The McMartin Preschool Abuse Trial
you may use the following link to get you started:
Linder, R. (2003). The McMartin preschool abuse trial: A commentary (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.. Retrieved from http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/mcmartin/mcmartinaccount.html
Now that you have read about the McMartin Preschool Case from your assigned textbook (p. 180–181), answer the following discussion question to the best of your ability.
Now that you have read about the McMartin Preschool Case from your assigned textbook (p. 180–181), answer the following discussion question to the best of your ability.
According to court records, the defendants were acquitted of all charges, despite hundreds of interviews and 65 counts of sexual abuse brought against them. Based on your research into the case, respond to the following:
Why do you think the charges were dropped? What was the jury’s rationale, if you can find it? As an objective observer (forensic psychologist), do you agree with the court’s decision? Why or why not
Answer previewThere are indeed many lessons to be learned from the McMartin trial. I think the charges were dropped due to several reasons. The first was lack of sufficient evidence. There was no material evidence that the children, who were allegedly the victims of child molestation, had actually been sexually abused. Physical examinations that were conducted on the children showed that their body parts were quite normal and there were no signs of being molested…
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