Witch Hunt: True Story

I've been interested in the "recovered memory" controversy since I ran across related legal cases of dubious merit all over the country, and successful legal suits filed againt psychiatrists' offices for seeding false memories in their patients. My interest was reinvigorated while talking with an associate recently whose avocation is to keep in touch with the roughly 15 percent (!) of persons in prison who haven't done anything. We talked about Romano in California ("Spectral Evidence") Ingram in Washington ("Remembering Satan"), and this Wenatchee, Washington case. So I got this book.It all started with a 6 year old girl whose behavior was questioned by teachers. Eventually a child protection worker talked with her. The girl said she'd been touched inappropriately by a couple of 6 year old boys. The protection worker didn't feel that was right--there MUST be more to it. She persisted ad nauseum until the kid finally said her father abused her. (Her parents, incidentally, had pretty low IQs, were, therefore, poor. That's key to all these sham allegations.)From there what took place was no less than incredible. A police officer had just taken the helm of the child abuse charges. Though he's retired, I won't mention his name so I don't get accused of child abuse myself. But, to make a long story short, he coerced children into claiming they'd been sexually abused, and their parents of being responsible for the acts. As Ms. Lyon indicates--again, and again, and again--he gave the parties no option but to say what he wanted. When people, including an upstanding minister in town, challenged the officer's integrity, they too were implicated, and eventually jailed. The pathetic thing about the case is that the courts went along with the allegations! It presents, shall I say, a profound challenge to those who believe "the system" works. And the local media, of course, bought into it. It is, after all, sensational and on that condition the press thrives.What's the number in my title? It's the total number of sexual abuse acts of which those on trial were accused. Incidentally, ALL of the charges were eventually dismissed, and all those accused were released from prison, but only after spending a great deal of time there!I thank Ms. Lyon, an attorney and public defender, for the book which, on the cover, states, "In the wrong hands, the law can be a dangerous weapon." Indeed, among the most egregious offenses I see in today's society is the abuse of authority by public officials. As we pay them to protect us, I think such abuse should be a capital offense. Not only do such phony allegations cost us astonishing amounts of time and money, but they cause incredible suffering, not only to those sent to prison but to those who'll remain convinced for the rest of their lives that they were helpless victims--when the facts indicate that nothing happened!Important too is that the accused who partook of the services of public defenders (most were poor and/or other

This journalistic account of the civil rights violations that can occur in the name of helping children is a chilling, scary book. Those who are in denial, or doubt Ms. Lyons account should read the award winning series in the Seattle paper called The Power to Harm at www.seattle-pi.com/powertoharm. This account also updates the story past the end of the books time frame so the reader can learn about the ultimate outcome of many of the cases. One page even continues to update the story as it unfolds.

I have lived in Wenatchee for twenty years, and I saw first hand these outrageous trials. Unfortunately, the whole book is true. I saw some other reviewers say that the book is "one-sided". Perhaps, but the other side in this story is a truckload of BS, and the "mental-health professionals" who claim that the investigation was valid are LIARS. I also saw a review that said that one child called in to say that she was indeed raped. Well, given how often the stories have changed, I would find it very hard to believe. Folks, the facts speak for themselves, Almost all the ones convicted had a public lawyer, and almost everyone aquitted or had charges dismissed had a private lawyer. I don't want to go too deeply into the story, because I would basically be paraphrasing the book, which I don't want to do. In conclusion, beware of anyone who gives support to Perez, that sorry excuse for a human being.

Americans need to listen up to the kind of justice that is notso uncommon, especially in the state of Washington. A book to be onyour must read list. One must ask two questions: 1. How and why could something like this be permitted to happen on this level and to this extent? 2. What must be done to prevent it from occuring again?

The Citizens of The city of Wenatche, owe you for your hard work, Those that have been touched, those that are living and those who have live and died ,know about the abuse that has been going on far to long in this City of Wenatchee. I know,I lived there, and also have family that still live there ,and their lives have been hurt terribly by the 'Power Class",in this isolated town.. Kathryn, I take my hat off to you, , We Give you our Thanks,for a Great Job on this book Thanks for writing the truth!