Appeal slated in caged boys case - "The attorney General's ministry is launching an appeal on Monday to increase the "unreasonable" nine-month sentence a couple received for keeping their adoptive sons locked in cages. The Ontario Court of Appeal at Osgoode Hall will be asked "to order an expedited hearing date" to consider prison terms for the boys' aunt and her husband, ministry spokesman Valerie Hopper said yesterday. The couple, whose names cannot be published to protect the boys' identities, adopted them 16 years ago," by Ian Robertson

Babcock Center ex-employee sentenced - A former Babcock Center employee pleaded guilty Thursday to defrauding several residents there last year.  Tyrone Suber, 46, of 1912 Spotswood Road, was convicted of five counts of exploitation of a vulnerable adult and seven counts of obtaining property under false pretenses, according to the state attorney general’s office, by  J.R. Gonzales

Activists cite grand jury bullying / Arson probe viewed as intimidation tool - One activist is a former health-food store worker who awaits her Navy husband's return from a seven-month deployment. The other is an assistant teacher to children with autism and cerebral palsy. Both are San Diegans passionate about animals and shun meat, dairy products, eggs or any other food linked to animals.  And both sit in a downtown San Diego jail, ordered there by a judge until they agree to testify before a federal grand jury.

Asperger's abuse inquiry pledge - The government is to investigate claims that increasing numbers of parents of children with Asperger's Syndrome are being falsely accused of abuse by Matthew Chapman

Autism appeal planned - The Thompson School District will appeal a decision that would force it to pay for an autistic boy to attend a private school in Boston. The case of 10-year-old Luke Perkins of Berthoud raises questions, Board of Education President Becky Jay said. “How much responsibility does the district have to educate one child, and how much is the district responsible for what goes on away from school?” she said. In a July 8 decision, Colorado Department of Education hearing officer Joseph M. Goldhammer ruled that Luke needs 24-hour residential care, and that Berthoud Elementary School was not equipped to deal with his needs. According to the 27-page decision, Luke made progress at school but could not apply what he learned, once he got home. For example, he spoke about 75 words at school but far fewer at home.  By Felicia Jordan

AUTISM case could set child-welfare system on its ear - Local school board, government could be made responsible for the provision of special services, - "...Yet the pair are at the centre of an extraordinary child-protection case that not only drags their loving, if emotionally overwrought, parents into child-welfare court, but forces the local school board and the Ontario government to answer allegations that a failure to provide a suitable education program for the boys constitutes the sort of neglect that children's aid societies usually pin on parents," by MARGARET PHILP

Autism therapy vital, Ontario judge rules / Province ordered to pay for treatment on educational, not health-care, grounds - An Ontario judge has ordered the province to finance behavioural treatment for three autistic children, concluding that the therapy is vital if they are to thrive in school.  Mr. Justice Lee Ferrier of the Superior Court of Ontario predicted unequivocally in his ruling that the children "will suffer irreparable harm" if their treatment is not maintained. He ordered that Jordan McNabb and twins Zachary and Travis Bettencourt get ABA/IBI treatment pending a ruling, expected this year, in a major autism-treatment test case known as Wynberg.  By Kirk Makin

Billy Cottrell - Innocent, Guilty or Duped? - Media coverage.

Comment: Minette Marrin: How the carers hijacked an autistic man called Andrew - Last week I received a report I’ve been waiting for on an investigation by the local government ombudsman into a complaint against Bolton metropolitan borough council. It tells a disgraceful story. It’s about what happened recently to a vulnerable young man, referred to as “Andrew Taylor” to protect his identity. Andrew has Fragile X syndrome, which involves autism, a learning disability and epilepsy. So he has very complex and particular needs and is entitled to continuing care and support from the council by The Sunday Times - Ireland

Committee: Mental disorder did not cause cake incident - "...The father of one of the girls has said she suffers from Asperger's syndrome, an autism-related condition characterized by deficiencies in social and communication skills. But a committee of teachers, counselors and administrators at the school met privately Tuesday and ruled against the father's theory, Cobb County school spokesman Jay Dillon said. The committee said there was never an official diagnosis. The district has a letter from a school psychologist saying the syndrome is simply "suspected," Dillon said. In order to qualify for a special education program, more evidence is needed, by the AP

