Warren Jeffs Sermonizes in Court, FLDS Leader Called 'Partially Crazy'

A former member of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints said on Friday she wasn't surprised by an outburst by Warren Jeffs, the church's leader who is on trial for sexual assault.

"I couldn't expect anything less from such an irrational, honestly, partially crazy leader as I knew him," Elisa Wall told the CBS Early Show.

A day earlier, Jeffs, 55, fired his legal team, electing to represent himself. He has been changing lawyers since Dec. 2010.

He was arrested in 2007 in Utah and faces a virtual life sentence if convicted on two counts of child sexual assault.

He is now one week into a trial. On Friday, Jeff said "I object!" as an FBI agent began testifying on evidence discovered at his compound in Eldorado, Texas in a 2008 raid.

"I, the Lord God of heaven, call upon the court to cease this prosecution against my pure, holy way," Jeffs said.

"I shall send a scourge upon the counties of prosecutorial zeal to be humbled by sickness and death," he added.

Jeffs defended his church's teaching that polygamy is divine, launching into a nearly one-hour sermon.

Controversially, he said God would bring "sickness and death" on people linked to the trial if it did not immediately end. The judge in the case warned Jeffs would be removed if he threatened any of the jurors in the case, who were not present for Jeffs' comments.