Court Rejects Facilitated Communication Case

fishbait · 11th March 2008, 11:02 AM

Charges dropped against man accused of raping his autistic teen daughter

Quote:

Experts testified in the case that scientific evaluations of the method show the facilitator, consciously or not, authors the method.

Good to see that some judges don't buy into this nonsense.

Not so for the clueless prosecutor:

Quote:

But assistant prosecutor Barbara Morrison said that the girl did communicate with investigators through the method.

Red McWilliams · 11th March 2008, 11:13 AM

Everytime I hear about this, I want to puke. My oldest daughter is autistic and for the first several years of her life, I would have bought into this. I feel very fortunate that I didn't get duped.

When Sue Rubin's Autism is a World (sorry, no link, n00b) was broadcast by CNN, we were glued to the TV. I haven't seen any specific comments about that film, which was nominated for an Academy Award, but FC is the whole story.

krelnik · 11th March 2008, 12:20 PM

Aside from the emotional trauma and damaged reputations, the father spent 80 days in jail over this pseudoscientific nonsense. It makes my blood boil.

I do have this case and a couple of others on my FC page (http://whatstheharm.net/facilitatedcommunication.html), if anyone knows of other cases I should add, let me know. submit -at- whatstheharm -dot- net. Thanks!

Jeff Corey · 12th March 2008, 12:18 PM

Thanks for the link to What's the Harm, Krelnik. I teach critical thinking and it will come in handy.

Empress · 13th March 2008, 05:42 AM

Originally Posted by Red McWilliams

When Sue Rubin's Autism is a World (sorry, no link, n00b) was broadcast by CNN, we were glued to the TV. I haven't seen any specific comments about that film, which was nominated for an Academy Award, but FC is the whole story.

I watched that as well, since I've been fascinated by FC ever since Frontline exposed the whole nonsense years ago.

http://www.cnn.com/CNN/Programs/pres...ism.world.html

At the end of the program, Sue was getting a new facilitator--she'd had the same one for a few years. I wondered how dramatically her "comments" would change when that happened. I've not been able to find any new information on the subject, and Sue's website seems not to have been updated since the documentary aired. I can't help but wonder if the bubble burst when the new facilitator was installed and everyone found that Sue suddenly couldn't communicate nearly as well any longer. Sad.

Red McWilliams · 13th March 2008, 07:49 AM

Originally Posted by Empress

I can't help but wonder if the bubble burst when the new facilitator was installed and everyone found that Sue suddenly couldn't communicate nearly as well any longer. Sad.

You're probably right, but it sure would be nice to see some kind of followup, you know, in the name of honest journalism. Sad indeed.

EyeOn · 13th March 2008, 03:46 PM

Quite frankly, there's little information in the article to conclude anything. From what I can figure, either the whole thing is a scam or this girl is being swept under the rug, because she refuses to communicate any further and maybe she is scared of her father, but why? I know I'd be standing beside myself unable to communicate and then have the slightest possible try be criticized. I'd like to know who made the rape claim and what was done to physically investigate this. Interesting.

fishbait · 16th March 2008, 12:56 PM

Originally Posted by krelnik

Aside from the emotional trauma and damaged reputations, the father spent 80 days in jail over this pseudoscientific nonsense. It makes my blood boil.

Here is a recent article on the trauma suffered by the brother who is also autistic. The damage goes much deeper than that suffered by the parents.

Empress · 16th March 2008, 02:13 PM

Originally Posted by fishbait

Here is a recent article on the trauma suffered by the brother who is also autistic. The damage goes much deeper than that suffered by the parents.

Good god, that video was sickening. No matter how much the Detective presses him, the boy refuses to lie. But by the end, the boy, in tears, comments that he's lost his faith in his dad.

Nice work, Police.

krelnik · 16th March 2008, 02:25 PM

Originally Posted by fishbait

Here is a recent article on the trauma suffered by the brother who is also autistic. The damage goes much deeper than that suffered by the parents.

Thanks for pointing that out, I had missed that part of the story. I need to add that boy as a victim to my FC page too.

bignickel · 17th March 2008, 02:30 PM

I can't believe this crap is still out there. Didn't anyone in the prosecutor's office see that Law and Order episode years ago? By the time anything makes it to Law and Order, it's been discussed to death.

Maybe it should be required viewing just to make the point.

RSLancastr · 17th March 2008, 06:43 PM

Originally Posted by fishbait

Here is a recent article on the trauma suffered by the brother who is also autistic. The damage goes much deeper than that suffered by the parents.

The article is no longer on the (libked) front page.

Empress · 17th March 2008, 07:11 PM

Originally Posted by RSLancastr

The article is no longer on the (libked) front page.

Here's a link straight to it: http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/a...D=200880316001

11th March 2008, 11:02 AM	#1
fishbait Raggin' the Blues Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: New York Posts: 1,013	Court Rejects Facilitated Communication Case Charges dropped against man accused of raping his autistic teen daughter Quote: Experts testified in the case that scientific evaluations of the method show the facilitator, consciously or not, authors the method. Good to see that some judges don't buy into this nonsense. Not so for the clueless prosecutor: Quote: But assistant prosecutor Barbara Morrison said that the girl did communicate with investigators through the method.
	__________________ "I'm tired of this back-slapping "Isn't humanity neat?" ************. We're a virus with shoes, okay? That's all we are." --Bill Hicks

11th March 2008, 11:13 AM	#2
Red McWilliams Student Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 25	Everytime I hear about this, I want to puke. My oldest daughter is autistic and for the first several years of her life, I would have bought into this. I feel very fortunate that I didn't get duped. When Sue Rubin's Autism is a World (sorry, no link, n00b) was broadcast by CNN, we were glued to the TV. I haven't seen any specific comments about that film, which was nominated for an Academy Award, but FC is the whole story.
Red McWilliams Student Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 25