	Disciplinary Hearing to be Held for Girls in Tainted Cake Incident -  Two 13-year-old girls accused of making a cake tainted with bleach and glue and serving it to classmates will face a disciplinary hearing scheduled for Wednesday. The two East Cobb Middle School students will have a hearing before Ann Robbins, supervisor for student discipline in the Cobb County School District, school officials said. The hearing, which is closed to the public, will determine whether to uphold the school's punishment against the girls, said district spokesman Jay Dillon. The school district has suspended both girls and recommended that one be transferred to an alternative school by WSBTV.com
	Felony Charges Dropped Against Girls in Tainted Cake Incident / Decision by School Officials to Stand - Felony assault charges have been dropped against two girls who were accused of serving a tainted cake to classmates, a lawyer for one of the girls said Tuesday. But case is continuing in juvenile court in closed hearings that prohibit those involved from publicly speaking about the proceedings, said attorney Mitch Durham. The gag order also prevents the attorney from discussing the results of the prosecution's tests on the cake, he said, He would not say what the remaining juvenile court charges are, by WEBTV.com
	Tainted cake teens in class - Two east Cobb teenagers charged in November with attempted murder for giving tainted cake to students at their school have been allowed return to classes. "We are very pleased that our daughter will receive the assistance she needs from school authorities," the father of one of the girls said Friday. As part of the agreement she will receive psychological services for Asperger's syndrome, a form of autism that causes her to say inappropriate things and causes difficulty in relating to others, her father said.  By Don Plummer

DA may settle case against autistic boy / Clovis High 15-year-old has been charged with assault. Colin Frates, who has Asperger's Disorder, was in court Monday for arguments about whether he is capable of helping in his own defense and for possible appointment of a court conservator.  He was charged with assault for shoving his special-education teacher at Reyburn Intermediate School last school year and for throwing two chairs against a wall by Erin Kennedy

Encounters with Asperger Syndrome in the Solicitor's Office by Dr. Venetia  Young, Family Therapist - 2001

Experts: Soldier likely will appeal life sentence - "Mental health experts testified during Anderson's four-day court martial that he suffered from bipolar disorder, formerly called manic depression, and Asperger's syndrome, a relatively mild form of autism that impairs cognitive and social functioning." by Melanthia Mitchell

Family files suit over job coaching / Parents: Disabled daughter pushed from real world - "...Jefferson County officials haven’t commented specifically on the lawsuit by the Schwartz family, but they told The Capital Times of Madison that they must control costs or high-needs people will consume all the money available to county residents.  Peggy Schwartz’s 22-year-old daughter, Jessica, has a genetic defect that causes autism-like symptoms. She has trouble concentrating for a long time by the AP

Father Could Be Charged in Son's Death - A Livonia father, whose 8-year-old son died last month, could now be held criminally responsible.  James Mcavoy lost his son Christopher at the end of August when the autistic boy wandered away from home. Christopher was found two days later, floating in a neighbor's pool. Now the father's two surviving children have been removed from his care, pending charges of parental negligence by Action News Team

Four jailed for student's death after 'kangaroo court' / Four Japanese men have been jailed for three and a half years for beating to death a student at West Auckland's Columbus Academy following his interrogation by a "kangaroo court". - "...The judge said what happened was "horribly cruel". "He was particularly vulnerable, he was a small person and he was alone...his last hours must have been a time of complete terror." - New Zealand

Good People Behaving Badly / Bad Behavior No Matter What - The following post is a modified, later edited version of a response first sent to a listserv specializing in adult Asperger Syndrome issues.  It was sparked by a lively discussion concerning AS adults caught in criminal entanglements, and the rush to their defense of some individuals in the disability support community by Roger N. Meyer

It's No One's Fault, Especially Mine!! - What a horrible tragedy that the singer of the Vines has Asperger's Syndrome! Now everyone knows that such a thing makes assault & maliciously damaging a photographer's camera perfectly justifiable. What a great judge, to set this 'can't help it because he's handicapped' criminal free!  By Dolly Doppelganger

