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Apprehensive-Hat-494 t1_ix95oz3 wrote

>The children repeatedly told interviewers, including Kelley, that nothing happened to them, that there were no secret rooms, and there was no clown. However, the questioning continued and eventually the children claimed all these things happened.

Either Gerald and Violet threatened the children to not say anything, or the prosecutors were really obsessed with getting a false confession from children to frame someone for child sex abuse. Why would the prosecutors desire the latter? But given the facts it seems the latter is more probable.

I don't really have an opinion about this case because every time I read about it I get more confused.

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Proof-Variation7005 t1_ix9av7f wrote

I'd hate to be the bearer of bad news but over-zealous prosecutors in cases like these is the norm. It makes sense psychologically since crimes like these have public outrage behind them, the nature of the crime makes most people feel upset and angry just thinking about the possibility of it, etc.

On top of that, DA's offices are in the business of getting convictions, not looking at exculpatory evidence that contradicts their case.

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amandathelibrarian t1_ixbfpuf wrote

Read up on the Satanic Panic. It happened all over the country and even in Canada. Police departments did all sorts of shady things to convict people of crimes they didn’t commit. There are some good podcasts on the subject too.

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