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ACCESS THIS LIVE ONLINE SEMINAR AT THE LINK BELOW:
October 2, 2024.
10-11 AM EDT (From April to October, Eastern Daylight Time is observed in most of Ontario, Quebec and parts of Nunavut. From October to April, Eastern Standard Time is in effect.)]
https://www.cato.org/events/shaken-baby-syndrome-examining-evidence-shadow-execution
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PASSAGE OF THE DAY: "The diagnosis has attained iconic status within the medical specialty of child abuse pediatrics. Yet, for the past few decades, outside of the child abuse pediatrics specialty, the scientific, medical, and legal literature has been replete with challenges to the reliability of the diagnosis."
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The Cato Institute describes itself as a think tank which promotes liberty, limited government, free markets, and peaceful international relations through accessible research. Their focus areas include issues relevant to Americans' lives and well-being, with the goal of influencing ideas towards liberty and finding common ground across the political spectrum.
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FEATURING:
https://www.cato.org/events/shaken-baby-syndrome-examining-evidence-shadow-execution
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PUBLISHER'S NOTE: Another important column (related to this seminar) by Sue Luther, publisher of the 'On SBS Blog. (Link Below with a link to a petition to stop this outrageous execution);
POST: "Hustling to halt an execution," by Sue Luther, published on her Blog 'On SBS" one September 28, 2024.
GIST: "Phoenix surgeon Jeffrey Singer, who is also a senior fellow in Health Policy Studies at the Cato Institute, has leapt into action, spurred by the looming execution of Texas father Robert Roberson, whose 2003 conviction was based on a diagnosis of Shaken Baby Syndrome (SBS).
In the few weeks since the state of Texas turned down Robert’s final appeal and confirmed an execution date of October 17, Dr. Singer has not only published an op ed in U.S.A. Today calling for a pardon but also organized an on-line Cato Institute symposium, open to the public, looking at the evidence underlying SBS/AHT theory.
“Regardless of one’s position the death penalty, it is evident that reasonable people with great expertise disagree regarding the plausibility of the SBS/AHT hypothesis,” he argues, “Therefore, we should all agree that the government should not execute someone based on the hypothesis while scientists are continuing to debate it.”
Hoping to assemble a panel of experts from both sides, Dr. Singer reports, he’d started contacting the physicians who’d signed the 2018 consensus statementsupporting the prevailing model of SBS/AHT, but no one he’s reached has accepted his invitation to share a dais with critics of the theory. “One representative of the Child Abuse Pediatrics establishment went as far as to say that only clinical pediatricians are qualified to offer expert opinions on the subject,” he noted.
The Cato panel, therefore, features only consensus skeptics:
- Emeritus law professor Keith Findley, founder of the Wisconsin Innocence Project and the force behind the pivotal Audrey Edmunds appeal
- Radiologist Julie Mack, co-author of a paper this summer reporting on a videotaped short fall that caused subdural hematomas & retinal hemorrhages and a chapter in last year’s careful academic examination of SBS
- Forensic pathologist Patrick Lantz, whose groundbreaking work has challenged both the specificity and the timing of retinal findings
The community of families affected by abuse misdiagnosis is encouraging anyone who can attend to register, in hopes that a large turnout will underscore the magnitude of the problem. You can also submit questions ahead of time on the event site.
If you haven’t yet signed the Innocence Project petition on behalf of Robert Roberson: https://innocenceproject.org/petitions/justice-for-robert-roberson/?p2asource=ip-em_09112024_Robert
If you are not familiar with the debate around Shaken Baby Syndrome/Abusive Head Trauma, please see the home page of this site.
The entire post can be read at:
PUBLISHER'S NOTE: I am monitoring this case/issue/resource. Keep your eye on the Charles Smith Blog for reports on developments. The Toronto Star, my previous employer for more than twenty incredible years, has put considerable effort into exposing the harm caused by Dr. Charles Smith and his protectors - and into pushing for reform of Ontario's forensic pediatric pathology system. The Star has a "topic" section which focuses on recent stories related to Dr. Charles Smith. It can be found at: http://www.thestar.com/topic/charlessmith. Information on "The Charles Smith Blog Award"- and its nomination process - can be found at: http://smithforensic.blogspot.com/2011/05/charles-smith-blog-award-nominations.html Please send any comments or information on other cases and issues of interest to the readers of this blog to: hlevy15@gmail.com. Harold Levy: Publisher: The Charles Smith Blog.
- SEE BREAKDOWN OF SOME OF THE ON-GOING INTERNATIONAL CASES (OUTSIDE OF THE CONTINENTAL USA) THAT I AM FOLLOWING ON THIS BLOG, AT THE LINK BELOW: HL:
https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/120008354894645705/4704913685758792985
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FINAL WORD: (Applicable to all of our wrongful conviction cases): "Whenever there is a wrongful conviction, it exposes errors in our criminal legal system, and we hope that this case — and lessons from it — can prevent future injustices."
Lawyer Radha Natarajan:
Executive Director: New England Innocence Project;
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FINAL, FINAL WORD: "Since its inception, the Innocence Project has pushed the criminal legal system to confront and correct the laws and policies that cause and contribute to wrongful convictions. They never shied away from the hard cases — the ones involving eyewitness identifications, confessions, and bite marks. Instead, in the course of presenting scientific evidence of innocence, they've exposed the unreliability of evidence that was, for centuries, deemed untouchable." So true!
Christina Swarns: Executive Director: The Innocence Project;