Law sends autistic man packing - "...Tadakatsu Takaishi, as he was known then, came to the United States from Japan in 1989, a 15-year-old boy sent to military school by parents who thought he simply lacked discipline. In fact, those who know him say now, he had autism by Elizabeth Williamson

Lemonade Stand Standoff - An Atlantic County 11-year-old boy who has Asperger’s Syndrome was forced to shut down his lemonade stand. CBS 3’s Cydney Long reports he was selling the juice at a festival, when the organizers shut him down. Tyler Lucca was trying to raise money for a digital technology summer camp trip to Seattle. It was his grandmother’s secret blueberry lemonade blend that 11-year-old Tyler Lucca, who suffers from an illness similar to autism, was selling at a Fourth of July festival at Hammonton Lake Park. By KYW, PA

Man sentenced for attacking his wife - A man with Asperger's Syndrome broke down in court yesterday, as he was given a suspended prison sentence for viciously attacking his wife. Anthony Williams, 27, of Abbotts Close, Aylsham, repeatedly interrupted proceedings and at one stage shouted "solicitors aren't what they used to be" when unhappy with the way his representative was presenting the case.  By Tom Smithard

Man with mental defects convicted of murder in strangling - "...A young man with multiple mental defects was convicted Wednesday of first-degree murder for strangling his ex-girlfriend inside his parents' Sunset Cliffs home last year.  Grant Macklem, 19, showed no emotion as a jury found him guilty in the Sept. 19, 2003, death of Sarah Beagles, 17.  In his closing argument on Dec. 8, defense attorney Marc Carlos told jurors that Macklem had been hearing voices since age 7, had been diagnosed with a form of autism and a belief that he had magical powers, by Signonsandiego News Services

Military devotion turned to treason - "Mental health experts testified that the disorders - bipolar disorder, Asperger's syndrome and an unnamed personality disorder - caused Anderson to seek ways to inflate his reputation, to miss social cues, to suffer wild mood swings and to spew information when asked simple questions," by Adam Lynn

Mom says she set fire to home in plea deal - A Wurtsboro woman has pleaded guilty to setting a fire in her home's basement while her kids and other relatives slept upstairs.    Tina Minner, 44, pleaded guilty Thursday in Sullivan County Court to fourth-degree arson and first-degree reckless endangerment, felonies. The incident happened on Aug. 1. Officials say Minner, distraught over an eviction notice, went into the basement of the home at 136 Pine St. and set fire to some clothing in at least two spots. After an apparent change of heart, officials said, Minner tried to put out the fire.    Realizing she couldn't stop the fire, Minner ran upstairs and got her family, including her 13-year-old son with autism, out of the house.    In exchange for her plea, Minner is expected to get no more than 1¤ to four years in prison when she's sentenced on Feb. 24.    She remains jailed, pending sentencing in County Court. By Record Online

Mom's sleuthing helped find missing daughter - "Fourteen-year-old Kylie Taylor is home and the man who is alleged to have held her captive and tortured her for the past two weeks is in jail, thanks largely to her mother's sleuthing.  ...Kylie is sometimes voluntarily sent to a foster home. Her mother said Kylie has Asperger syndrome, a mild form of autism, and is bipolar. She was at the foster home for a few days while she adjusted to new medication, Farnam said," by Margaret Ellis

Prosecution wants its own evaluation of defendant - "Defense attorneys Alex McCauley and Deb Snider have stated in previous court documents that Jay suffers from Asperger's Syndrome, a disorder related to autism that affects the ability to process and understand information," by Tony Rizzo.

Rape suspect to change plea: Man charged with attack on autistic woman - The Marlborough man police say brutally raped and sodomized an autistic girl nearly two years ago is expected to change his plea after more than two years behind bars. Manuel Cantu, who previously lived at 74 Broad St., Apt #2, has been locked up since he was arrested on July 18, 2002. Marlborough police charged Cantu, now 28, with multiple counts of aggravated rape, indecent assault and battery and distribution of marijuana after the alleged victim -- then 18 -- told police she had been gang raped by Cantu and three of his friends., by Kristen Bradley

Self-Defense Claimed In Squirrel Hill Girlfriend-Shooting - During cross-examination, Roberto questioned whether police knew Lloyd suffered from attention deficit disorder and Asperger's syndrome, a form of autism.

