Accused Child Abuser Seems to Be a Victim of ‘Hysteria, Witch Hunt’

Re: “Abuser or Abused?” (April 20): Thank you for a long-overdue article that highlights the problem of hysteria in our society. The Essex County (N.J.) prosecutor’s staff has obviously forgotten, along with a great number of others in law enforcement, that the law enforcement system is supposed to bring people to justice. That includes exonerating the innocent.

If your article is to be believed, the evidence against Margaret Kelly Michaels was created to add another victim to the witch hunt this country has participated in for well over 10 years.

We do need to protect children and bring abusers to earth. However, shouldn’t we direct some of our energies toward dealing with the manipulators in our society who so easily accuse people of child abuse to obtain revenge, win custody battles and for other reasons?

THOMAS E. BRANDLIN

Los Angeles

*