Please tell me I'm missing something here...

In a nutshell, this guy was sentenced to 55 years in prison for raping
his daughter... Six years later the girl comes forward and claims that
he never raped or molested her, she was coerced into testifying by her
mother after her parents divorced... And the courts are refusing to
consider setting him free because now that she has changed her story she
has "lost credibility as a witness".

One poster commented that it sounds like a story written by Orwell or
Kafka. I have to agree.

http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/...WS01/603230411

- Ron ^*^

"Werebat" wrote in message news:i0iVf.748$t22.685@dukeread08...

In a nutshell, this guy was sentenced to 55 years in prison for raping his daughter... Six years later the girl comes
forward and claims that he never raped or molested her, she was coerced into testifying by her mother after her
parents divorced... And the courts are refusing to consider setting him free because now that she has changed her
story she has "lost credibility as a witness".

The courts haven't refused to consider setting him free

(from the same link as below)

"Dortch promised to rule as quickly as possible, but Thomas said the judge said in court last week that he hadn't looked
at the case yet."

(Dortch would be Judge Ronnie Dortch)

One poster commented that it sounds like a story written by Orwell or Kafka. I have to agree.

http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/...WS01/603230411

- Ron ^*^

"Werebat" wrote in

his daughter... Six years later the girl comes forward and claims that he
never raped or molested her, she was coerced into testifying by her mother
after her parents divorced...

So is the mother to be charged with anything?

DB wrote:
"Werebat" wrote in


his daughter... Six years later the girl comes forward and claims that he
never raped or molested her, she was coerced into testifying by her mother
after her parents divorced...


So is the mother to be charged with anything?

"Don't look at that! Look over here -- Ooo, something shiny!"

- Ron ^*^

On Sat, 25 Mar 2006 15:48:13 -0500, Werebat
wrote:


In a nutshell, this guy was sentenced to 55 years in prison for raping
his daughter... Six years later the girl comes forward and claims that
he never raped or molested her, she was coerced into testifying by her
mother after her parents divorced... And the courts are refusing to
consider setting him free because now that she has changed her story she
has "lost credibility as a witness".

One poster commented that it sounds like a story written by Orwell or
Kafka. I have to agree.

http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/...WS01/603230411

- Ron ^*^

When reading this story, a couple of things come to mind.

It is difficult to tell whether a recant is truly a teen's admission
of an earlier lie or whether it is the result of a) suppression, b)
embarrassment, c) coercion, or a myriad of other reasons.

I am assuming that a jury felt that the evidence presented, even if
only testimony, was enough to convict. It is unlikely that this
proceeded to trial without more than just the girl's story. Something
made the DA feel that there was enough to convict and, obviously,
there was. There are so many things that are sealed in a case like
this that we may never really know the full story. I will presume
that the estrangement of her parents was presented as a potential
cause to disbelieve her at the original trial.

That said, how does convicting the step-father of molestation, help
with a custody dispute. If he was incarcerated, then the mother would
be free and clear to assume custody as she was a non-offending parent.
I can tell you from experience that a mother may have no idea that a
step-father is molesting a child. The red flags are so much more
obvious after the fact. In my case, my ex FIL offered my ex money not
to marry me and it only became obvious later that it was because the
family secret would get out if he did. My self-esteem was such that I
assumed that it was because his family felt I was not good enough for
him (and this is what he had told me). I wish he had taken the money
and run. AT ANY RATE, unless the mother knew or should have known
molestation was occurring, she is normally not held liable... in ANY
court.

My 22 year old has not been able to remember what my ex did to him
between the ages of 3 and 7 and could not when he was a teenager;
however, what he reported when he was younger is quite believable.
After child protection became involved, I learned of several other
children who had reported the same of my ex. How could anyone have
ever instructed my son in what to say (and it was specific) before
knowing the specifics of other accusations? It's just not possible.
The fact that he couldn't remember as he got older does not mean it
didn't happen.
Beverly