The McMartin Preschool child abuse conspiracy hoax and trial - HBO Movie [View all]

[cpwm17]

Last edited Sat Nov 2, 2013, 05:15 PM - Edit history (1)

I've long wanted to see this movie about the well publicized 1983 through 1990 McMartin Preschool child abuse scandal where adults coerced from kids hundreds of accusation against the preschool workers. I just found it on YouTube:

Due to the work of a selfish and unethical prosecutor and media, terrible judges, an evil child worker that claimed expertise that she didn't have, and the accusations of a mentally ill mother, workers at the McMartin Preschool in Manhattan Beach, California went through hell.

Background:

http://www.trutv.com/library/crime/criminal_mind/psychology/mcmartin_daycare/1.html

While the McMartin trial droned on, child sexual abuse fever gripped the nation. Parents began to wonder about daycare workers. Some of the professionals in the McMartin case even suggested that there was a nationwide conspiracy of daycare workers who were all engaged in abusing children. No one knew who they were and parents could not be too careful. It seemed that nearly everyone with a child in a preschool was afraid.

This shows the danger of what can happen when irrational conspiracies are promoted and none scientific thinking takes hold. Anyone with any common sense with proper knowledge of the evidence in this case should have know that these accusation were bogus. But this turned into of one of the longest and most expensive trials in American history.