Sheriff to meet with family of girl rescued from predator - Clark County Sheriff Garry Lucas planned to meet today with the mother and grandfather of 14-year-old Kylie Taylor, who was abducted Aug. 29 and suffered a 15-day ordeal at the hands of a sexual predator before she was rescued by police in Pierce County on Sept. 12.    Farnam and Ward disputed from the beginning that Kylie was a runaway. The teenager has Asperger syndrome, a form of autism in which in which a person has normal intelligence and language development but poor social and communications skills. She had been communicating with Stanley Scott Sadler, 47, for a year on an Internet chat room and walked away from a Fern Prairie foster home to meet him on the evening of Aug. 29 by Kathy Durban

Sheriff and sergeant sorry for blaming teenage victim - The Clark County sheriff and a sergeant have apologized for the sergeant saying that a disabled teenage girl, who was missing two weeks before she was found with a man subsequently charged with kidnapping and child rape, had invited the crime on herself.  Sheriff Garry Lucas acknowledged in a statement Wednesday that Sgt. Dave Trimble's comments last week "appear to blame the victim." Lucas said they do not represent the philosophy of the sheriff's office, ...She has Asperger Syndrome, a form of autism in which a person has normal intelligence and language development but poor social and communication skills, by the Associated Press

The Case of Jeffrey Dahmer: Sexual Serial Homicide from a Neuropsychiatric Developmental Perspective - Sexual serial homicidal behavior has received considerable attention during the last three decades. Substantial progress has been made in the development of methods aimed at identifying and apprehending individuals who exhibit these behaviors. In spite of these advances, the origins of sexual serial killing behavior remain for the most part unknown. In this article we propose a biopsychosocial psychiatric model for understanding the origins of sexual serial homicidal behavior from both neuropsychiatric and developmental perspectives, using the case of convicted serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer as the focal point. We propose that his homicidal behavior was intrinsically associated with autistic spectrum psychopathology, specifically Asperger’s disorder. The relationship of Asperger’s disorder to other psychopathology and to his homicidal behavior is explored. We discuss potential implications of the proposed model for the future study of the causes of sexual serial homicidal crime.  By J. Arturo Silva, M.D.; Michelle M. Ferrari, M.D.; and Gregory B. Leong, M.D. / J Forensic Sci, Nov. 2002, Vol. 47, No. 6 

The Tragic death of Rosie May Storrie (UK) - media coverage

TRAIN snatcher's loco, says shrink - "Serial subway impostor Darius McCollum says he's no criminal - just crazy for trains.  After 20 arrests for commandeering trains in the subways and other transit-related offenses, a psychiatrist backs McCollum's claims that he cannot control his bizarre trains-gressions," by Scott Shifrel.

Two Cobb students, 13, held in tainted cake incident - "...Father speaks out. After a court hearing Wednesday, the father of one of the teens said his daughter suffers from Asperger's syndrome, a form of autism that causes her to say inappropriate things and causes difficulty in relating to others," by Don Plummer and Yolanda Rodriguez

AS and Child Custody by ASpar, a group supporting those raised by parents on the spectrum

Asperger Syndrome and Adults by The Better Health Channel - "Dutch research suggests that the divorce rate for people with Asperger syndrome is around 80 per cent."

Asperger Syndrome in Child Contact Cases by Lynn Henderson and Nicole Hackett - Solicitors, Family Law UK

Child Custody and Access - US Legislation

Common thread runs through recent crimes - One young man bought a gun and robbed banks. One went on an arson spree, police allege. One told police he beat an acquaintance in the head with a crowbar because he didn't like him and felt disrespected.  A common thread connects these three young men, bank robber Jeffrey R. Cox, 22, arson suspect David R. Jay, 24, and beating suspect Barry L. Sterling, 20: All are college-age white males from middle-class backgrounds. All are described by their attorneys or family members as exceptionally bright. And all said after their arrests they had mental- or emotional-health problems and had considered killing themselves. Instead, they went on to commit some of the most serious and potentially deadly crimes of the past year in Douglas County by Eric Weslander

