[6] His arrest, and suspension of the facility's license by the state, were widely reported by the Associated Press and other wire services starting on September 13.
Examples of behaviors parents were told were symptomatic of abuse included bed wetting, changes in appetite and nightmares.
[6] At both trials, the children testified in open court sitting directly in front of the jury with their backs to the defendants and their faces to the jurors.
Much of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts' case depended on the information obtained in the interviews of the children who were allegedly sexually abused by the Amiraults.
Furthermore, he noted that the vast majority of sex offenders will readily confess to their crimes if offered freedom in exchange for doing so, and that because of this the steadfast refusal of the Amiraults to do the same was further indication of their innocence.
Other studies had shown that the method of interrogation via anatomically correct dolls also had an incredibly great margin of error.
[2] A similar appeal on behalf of Gerald Amirault was denied in November 1995,[17] and the SJC reinstated the women's convictions in March 1997,[18] citing the need for "finality".
The only allegations made by the child witnesses occurred after they were subjected to the admittedly suggestive interviews, and investigative techniques, as well as inappropriate - even if understandable - influence by their families.
Moreover, neither behavioral symptoms nor physical evidence which may be consistent with child sexual abuse were revealed until after the children and their families were subjected to these improper interviewing and investigative techniques.
These alleged symptoms were only discussed after the families were overwhelmed by the panic, hysteria and media attention that snowballed this case into national headlines and widespread concern about ritualistic sexual abuse of children.
[18] However, in October 1999, the new district attorney for Middlesex County, Martha Coakley, reached an agreement with the defense whereby Cheryl dropped efforts to clear her name and avoided returning to prison.
[22] Dorothy Rabinowitz, a member of the editorial board of The Wall Street Journal, was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Commentary in 2001,[23] partly for her coverage of the case.
The Massachusetts parole board recommended the commutation of Gerald Amirault's sentence in July 2001, an action that the alleged victims strenuously objected to.