Alleged Child Victims & "Suggested Evidence" of Abuse

by Brad Koffel

Last week I attended a two day national conference of Criminal Defense lawyers who met in Savannah, GA to hear some of the nation's leading experts on the dangers of "suggested" evidence in alleged child victim abuse cases. One of the speakers, a clinical psychologist, stated it is very apparent to him (and many other child psychologists) when they meet a child victim for the first time if that child is, in fact, a true victim of a sex crime. He said, "it doesn't take months and months of 'goofy therapy' to determine if a child has been a victim of a sex crime".

One of the leading cases that went to trial recently was of a kindergarten teacher who was alleged to have had sexual conduct with a student. The government's witnesses included the teacher's own daughter who testified against her.

The defense team brought some of the leading research and experts in the country to the trial in Georgia. The jury returned a "Not Guilty" verdict despite the overwhelming testimony of the teacher's daughter and the therapist who "uncovered" the alleged sex crimes.

The jury heard, from top to bottom, the junk science that lays behind many therapists who suggest, prod, and cull false memories from vulnerable, young minds. These therapists irreparably damage families, destroy the lives of the alleged perpetrators, and ruin the lives of the little kids who are alleged victims.

I will be the first in line to punish actual sex offenders who prey on children. There is no legal form of punishment in America for these monsters. However, in our zeal to protect kids at all costs, the goofy therapy of suggesting false memories and converting non-victims into victims and labeling the innocent guilty is nearly as bad.