>Stolen Innocence</i> 2008 book by Elissa Wall with Lisa Pulitzer

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. It was first published by William Morrow and Company in 2008.

Ruby Jessop is an American former member of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (FLDS) and child bride known for her family connections, her 2013 escape from an FLDS-controlled polygamous community, and the criminal probe prompted by her escape.

Rebecca Musser is an American author and activist. 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. In the film Outlaw Prophet: Warren Jeffs, Musser is portrayed by actress Sabina Gadecki.

Nephi Jeffs is an American Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints leader. He is the bishop of the Short Creek Stake, and is his brother Warren Jeffs's personal secretary.

Seth Jeffs is an American high-ranking official in the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. He is known for harboring his brother Warren Jeffs during the federal manhunt to arrest him.

<i>Keep Sweet: Pray and Obey</i> 2022 American Netflix documentary series

Keep Sweet: Pray and Obey is an American documentary miniseries on Netflix, surrounding the polygamous Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, an offshoot of mainstream Mormonism, and its current leader Warren S. Jeffs. The series was released on June 8, 2022, on Netflix. It is directed by Rachel Dretzin, and Grace McNally, who began interviewing survivors after visiting Short Creek, Utah, the headquarters of the FLDS Church.

Rachel Jeffs Blackmore is an American author and former member of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. She is the daughter of the church's prophet, convicted pedophile Warren Jeffs.

References

  1. Preaching Evil: A Wife on the Run with Warren Jeffs (TV Mini Series 2022) - Episode list - IMDb , retrieved 2024-01-29
  2. "Watch Preaching Evil: A Wife on the Run with Warren Jeffs Season 1 Streaming Online | Peacock". @peacocktv. Retrieved 2024-01-29.
  3. Cordero, Rosy (2022-02-23). "Peacock Reveals True Crime Tuesday Slate Including 'Perfect World' And 'Preaching Evil'". Deadline. Retrieved 2024-01-29.
  4. Victoria Priola, eCommerce writer (2022-04-26). "Ex-wife of cult leader Warren Jeffs speaks out in Peacock documentary 'Preaching Evil': How to watch". pennlive. Retrieved 2024-01-29.
  5. Nath, Nikita (2022-04-26). "Preaching Evil: What did Warren Jeffs' wife Naomie Jessop do after his arrest?". www.sportskeeda.com. Retrieved 2024-01-29.
  6. "Preaching Evil: A Wife on the Run with Warren Jeffs". TVGuide.com. Retrieved 2024-01-29.
  7. "Ex-Wife of Warren Jeffs Speaks Out in 'Preaching Evil' Doc: Watch". Entertainment Tonight. Retrieved 2024-01-29.
  8. Porter, Christie (2022-04-24). "Warren Jeffs' Former Wives And Children Speak In New FLDS Docuseries 'Preaching Evil'". Salt Lake Magazine. Retrieved 2024-01-29.