[beaversmom]

I watched this Retro Report several weeks back. I remember the case pretty well even though I was a teen at the time.

Video link: McMartin Preschool: Anatomy of a Panic | Retro Report | The New York Times 13:20 minutes

How horrible what happened to these people. I feel for anyone that has been falsely accused or had something small blown out of proportion. We all need to be very careful when making accusations or believing such.

Today, I was reminded of the McMartin case from this recent National Review article regarding false memories:

National Review article link

From the article:

She is not alone in the field, of course. In 1990, the McMartin preschool trial came to an end, seven years after allegations surfaced of outrageous, satanic sex abuse of toddlers. It was the most expensive criminal trial in American history; at its end, all charges were dropped. The mother who made the initial accusation was diagnosed as a paranoid schizophrenic (she stated that she’d seen one of the alleged abusers fly through the air) and later found dead from complications of alcoholism. In the wake of this trial and other satanic-abuse hysteria sweeping the country at the time, “false memories” became a prominent phrase in neuropsychological research.

And in the same vein:

‘Dingo’s Got My Baby’: Trial by Media | Retro Report | The New York Times 14:03 minutes long

In this video, years later, Lindy Chamberlain talks about the horror of being falsely accused of her baby Azaria's murder.

[ml/nj]

Maybe they could do one about Jerry Sandusky too?

ML/NJ

[beaversmom]

More media lies and exaggerations below. The video shows many people in the media and entertainment perpetuating lies about this case. Even good old George Will got in on the act as seen in this Retro Report:

Woman Burned by McDonald's Hot Coffee, Then the News Media | Retro Report | The New York Times

[beaversmom]

More media lies and exaggerations below. The video shows many people in the media and entertainment perpetuating lies about this case. Even good old George Will got in on the act as seen in this Retro Report:

Woman Burned by McDonald's Hot Coffee, Then the News Media | Retro Report | The New York Times

[al baby]

Ray and the family were sickos but never to the extent of what was alleged

[miss marmelstein]

Who can forget the hysteria generated in the 1980s over “Believe the Children.” Now, it is “Believe the Women.”

[bigbob]

Duke lacrosse team.

[lee martell]

The McMartins had their lives ruined and were tried in the press. No amount of money could make up for what was taken away from them as private citizens. I don’t know if the son is still alive or not. Seems that a name change would be the first order of business.

[Dawggie]

I remember passing by that place on my way to church thinking what a horrible place. Neighbors would post banners of condemnation on the fence. Even from the pulpit they were judged guilty by the local churches. They were exonerated by trial only after being crucified by the mob. A real sad life’s lesson.

[SES1066]

It is worthy of note that Bill Clinton’s Attorney General, Janet Reno [FYI: 3rd selectee], was prominent in this miscarriage while serving as the State Attorney for Dade (Miami) County. Perhaps the most FLAGRANT case was the adult court prosecution against a 13yo boy, Bobby Fijnje, in 1989 for 21 cases of child abuse during church services. After an investigation & trial lasting 2 years, where Reno’s Office could not present a SINGLE WITNESS to the alleged abuses, Fijnje was acquitted of all charges!

Just imagine if the now 42yo Bobby Fijnje were to go through any similar proctoscope as is now being done on Judge Kavanaugh! With 21 accusations charged, surely, according to the current Democrat standards(?!), the seriousness of them must be totally disqualifying!

[Travis McGee]