Post by Deleted on Oct 5, 2012 4:05:08 GMT -5
No case has stumped me more than McMartin preschool. Among the key issues are whether or not the network of underground tunnels described by the children actually existed. If the tunnels are real, then it lends additional credence to the childrens’ testimonies and to the presence of abuse; as the main function of the secret room and tunnels, as described, would have been to enact and facilitate abuse. There are compelling articles upholding and debunking the presence of tunnels under the property. Upholding it are the reports related to the 1990 dig/radar assessment, led by Dr. Gary Stickel. (One of the better supportive articles is "The Dark Tunnels of McMartin" by Dr. Ronald C Summit.) Such reports seem to validate specific details relayed by some the children; most notably, Jackie McGauley’s daughter.
There is counterweight casting some doubt on any scenario resembling what the children described. The children were all interviewed by Kee MacFarlane of Children's Institute International. It has definitely been proven that those who initially denied abuse were essentially subjected to MacFarlane's lengthy and manipulative interviews, until they had some recollection of the event. Moreover, credible authors – viz., John Earl -- assert that the fill in the tunnels was from the 1940s. Also, if the holes were filled in after 1982, as Gunderson has indicated by the Disney wrapper he unearthed/produced, it would have taken a lot of dirt and manpower to get this done. If surrounding residents reported such activity, I can find no record of it. Also, the functional trap doors the children describe do not seem to exist. Additional doubt is cast when Earl revealed that there was a series of large interconnecting foam play segments at the preschool. These segments were also called 'the tunnels'.
But then it seems foolish to dismiss all that testimony by the children. It is hard to believe that a MacFarlane brainwashing session could produce such remarkable consistency on certain key details in the testimony. And although the defense was successful in characterizing the 'whistleblower' mom Judy Johnson as mentally unstable, this does not take away from the medical testimony validating the sexual abuse. One especially noteworthy item is the verification of an underground chamber, located beneath Room 4, complete with wooden support beams and tar paper. These items were described by at least 4 children as features of the ‘secret room’, where, allegedly, Ray Buckey had taken the nude photos. It is a fairly safe assumption that Kee MacFarlane could not have known about these details prior to interviewing the children.
I still have tons more research to do on this one before I can come up with definite conclusions. I should have some WM3 posts forthcoming, but I'm only getting started on that one, and I don't want to post an uninformed comment.
There is counterweight casting some doubt on any scenario resembling what the children described. The children were all interviewed by Kee MacFarlane of Children's Institute International. It has definitely been proven that those who initially denied abuse were essentially subjected to MacFarlane's lengthy and manipulative interviews, until they had some recollection of the event. Moreover, credible authors – viz., John Earl -- assert that the fill in the tunnels was from the 1940s. Also, if the holes were filled in after 1982, as Gunderson has indicated by the Disney wrapper he unearthed/produced, it would have taken a lot of dirt and manpower to get this done. If surrounding residents reported such activity, I can find no record of it. Also, the functional trap doors the children describe do not seem to exist. Additional doubt is cast when Earl revealed that there was a series of large interconnecting foam play segments at the preschool. These segments were also called 'the tunnels'.
But then it seems foolish to dismiss all that testimony by the children. It is hard to believe that a MacFarlane brainwashing session could produce such remarkable consistency on certain key details in the testimony. And although the defense was successful in characterizing the 'whistleblower' mom Judy Johnson as mentally unstable, this does not take away from the medical testimony validating the sexual abuse. One especially noteworthy item is the verification of an underground chamber, located beneath Room 4, complete with wooden support beams and tar paper. These items were described by at least 4 children as features of the ‘secret room’, where, allegedly, Ray Buckey had taken the nude photos. It is a fairly safe assumption that Kee MacFarlane could not have known about these details prior to interviewing the children.
I still have tons more research to do on this one before I can come up with definite conclusions. I should have some WM3 posts forthcoming, but I'm only getting started on that one, and I don't want to post an uninformed comment.