What do you think?
Rate this book
Witch Hunt: A True Story of Social Hysteria and Abused Justice
THE WORST CRIME OF ALL. . . It began with the desperate cry of a seven-year-old girl and escalated into the victimization of dozens of innocent citizens in Wenatchee, Washington. For in the eyes of the righteous, a crusading policeman and well-intentioned social services employees became champions of public decency, and family values, while a terrified and confused young girl became the symbol of rampant moral degeneracy within the picturesque community at the foot of the Cascade Mountains.
IS NOT CRIME AT ALL! As the media frenzy engulfed Wenatchee, townspeople wondered how a debauched group who committed horrific sex crimes against children lived in their midst for so long without detection. Suddenly, in the name of justice, families were being broken up, individuals were accused of heinous crimes and were prosecuted--despite the protests of many townspeople questioning the methods of the so-called experts and accusers.
Now, a lone observer, an independent attorney who spent a year in the explosive atmosphere of Wenatchee, pieces together the whole story of one of the most blatant cases of misuse of power and miscarried justice since the McCarthy witch hunts. As public outrage demanded justice, an overzealous legal system perpetrated crimes just as devastating as child sexual abuse: the persecution and condemnation of innocent people.
IS NOT CRIME AT ALL! As the media frenzy engulfed Wenatchee, townspeople wondered how a debauched group who committed horrific sex crimes against children lived in their midst for so long without detection. Suddenly, in the name of justice, families were being broken up, individuals were accused of heinous crimes and were prosecuted--despite the protests of many townspeople questioning the methods of the so-called experts and accusers.
Now, a lone observer, an independent attorney who spent a year in the explosive atmosphere of Wenatchee, pieces together the whole story of one of the most blatant cases of misuse of power and miscarried justice since the McCarthy witch hunts. As public outrage demanded justice, an overzealous legal system perpetrated crimes just as devastating as child sexual abuse: the persecution and condemnation of innocent people.
- GenresTrue CrimeNonfiction
Mass Market Paperback
First published March 1, 1998
1 person is currently reading
100 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
February 3, 2023
This book is scarier then any horror book ever written. This non sense occurs to often in our society because citizens are trained to trust the corrupt justice system. The system is not there for justice. The system is there to collect power and money. Wake up folks. Ya know never mind. The populace is now encumbered with learned helplessly and a deep strain of stupid. Mother should I trust the Government Pink Floyd has asked. What is your answer?
January 3, 2018
A scathing critique of our justice system and our perception of checks and balances. The narrative weaves together the stories of multiple victims and accused perpetrators without becoming muddled. The stories at times seem repetitive, but only because the path of injustice became predictable and easy to repeat: separation, intimidation, forced confessions, outright lies by officials, recantation, silencing... This is eye opening for those who have an unwavering faith in our justice system.
January 22, 2020
wow this book , is just unbelievable.
horrible story of injustice , in 1995 , that just wrong.
in the wrong hands, the law can be a dangerous weapon.
really a witch hunt, of the worst kind.
horrible story of injustice , in 1995 , that just wrong.
in the wrong hands, the law can be a dangerous weapon.
really a witch hunt, of the worst kind.
October 15, 2016
A horrifying story.
I thought that the McMartin Preschool case served as an example of how not to investigate charges of child sexual abuse. How not to question children, how not to rely on "recovered memories", how not to lead a witness. I thought every jurisdiction in the country would have learned from it. But apparently not. In the 1990s it happened all over again, but in the small down of Wenatchee, Washington, and to dozens of people.
The book starts by reminding us of the origins of the Salem witch trials. And how they started primarily because of some hysterical young girls. Let's remember that in Salem the people came to their senses in a few months. In Wenatchee it took years. Nobody was actually sentenced to death but many lives were ruined beyond repair.
It appears that the main force in this drama was Robert Perez, police detective, who was on a crusade to protect the children of Wenatchee. Only he had no clue how to do it right. And he was aided by his supervisor and by members of the Children's Protective Services. The local newspaper further fueled any fires, without doing any investigating of its own. The fact that many of these people may have been well-meaning does not excuse their actions.
At the heart of it all was a little girl. Shades of those witch trials. It does not appear that she was hysterical so much as wanting to please. That may have been the case in Salem as well.
Telling the story and ultimately a part of it is Kathryn Lyon, a defense attorney who comes to the town to see for herself what is happening and stays to become one of the threatened herself. We can be grateful to her for her painstakingly detailed account, based on court records, investigative reports, and interviews with the accused and accusers.
I thought that the McMartin Preschool case served as an example of how not to investigate charges of child sexual abuse. How not to question children, how not to rely on "recovered memories", how not to lead a witness. I thought every jurisdiction in the country would have learned from it. But apparently not. In the 1990s it happened all over again, but in the small down of Wenatchee, Washington, and to dozens of people.
The book starts by reminding us of the origins of the Salem witch trials. And how they started primarily because of some hysterical young girls. Let's remember that in Salem the people came to their senses in a few months. In Wenatchee it took years. Nobody was actually sentenced to death but many lives were ruined beyond repair.
It appears that the main force in this drama was Robert Perez, police detective, who was on a crusade to protect the children of Wenatchee. Only he had no clue how to do it right. And he was aided by his supervisor and by members of the Children's Protective Services. The local newspaper further fueled any fires, without doing any investigating of its own. The fact that many of these people may have been well-meaning does not excuse their actions.
At the heart of it all was a little girl. Shades of those witch trials. It does not appear that she was hysterical so much as wanting to please. That may have been the case in Salem as well.
Telling the story and ultimately a part of it is Kathryn Lyon, a defense attorney who comes to the town to see for herself what is happening and stays to become one of the threatened herself. We can be grateful to her for her painstakingly detailed account, based on court records, investigative reports, and interviews with the accused and accusers.
December 31, 2019
Kathryn is an excellent author, fine penmanship, and a great story teller. The research in this book is the best for the story she told. A must read for anyone living in the state of Washington!
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews