News

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Monday 10th March 2008

A BBC Panorama investigation tonight revealled new research that suggests the science behind shaken baby syndrome is flawed and that the 15-20 convictions every year involving the diagnosis may be unsafe.

Panorama reporter John Sweeney has spoken to experts in America whose new research could demolish the basis for the diagnosis.

Dr Chris Van Ee, professor of biomechanics at Wayne State University in Detroit, claims tests with crash dummies and corpses show that falling off a sofa does far more damage than shaking.

He showed Panorama a test in which a dummy representing a one-year-old child generated a force of 109 times the acceleration due to gravity when dropped from a sofa on to its head.
When Sweeney shook a dummy the force was only 7G, less than a pillowfight.

Dr Van Ee said: "10Gs is a rocket launch, and here we have 110Gs for a fall off the sofa. That could be a fatal impact.

"Shaken baby syndrome is fundamentally flawed from a biomechanics perspective."

Meanwhile, North Carolina pathologist Dr Pat Lantz found retinal bleeding in the eyes of one in six corpses he studied.

This suggests that bleeds in the eye are more common than thought and therefore can't be proof of shaken baby syndrome.

Some medics suggest retinal bleeding can be due to attempts to resuscitate. Keran tried to give Maeve mouth-to-mouth.

The scientific doubts will be the basis for an appeal against Keran's conviction - and potentially for dozens more appeals.

Read the full article on the Mail on Sunday website here and John Sweeney's article on the BBC website here.

Thursday 6th March 2008

Update time again, well I have now seen a copy of the appeal and although it's now day 113, I can't believe its come round seemingly so fast. I say seemingly as no doubt for Keran it has dragged painfully at times.

But the ball is officially rolling; we now wait to see what the first wave makes of it, before it may go to a panel of Senior Judges, from there to a possible retrial or whatever.

The boys are pleased it has got to this stage, although we have had to tell them it could still take time. We have talked about it a fair bit but also they found time to mark Maeve's sad passing the other day. We send out our heartfelt sympathies to Maeve's family at this time. It is nice to see they feel strong enough now to have taken part in the upcoming Panorama programme. They have had a lot to cope with apart from the loss of their beloved daughter, but also the pain of the trial.

Panorama seem to have left no stone unturned in approaching all sorts of experts to make this programme. With everything going on, I missed until very recently a case where a Father has just been convicted of SBS in the South West, and no surprise that the names of the same experts cropped up again. So we will have to look into more details of that.

I have recently received lots of information from North America on the Goodge Enquiry on 'Experts'. It is so scary how similar some cases are, and at the behaviour of some of the experts. One case this time from the States showed an 'expert' who should only do, by official guidelines 250-350 Autopsies was doing up to 1500-1800 a year as well as attending court, etc. It looks like they get a fee of $500 a job...surely that wasn't the motive?

There does seem to be a sea change on the other side of the Atlantic and it is a tad bizarre that Canada followed our system....now maybe we should follow their lead? A Public enquiry into the use of experts with unproven theories would be a start. But this whole case starting with OFSTED, The Police, The CPS, Social Services, The National Childminding Association, certain issues at the first Prison all needs looking into from all angles as there were many things not done or done poorly. Possibly some things done well, we were done up like a kipper! But seriously there are gaps in the system that need closing to prevent people who may want to abuse children.

But first off the mercenary experts need to have time called on them, a lot are literally the 'old guard' and maybe it is time they were put out to pasture before anymore innocents get locked up. The most recent case was a Father, who next a Baby-sitter, a Grandparent, an Aunt? If you start with their training and checking out their backgrounds and CV's show they are actually,

a. Who they say they are!
b. Trained in what they say they are!
c. Experienced - practically, 'hands on.'

We may then weed out some straight away who shouldn't even be considered.

There are other issues of course, nearly as big as the boys not being able to see their Mother on Mother's Day (big thanks to Caroline for helping with the Mother's Day pressie though). Another thing I must one day thank the experts et al for (list gets longer)! 113 Days away from her children and vice versa. Missing Christmas would be among the others.

We are looking at setting up 'Expert' watch soon, may even do it as a separate link, so if you know of what courts they are due to be operating in let us know. It’s funny when you track them, as they don't always say the same things in different trials?! Can't think why that would be.....

I know the politicians don't always like referendums, public enquiries, etc. But they owe it to Sally Clark, whose death should be marked in every court in the land, annually, to remind all those that when the 'state' and the 'system' get it wrong they can be guilty of Noble Cause Corruption leading to the death of a Woman, badly let down is so many ways by them.

It is also hugely frustrating to me, every time I hear of the death of a British Serviceman, that those that send them into danger, under equipped through recklessness, negligence, etc. never ever seem to be punished. It’s a bit like the story of Celebs who do drugs, they never really seem to get arrested and charged and less likely to get sent to Prison...

Has British Justice become the best money can buy? Ask an expert.....if you can afford one....

Fiat Justicia


p.s.

Watch out for Cameron & Jamie's Easter egg hunt for the little ones coming up soon, that's if they (C&J) don't eat them all the night before!

Also Family Fortunes style Quiz, thanks to everyone for all their hard work putting these events together. The Jumble Sale was fantastic (whoever did the Brownies and the Rock Cakes - you’re now my best friend, they were fantastic)!

There are lots of other bits and pieces coming up. If (rather when) Keran is released, name cleared, record cleared, DNA and prints shredded. We must keep going with all these events...as I have never been out so much! Usually not allowed out in public...scare the wildlife apparently!