Contact and the Unusual Parent - By District Judge John Mitchell - 2003  

CRIMINAL JUSTICE / MENTAL HEALTH CONSENSUS PROJECT - The Media Coverage page houses links to articles on issues relevant to people with mental illness involved in the criminal justice system. To find an article, visit the media coverage page and search by title. We encourage you to send information about any articles that you think would be interesting or useful to other visitors to editors@consensusproject.org

Custody grab breaks parents' hearts / Parents of children with severe intellectual disabilities are facing heartache because of bureaucracy, as  reports two Queensland families' worst fears are about to be realised. Each is about to be stripped of the custody of one of their children by the Child Safety Department. Not because of physical or emotional abuse or neglect, but because of an arcane line of demarcation between the Child Safety and Disability Services bureaucracies which dictates that parents seeking more than 50 per cent out-of-home disability support services and funding for their disabled children must relinquish custody to the state, by Margaret Wenham

Encounters with Asperger Syndrome in the Solicitor's Office by Dr. Venetia  Young, Family Therapist - 2001

Help without losing custody - Hampton a beacon for parents seeking mental health for disturbed kids BY Michael Martz

 High Conflict & Asperger Syndrome by Sheila Jennings Linehan  

	Review - AS and Child Custody - a perspective from adult children of AS parents by Judy Singer
	The debates and controversies have raged.  Never before has an article  published on mediate.com been so controversial in the adult autism spectrum community.  The comments to this articles both pro an con can be read at  www.mediate.com  We leave it to you to make an informed decision.

High-conflict Separation and Divorce: Options for Consideration - Prepared by: Glenn A. Gilmour  Presented to: Family, Children and Youth Section Department of Justice Canada  The views expressed in this report are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of the Department of Justice Canada. Also available in French    PDF Version

Moral Distress and High Conflict by Sheila Jennings Linehan

Myths and Realities of Custody and Access - Compiled by: Margaret Denike, Vancouver Association of Women and the Law; Agnes Huang, Vancouver Status of Women; Patricia Kachuk, FREDA Centre (for Research on Violence against Women and Children) - June 1998

New findings on Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder - Are parents of children with AD/HD good at parenting? It is generally thought that AD/HD or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in children is compounded by poor parenting skills, and much research evidence exists to support this view by News Wales

Putting Children's Interests First: Custody, Access and Child Support in Canada (HTML) (PDF)

Reforming the System to Protect Children in High Conflict Cases by Linda D. Elrod

Special Needs Practice Issues for Ontario Mediators" by Sheila Jennings Linehan from Solutions Newsletter Winter 2003

The Family and Law Series - Custody and Access 

What's Happening with Custody and Access Law Reform? By Pamela Cross, July 2004

Contact and the Unusual Parent - By District Judge John Mitchell - 2003  

CRIMINAL JUSTICE / MENTAL HEALTH CONSENSUS PROJECT - The Media Coverage page houses links to articles on issues relevant to people with mental illness involved in the criminal justice system. To find an article, visit the media coverage page and search by title. We encourage you to send information about any articles that you think would be interesting or useful to other visitors to editors@consensusproject.org

Encounters with Asperger Syndrome in the Solicitor's Office by Dr. Venetia  Young, Family Therapist - 2001

     High Conflict & Asperger Syndrome by Sheila Jennings Linehan  

	Review - AS and Child Custody - a perspective from adult children of AS parents by Judy Singer
	The debates and controversies have raged.  Never before has an article  published on mediate.com been so controversial in the adult autism spectrum community.  The comments to this articles both pro an con can be read at  www.mediate.com  We leave it to you to make an informed decision.

A New York High Court Decision on Domestic Violence: Can a Parent Be Guilty of Neglect Simply Because She Is Victimized in the Presence of Her Children? - The New York City Administration for Children's Service (ACS) was alleged to have had a policy dictating that children be removed from mothers who were victims of domestic violence. Federal District Court Judge Jack Weinstein characterized this claimed policy as a "pitiless double abuse": These women were forced to suffer the battering, first, and the loss of their children, second, by Joanna Grossman

Autistic teenager accused of assault  / Clovis boy faces charge that he attacked teacher - A criminal case against a Clovis High School teen with Asperger's disorder is raising alarm among autism experts in California who say that such prosecution sets a dangerous precedent by Erin Kennedy

