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News of the Day ... In Perspective12/06/2005British attorney attacks former children�s minister on child-abuse cases Attorney Sarah Harman, who has been barred from practice for three months for releasing redacted documents, attacked Margaret Hodge, the former children�s minister, for ignoring the plight of parents whose children were seized on dubious evidence. After a case based on testimony by Professor Sir Roy Meadow was overturned (AAPS News of the Day, 8/31/05), many parents hoped that their cases might also be reviewed. There are, however, tight restrictions against publicizing such cases. Harman�s circulation of information to highlight a case was deemed �conduct unbefitting a solicitor,� although the client�s identity was not disclosed. The child had been diagnosed as having �Munchausen syndrome by proxy.� Harman said that Hodge�s decision to allow local authorities to conduct their own review of cases involving expert medical testimony, instead of setting up an independent inquiry, was �craven, absolutely craven.�
Harman believes that a more thorough review might have exposed dozens or even hundreds of cases in which parents inappropriately had their children placed in foster care. �The family courts prefer 20 years of tyranny to one year of chaos,� she said In an article in the Guardian last January, columnist Nick Cohen wrote: �The iron law of bureaucracies is �first we protect ourselves.� In an ideal world they would look to free themselves from scrutiny by operating under the cover of secrecy�. In an ideal world they would want to achieve the state of perfect irresponsibility achieved by the Family Division of the High Court.� �If Charles Dickens were around today, he�d be writing The Family Division,� Cohen writes. �Enter into its courts and you enter a British Guantanamo where basic traditions no longer apply.� Traditions such as a presumption of innocence and proof beyond a reasonable doubt. Only in November was the law changed to allow anonymized papers regarding children�s cases to be released to Members of Parliament. (The Guardian, 12/1/05). Previously, MPs could not check out constituents� stories of heart-rending abuses of power. Additional information: �British Expert Witness Delicensed� (referenced above), AAPS News of the Day 8/31/05. �Shaken Baby Conviction Overturned,� AAPS News of the Day 9/1/04. Presentations on Shaken Baby Syndrome, AAPS 2004 annual meeting. (2005 tapes on possible misdiagnosis of child abuse in preparation; email [email protected]).
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