Witch Hunt in Wenatchee, WA - Lane Lawless' Old Stomping Ground
lonemonkey:
Given Pastor Lane's likely connections to Wenatchee...
I thought we should look into the case a bit. I for one had never heard of it. The McMartin Pre-School case I studied back in college.
I find this particular case unsettling.
I also find it odd that the people of the church in Washington where Pastor Lane is accuses of child-molestation, are so nervous to speak about it.
There Was No Witch Hunt In Wenatchee Sex Probe
By Lucy Berliner
Special To The Times
THE recent verdict in the civil suit against officials in Wenatchee proved one crucial point. Ordinary citizens were charged with the duty of listening to evidence and argument by competent lawyers. They concluded that there were grounds for "reasonably cautious" professionals to pursue investigations and prosecutions on behalf of the children who reported abuse. They did not find evidence that rights were violated. In other words, there was no witch hunt.
That jury was not asked to decide the guilt or innocence of the plaintiffs. They had already been acquitted or had charges dismissed. But the central question of the Wenatchee cases still remains. How many children were abused and by whom? This we will never know for sure. Only the children and adults involved know the truth; the rest of us just decide whom to believe. Of all the people who have actually talked to the children or heard them testify, by far the majority have believed them; some have not.
There are certain undisputed facts about what happened in this complicated series of cases, some of which were connected and others that were unrelated. Scores of reports of maltreatment or neglect were made about many of the children. They came from citizens, schools, health and mental health professionals, and the police. One family had more than 50. Eventually, the allegations of sexual abuse that precipitated the cases in question arose, starting with a woman who accused her husband. Children were interviewed and reported abuse. Adults confessed and implicated other adults. These children and adults implicated others. Charges were filed in some cases. Some adults pleaded guilty, some were convicted in trials. Other adults were acquitted or had charges dismissed. A small minority of the children recanted their allegations, and of those, some later said the original allegations were true.
There is no doubt that some of the allegations were unusual. In many of the cases, mothers were accused; families were said to have gotten together and abused children; a few children accused very large numbers of adults. But in numerous instances, children independently reported consistent experiences and adults readily admitted to the accusations. In every case where charges were filed, more than one child had made reports, and/or there was an adult who confessed or reported witnessing abuse. These factors and the absence of evidence (as opposed to allegations) that the professionals acted in bad faith are probably what convinced the jury that rights were not violated.
I do not presume to know exactly what happened to the children in Wenatchee: how much of what the children said was true, partly true, or false. I do know that it is often hard for abused children to come forward, that they are sometimes inconsistent, or recant true allegations. There is rarely definitive corroboration. I also know that children can be misled and make false allegations. It is not always easy to sort it out. No doubt about it, we who respond to children who may have been abused sometimes make mistakes or stray from best practice standards. But I can say without hesitation that we strive to make the right decisions.
That is not what some journalists and editorial boards would have citizens believe. They say that counselors, doctors, CPS workers, police, prosecutors, jurors and judges were reckless and even malicious in their actions. For months, we have been bombarded with relentlessly one-sided stories and editorials. Inflammatory factual errors have been repeated endlessly. For example, was anyone charged with thousands, or even hundreds of counts of sexual abuse? Never happened. Was the foster child of the detective the instigator of the initial accusations? No. Convicted, admitted sex offenders are proclaimed innocent. Jurors who do not find wrongdoing are characterized as "small town" and lacking in "patience and an eye for detail." Clearly, some members of the press have taken a position about what happened that nothing is likely to change.
Where does all this leave us? For starters, what happened in Wenatchee in 1994 matters little to children who are brought to the attention of authorities in 1998. What counts today is that investigations are properly conducted and lead to just outcomes. It goes without saying that professionals should avoid conflicts of interest; that investigative interviews should be well documented; that investigations should be thorough and objective; that professionals should be scrupulous about adhering to their respective roles; and that they should be well trained and supervised. Professionals who respond to child abuse reports have been reminded of the importance of these principles.
It should also be of some comfort to citizens that there are numerous efforts under way to ensure good practice in Washington. Procedures and policies are being reviewed, standards set, training and consultation provided. Whatever lessons needed to be learned, have been.
Lucy Berliner is research director of the Center for Sexual Assault and Traumatic Stress, Harborview Medical Center.
