Friends,
Although I do not know attorney Greg Hession personally,
I had occasion to talk with him a couple of years ago on a
problem of government abuse of a Freedom Page member.
We certainly need more attorney's who are trying to protect
our Constitutional rights. Thanks for being there Greg.
Jim Hardin
The Freedom Page
http://www.freedompage.ws
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Republic USA
http://www.republicusa.org
From: Ed Wolfe <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: [piml] 2-month old baby seized - no crime, no testimony
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http://www.massnews.com/501how~1.htm
State Is Trying to Terminate Howard Family's Parental Rights
Baby And Brothers In Jeopardy of Adoption
By Ed Oliver
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
April 13, 2001
Heidi Howard's hopes of getting her four-month-old baby, Jessica, back any
time soon were dashed Wednesday by Judge Robert Belmonte who continued
the custody of the baby in DSS without hearing any testimony.
The baby was seized from the mother and her husband by the state on
February 14 when the infant was two-months-old. The mother was shackled
at the wrists and ankles and forced to climb stairs in the Lowell court.
A hearing is required under state law within 72 hours.
Attorneys Chester Darling and Greg Hession strenuously objected to the
judge's quick decision on the matter after he had only observed a few
reports from the state's Department of Social Services and had not allowed
any testimony. According to courtroom observers, the judge claimed he
didn't even know there was a baby Jessica until minutes before his
decision.
The judge said he based his decision on psychological evaluations that say
the parents are under stress. He acknowledged the stress is probably due
to DSS taking their children, but he decided anyway to allow DSS to keep
the baby from her parents.
Jessica was seized from her nursing mother by DSS not because of any
alleged abuse of the baby -- but solely because DSS had taken the Howard's
other two boys over a year ago. The boys are being held on hearsay
allegations by DSS staffers even though there has never have been any
testimony in court about them either.
After taking the baby, DSS tried to say that the baby had eye problems and
was being damaged by the mother's milk because she was taking a mild
sedative while breast-feeding.
But the Howards had a pediatrician on hand to refute the charges, so DSS
quietly dropped the allegation and now says the baby is at risk because of
"past patterns of abuse" of the Howard's two boys.
But there has never been a hearing before a judge on any charge of abuse
against the Howards -- even though the false charges are the sole reason
for the removal of Jessica.
"This entire case is built upon hearsay," Attorney Greg Hession told
Massachusetts News outside Framingham Juvenile Court.
"Does this mean if I have any more children, DSS can just come and take it
away from me for no reason like they did Jessica?" asked the mother.
The current trial will decide the fate all of the Howard's three children.
Reporters are not allowed into the secret proceedings to see if the
parents are treated fairly. The trial ran two days this week and is
scheduled again for the first two days of May.
Attorney Chester Darling predicted on Wednesday that the contest will be
"bruising." DSS has over twenty witnesses scheduled to appear, but
according to observers, so far DSS merely reads from their written reports
but do not offer proof of their statements.
For example, on Wednesday a DSS social worker testified about interviews
she conducted with the Howard boys. Her written notes are the only
evidence of what was allegedly said by the boys, and they are impossible
to verify. Under cross-examination, she said she never taped an interview
in sixteen years.
Currently there is a bill under consideration on Beacon Hill that would
force DSS to videotape any interviews they do with children. Critics say
that unrecorded, coached interviews with children are tools for social
workers and prosecutors to conduct witch-hunts.
Copyright ©2001 Massachusetts News, Inc.
MN Home: http://www.massnews.com/
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Children Need BOTH Parents!
The American Coalition for Fathers and Children
For Membership information call 1-800-978-DADS
or see ACFC's homepages at: http://www.acfc.org
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