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From: geoff@desint.UUCP (Geoff Kuenning)
Newsgroups: net.legal
Subject: Re: Should child witnesses testify by TV?
Message-ID: <341@desint.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 19-Feb-85 14:10:22 EST
Article-I.D.: desint.341
Posted: Tue Feb 19 14:10:22 1985
Date-Received: Thu, 21-Feb-85 23:57:50 EST
References: <164@sdcc12.UUCP> <125@tove.UUCP> <338@desint.UUCP> <440@spp2.UUCP>
Organization: his home computer, Manhattan Beach, CA
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In article <440@spp2.UUCP> jhull@spp2.UUCP (Jeff Hull) writes:

>In article <338@desint.UUCP> geoff@desint.UUCP (Geoff Kuenning) writes:
>>If I were accused by a
>>child I knew, I would want to be able to face him or her and try to
>>communicate what damage he was doing to me in their confusion.
>
>And I would want a court-appointed qualified professional to represent
>your interests.  Someone who was not emotionally involved in the
>outcome who could ensure that the child was protected while the truth
>was being brought to light.

I think you misunderstand me here.  I am talking about a child I have known
and loved for several years (I tend to personalize these things) and the very
real possibility of a false accusation encouraged by a misguided counselor
or grandparent.  One of the comforts I have in worrying about such things is
the knowledge that I would have the opportunity to explain to the child, in
detail and in my own words, exactly what would happen to me if the truth was
*not* brought to light.  Please excuse me if I don't think a "court-appointed
professional" is as capable as I am in communicating with a child I have
known for years.  And please remember that, if you are falsely convicted of
child molesting, you are facing a sentence of from 5 to 20 years in a prison
where child molesters are on the bottom of the totem pole, suffering hatred,
beatings, and rape.  Not a pleasant prospect for a person who never actually
committed a crime.

Especially in the light of the rabbit-ears revelation this morning, I
remain convinced that some, if not all, of the McMartin defendants are guilty.
And I would not like the idea of *my* child having to face those people
again in court.  (That would hold, incidentally, even if my child were 25 and
the criminal were a simple mugger.  Facing people who have hurt you is tough.)
Nevertheless, let us remember that false accusations are made.  It is not
very pleasant to see a friend's child in the McMartin case.  But it is also
not pleasant to see the friend falsely put into the worst jail conditions
possible, just because of overblown hysteria from McMartin.  We must walk a
ridiculously fine line here to strike a balance, but walk it we must.
-- 

	Geoff Kuenning
	Unix Consultant
	...!ihnp4!trwrb!desint!geoff