Copyright (c) 1998 Seattle Times Company, All Rights Reserved.
love4ever:
Yay!!! ::MonkeyDance:: And I agree..This has been something I have researched alittle. The most important aspects I have seen are those still incarcerated and those who have been acquitted but did not get their children back. Their children remained in foster homes. Also name changes, did some of those convicted, but acquitted change their names? And who were the foster parents of the so many children taken? The name change is what I was looking for. Noticing that even the city was voting to change the name of Wenatchee (see below).
Thursday, May 8, 1997 - Page updated at 12:00 AM
Pacific Northwest
Name Change Going To A Vote
Seattle Times Staff: Seattle Times News Services
EAST WENATCHEE, Douglas County - The City Council has agreed to a public vote in the fall on changing the city's name.
The council said Monday the issue could go on the September or November ballot. If voters approve a change, they'll be asked to choose from a list of names submitted by the council.
"Eastmont," the name of the local school district, is a possible favorite.
http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=19970508&slug=2538078
Or how about Roberson aka Robert "Roby" Roberson being charged with perjury and theft?
Saturday, March 23, 1996 - Page updated at 12:00 AM
Pacific Northwest
Pastor Sentenced For Fraud
Seattle Times Staff: Seattle Times News Services
KENNEWICK - An East Wenatchee pastor, acquitted earlier of child-rape and molestation charges, was sentenced yesterday in an unrelated welfare-fraud case.
Robert "Roby" Roberson was sentenced to 30 days of community service and two years of probation, and ordered to pay $684 in court costs.
A hearing was set for April 19 to determine if Roberson must pay back about $36,000 in welfare aid.
Roberson, 50, pleaded guilty to perjury and theft.
http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=19960323&slug=2320391
(Edit to change color from red (used by admin/mods) to navy. MuffyBee)
lonemonkey:
Quote from: love4ever on June 18, 2009, 03:45:15 PM
Yay!!! ::MonkeyDance:: And I agree..This has been something I have researched alittle. The most important aspects I have seen are those still incarcerated and those who have been acquitted but did not get their children back. Their children remained in foster homes. Also name changes, did some of those convicted, but acquitted change their names? And who were the foster parents of the so many children taken? The name change is what I was looking for. Noticing that even the city was voting to change the name of Wenatchee (see below).
Thursday, May 8, 1997 - Page updated at 12:00 AM
Pacific Northwest
Name Change Going To A Vote
Seattle Times Staff: Seattle Times News Services
EAST WENATCHEE, Douglas County - The City Council has agreed to a public vote in the fall on changing the city's name.
The council said Monday the issue could go on the September or November ballot. If voters approve a change, they'll be asked to choose from a list of names submitted by the council.
"Eastmont," the name of the local school district, is a possible favorite.
http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=19970508&slug=2538078
Or how about Roberson aka Robert "Roby" Roberson being charged with perjury and theft?
Saturday, March 23, 1996 - Page updated at 12:00 AM
Pacific Northwest
Pastor Sentenced For Fraud
Seattle Times Staff: Seattle Times News Services
KENNEWICK - An East Wenatchee pastor, acquitted earlier of child-rape and molestation charges, was sentenced yesterday in an unrelated welfare-fraud case.
Robert "Roby" Roberson was sentenced to 30 days of community service and two years of probation, and ordered to pay $684 in court costs.
A hearing was set for April 19 to determine if Roberson must pay back about $36,000 in welfare aid.
Roberson, 50, pleaded guilty to perjury and theft.
http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=19960323&slug=2320391
(Edit to change color from red (used by admin/mods) to navy. MuffyBee)
Interesting post, Love! ::MonkeyRoll::
So...this Pastor and wife Connie have NO problem stealing form the members of their church and the Food Bank of the poor.
Wonder what else they are OK with *stealing*...
They are fishy!
BTW, Sister is looking for a post about a lawsuit and the dairy...
Do you remember anything like that? Having a hard time locating it!
love4ever:
What gets me is that some are still incarcerated...
Also, one that caught my eye was a lady by the name of "Sadie Mae Hughes" I do not
know why, I might be just being sill again.. ::MonkeyTongue::...There are other names that get me, but I haven't been able to figure it out, just yet...I know you intelligent monkeys can though!!!
The Accused:
Snipped:
http://www.seattlepi.com/powertoharm/accused.html
doubledecker:
I wonder if these court records are public or sealed?
so I wonder how many children were taken away, and how many not returned. Were they adopted out? And how many people moved away and changed their names? would be interesting to find out and see if any of them might be any of our missing people we can't find anything on.
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