11th March 2008, 12:20 PM	#3
krelnik Graduate Poster Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Atlanta, Georgia Posts: 1,185	Aside from the emotional trauma and damaged reputations, the father spent 80 days in jail over this pseudoscientific nonsense. It makes my blood boil. I do have this case and a couple of others on my FC page (http://whatstheharm.net/facilitatedcommunication.html), if anyone knows of other cases I should add, let me know. submit -at- whatstheharm -dot- net. Thanks!
	__________________ What's the harm in a little misinformation? I blog about online skepticism at skeptools.com I post a daily skeptic history fact on Twitter and Facebook

13th March 2008, 05:42 AM	#5
Empress Abandoned All Hope Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Blandings Castle Posts: 1,558	Originally Posted by Red McWilliams When Sue Rubin's Autism is a World (sorry, no link, n00b) was broadcast by CNN, we were glued to the TV. I haven't seen any specific comments about that film, which was nominated for an Academy Award, but FC is the whole story. I watched that as well, since I've been fascinated by FC ever since Frontline exposed the whole nonsense years ago. http://www.cnn.com/CNN/Programs/pres...ism.world.html At the end of the program, Sue was getting a new facilitator--she'd had the same one for a few years. I wondered how dramatically her "comments" would change when that happened. I've not been able to find any new information on the subject, and Sue's website seems not to have been updated since the documentary aired. I can't help but wonder if the bubble burst when the new facilitator was installed and everyone found that Sue suddenly couldn't communicate nearly as well any longer. Sad.
	__________________ www.stopsylvia.com

13th March 2008, 07:49 AM	#6
Red McWilliams Student Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 25	Originally Posted by Empress I can't help but wonder if the bubble burst when the new facilitator was installed and everyone found that Sue suddenly couldn't communicate nearly as well any longer. Sad. You're probably right, but it sure would be nice to see some kind of followup, you know, in the name of honest journalism. Sad indeed.
Red McWilliams Student Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 25

12th March 2008, 12:18 PM	#4
Jeff Corey New York Skeptic Join Date: Aug 2001 Posts: 13,795	Thanks for the link to What's the Harm, Krelnik. I teach critical thinking and it will come in handy.

13th March 2008, 03:46 PM	#7
EyeOn Scholar Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 87	Quite frankly, there's little information in the article to conclude anything. From what I can figure, either the whole thing is a scam or this girl is being swept under the rug, because she refuses to communicate any further and maybe she is scared of her father, but why? I know I'd be standing beside myself unable to communicate and then have the slightest possible try be criticized. I'd like to know who made the rape claim and what was done to physically investigate this. Interesting.
EyeOn Scholar Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 87

16th March 2008, 12:56 PM	#8
fishbait Raggin' the Blues Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: New York Posts: 1,013	Originally Posted by krelnik Aside from the emotional trauma and damaged reputations, the father spent 80 days in jail over this pseudoscientific nonsense. It makes my blood boil. Here is a recent article on the trauma suffered by the brother who is also autistic. The damage goes much deeper than that suffered by the parents.
	__________________ "I'm tired of this back-slapping "Isn't humanity neat?" ************. We're a virus with shoes, okay? That's all we are." --Bill Hicks

16th March 2008, 02:13 PM	#9
Empress Abandoned All Hope Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Blandings Castle Posts: 1,558	Originally Posted by fishbait Here is a recent article on the trauma suffered by the brother who is also autistic. The damage goes much deeper than that suffered by the parents. Good god, that video was sickening. No matter how much the Detective presses him, the boy refuses to lie. But by the end, the boy, in tears, comments that he's lost his faith in his dad. Nice work, Police.
	__________________ www.stopsylvia.com

16th March 2008, 02:25 PM	#10
krelnik Graduate Poster Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Atlanta, Georgia Posts: 1,185	Originally Posted by fishbait Here is a recent article on the trauma suffered by the brother who is also autistic. The damage goes much deeper than that suffered by the parents. Thanks for pointing that out, I had missed that part of the story. I need to add that boy as a victim to my FC page too.
	__________________ What's the harm in a little misinformation? I blog about online skepticism at skeptools.com I post a daily skeptic history fact on Twitter and Facebook

17th March 2008, 02:30 PM	#11
bignickel Mad Mod Poet God Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: St. Louis, MO Posts: 2,727	I can't believe this crap is still out there. Didn't anyone in the prosecutor's office see that Law and Order episode years ago? By the time anything makes it to Law and Order, it's been discussed to death. Maybe it should be required viewing just to make the point.
	__________________ "You can find that book everywhere and the risk is that many people who read it believe that those fairy tales are real. I think I have the responsibility to clear things up to unmask the cheap lies contained in books like that." - Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone

17th March 2008, 06:43 PM	#12
RSLancastr www.StopSylvia.com Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Salem, Oregon Posts: 15,548	Originally Posted by fishbait Here is a recent article on the trauma suffered by the brother who is also autistic. The damage goes much deeper than that suffered by the parents. The article is no longer on the (libked) front page.
	__________________ Who is "Kaz?" Read about her at www.StopKaz.com. Curious about Sylvia Browne? Read about her at www.StopSylvia.com. Ever wonder "What's the Harm?" with psychics, alternative medicine, etc?

17th March 2008, 07:11 PM	#13
Empress Abandoned All Hope Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Blandings Castle Posts: 1,558	Originally Posted by RSLancastr The article is no longer on the (libked) front page. Here's a link straight to it: http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/a...D=200880316001
	__________________ www.stopsylvia.com