Boyarsky 'to rely on a mental health defense' - "A man charged with murdering his Leominster neighbor "intends to rely on a mental health defense" at his upcoming trial, according to prosecutors," by Matt O'Brian

Churchman jailed for exorcism death - A church elder was sentenced to 2 1/2 years in prison Tuesday for abusing an 8-year-old autistic boy who died in what prosecutors called an exorcism at a storefront church by CNN.com

Dead boy wanted to 'divorce' parents by Keri Welham

Deaf man killed over noise - A Blind man was jailed for eight years today for killing a deaf man by slashing his throat because he was enraged by the noise coming from his stereo and television.

"Debate over judicial activism has waned." says says Supreme Court Chief Justice - A long, rancorous debate over judicial activism has waned, thanks to a growing understanding that judges sometimes have no choice but to strike down laws, Chief Justice Beverley McLachlin says. In a rare interview, to mark her fifth anniversary as leader of the Supreme Court of Canada, Chief Justice McLachlin said that critics who assailed the court for rendering "political" decisions often masked their personal distaste for a particular judgment. "I think the public is coming to a better understanding of the shallowness of that question: Are they activist or are they not activist?" Chief Justice McLachlin said.

State audit finds weaknesses in monitoring sex offenders, costs - A new audit has found weaknesses in how the state monitors programs dealing with sex offenders. The review by state auditor Elaine Howle and her staff looked at programs run by the Developmental Services and Mental Health departments and the California Youth Authority, the prison system for young criminals, by Bureau of State Audits: www.bsa.ca.gov/bsa

Family files suit over job coaching / Parents: Disabled daughter pushed from real world - "...Jefferson County officials haven’t commented specifically on the lawsuit by the Schwartz family, but they told The Capital Times of Madison that they must control costs or high-needs people will consume all the money available to county residents.  Peggy Schwartz’s 22-year-old daughter, Jessica, has a genetic defect that causes autism-like symptoms. She has trouble concentrating for a long time by the AP

Mother sues, alleges abuse in special education - Today Ann Gaydos looks back in horror and asks herself how she could have kept sending her child back into that classroom. Her daughter, Paige, has a form of autism that put her in a special education class in Cupertino. Over several months, Gaydos said, Paige's teacher subjected her to a series of abuses -- ranging from pushing her to the floor and sitting on her, to rubbing a burrito in her face. Gaydos has filed a civil suit to be heard in November against Cupertino Union School District, for unspecified damages. Neither district officials nor the teacher, Karen Miller, would discuss the allegations. But in court filings, both parties deny them by Larry Slonaker

Ont. parents sue schools in new autism lawsuit - The parents of five autistic children launched a class-action lawsuit against the Ontario government and school boards Monday, arguing that the province should provide an expensive autism therapy in its public schools.  Last month the Supreme Court has ruled that the province of British Columbia does not have to foot the bill for an effective, but expensive treatment program for autistic children.  Four families had sued the B.C. government, arguing it should pay for the costly treatment of their autistic children. They argued that Autism Spectrum Disorder is a medical disability, and as such, merits health-care funding, by CTV.ca News Staff

Playground debate heads to court - The parents of a home-schooled Falmouth boy, banned from the city's playground, head to court Friday to ask a judge to allow him to return there, by ABC News

PSU professor charged with 25 counts of child sexual abuse - A Penn State professor emeritus who is regarded as an expert on early-childhood education and autism is facing more than 25 charges of child sexual abuse dating to the late 1970s.  John T. Neisworth, 67, is scheduled to stand trial in Maryland on April 19.  The charges have no connection to Neisworth's work for Penn State. The alleged victim, an Arizona resident, contends that he was repeatedly abused for several years by Neisworth and two other men in and near his then-hometown of Bear, Del., starting when he was 12 years old.  By the AP

School staff suspended in abuse claim -  Two members of staff have been suspended from a school over allegations pupils have been physically abused. The staff are employed at Springwell Special School, in the Throston Grange area of Hartlepool. Cleveland Police were called in to investigate following complaints against the workers. A police spokeswoman said: "We can confirm that we are investigating a complaint against two members of staff regarding the alleged physical abuse of pupils at the school."

