Call for Policy to Increase Protection for Victims of Ritual Abuse in San Diego, Part I - Page 10
© Ellen Lacter, PhD
Grand Jury members did attend these two workshops on September 25, 2002.
The Grand Jury "checking out" these two workshops raise a number of concerns:
1. The Grand Jury has very questionable jurisdiction over workshops presented at an international conference. The San Diego County Grand Jury website states that it is "to serve as a sentinel a group of impartial citizens that can review the methods and operations of the County of San Diego" (http://www.co.san-diego.ca.us/cnty/cntyd... This conference is not a county function. The county does not fund this conference.
2. The Grand Jury has no grounds to interfere with academic freedom and free speech.
3. The Grand Jury should question the motives of a complaint by Carol Hopkins, since the Grand Jury report for which she was Deputy Foreperson (no. 8 in 1991-1992) was found to misrepresent the facts in a subsequent Grand Jury report (1992-1993).
4. Carol Hopkins, in her complaint to the Grand Jury, states, "It is my belief that if you consult the FBI or District Attorney Paul Pfingst he will confirm the fact that there have been no confirmed cases of Satanic Ritual Abuse either in San Diego County or elsewhere". Hopkins suggests interested parties contact Paul Pfingst (as she did in the summer of 2002 when she attempted to interfere with San Diego Pastoral Counseling Center providing a class, "Ritualistic Abuse: The Healing Journey with Survivors of Ritualistic Abuse"). Hopkins freely bandies Pfingst's name around as an ally. Has Pfingst abused his political power to pressure the Grand Jury to "check out" these workshops? The Grand Jury is not an arm of the District Attorney's office. In fact, the Grand Jury has the authority to investigate the functioning of the office of the District Attorney.
Interest in protecting San Diego County financially may have influenced the Grand Jury to "check out" these classes. As discussed above, San Diego County has had a huge price to pay in financial damages for its prior involvement in claims of ritual abuse. But, of course, safety of crime victims cannot be sacrificed to these concerns. And good public policy, protocols, and legislation can be established to reduce the risk of lawsuits.
See Part II
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