School stabbing charges dismissed - Charges against a 15-year-old boy accused of stabbing a fellow student at a Sydney private school were dismissed because he suffers from the developmental disorder Asperger's Syndrome.  By Nine MSN

Teacher charged with abusing autistic pupils - "A special education teacher in northeastern Pennsylvania was charged Tuesday with abusing autistic students too disabled to tell their parents why they were coming home from school with bruises," by David B. Curuso

Teens held over rape of special needs classmate - "...Police found that both the victim and the alleged perpetrators were "special-needs" students, and that the victim had been dating one of them. About six months ago, this boy told her that if she refused to sleep with him, he would no longer be her boyfriend. She therefore assented. The boy then summoned his friends and invited them to have sex with her as well," by Roni Singer

Testimony Continues In School Volunteer Sex Trial / Man Accused Of Fondling Autistic Boy - Testimony continued Tuesday in the trial of a Broward County school volunteer accused of inappropriately touching an autistic boy.  Dan Donahue is a convicted sex offender in California. He's now accused of fondling a 6-year-old Fort Lauderdale boy, by NBC6.net

“The Child Is Worth All of It” by Hot Topics, Winter 2004

Mother sues school district over son's education - The mother of a recent Ragsdale High School student has sued Guilford County Schools, claiming her son didn't receive an adequate education. The suit, filed in Superior Court, seeks damages in excess of $10,000. The parent, Kathy Edwards, also is suing the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction by Bruce Buchanan

The Northeastern Educational Intermediate Unit teacher charged Tuesday with abusing autistic students was properly trained and qualified to teach them, said Executive Director Fred Rosetti, Ed.D - "She's properly licensed for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania," he said of Susan Comerford Wzorek, 54, of Clarks Summit. She faces two counts of child endangerment for allegedly mistreating 6- to 12-year-old students in her class at Clarks Summit Elementary School from Sept. 2001 to June 2003," by Lauren Roth

Two Cobb students, 13, held in tainted cake incident - "...Father speaks out. After a court hearing Wednesday, the father of one of the teens said his daughter suffers from Asperger's syndrome, a form of autism that causes her to say inappropriate things and causes difficulty in relating to others," by Don Plummer and Yolanda Rodriguez

'AUTISTIC' L.I. MAN ATTACKS SIS: POLICE -  A Long Island man with severe mental problems attacked his sister with a baseball bat after she told him he would have to move out of her house, police said yesterday.  Richard Simmons, 42, who suffers from Asperger's Syndrome, a disorder similar to autism, was being held without bail on attempted murder charges. "He became very upset because he has a hard time adjusting to change," said Suffolk Detective Lt. Gerard Gigante by the New York Post

Police: Therapist, caught on tape, charged with assaulting boy - Christine Mischenko, 23, was arrested Thursday at her home in Middletown in Monmouth County. She was fired Friday from her job as a behavioral therapist with New Horizons in Autism Incorporated, a nonprofit organization in Neptune.  Morris County authorities said the parents of the child Mischenko was hired to teach had suspected something was amiss when they noticed he had bruises and recently became especially agitated.

Nurse faces jail over ill-treatment - A nurse faces jail after forcing a young psychiatric autistic patient whom she "hated" to sit unclothed in her own urine overnight. Aile Davidson, 43, refused to provide the 19-year-old with a change of nightwear or to let her return to her bed after she had soiled herself. The staff nurse with 15 years' experience yesterday admitted ill-treating the woman at the New Craigs Psychiatric Hospital in Inverness.  By Alistair Munro

Parents without hope are giving up custody Some say mental health system is broken by Debra Jasper & Spencer Hunt

Contact and the Unusual Parent - By District Judge John Mitchell - 2003  

CRIMINAL JUSTICE / MENTAL HEALTH CONSENSUS PROJECT - The Media Coverage page houses links to articles on issues relevant to people with mental illness involved in the criminal justice system. To find an article, visit the media coverage page and search by title. We encourage you to send information about any articles that you think would be interesting or useful to other visitors to editors@consensusproject.org

High Conflict & Asperger Syndrome by Sheila Jennings Linehan