metro
Tragic Case
Wrongful charges tore apart family.
Ronelle Grier
Contributing Writer
"Their [the former prosecutors] arro-
gance was more important than the truth:'
said Deborah Gordon, the Wendrows'
he trial is reaching a conclusion
attorney.
regarding whether three former
Defense attorney Steve Potter said
Oakland County prosecutors
the prosecutors relied on school records
acted recklessly and maliciously when they showing Aislinn's academic progress and
falsely accused Tali and Julian Wendrow
numerous emails from the Wendrows
of sexually abusing their autistic and non-
insisting the school district continue using
verbal daughter in 2007.
FC with Aislinn. Tali and Julian acknowl-
At JN press time, final arguments in
edged they were "duped" into believing FC
the civil suit had been scheduled for
was the key to their daughter's success.
Wednesday after a three-week trial in the
"We had been searching so long for our
Ann Arbor courtroom of Federal Judge
miracle ... turning over every stone Tali
John Corbett O'Meara. The matter would
said.
then go to the jury to decide if there was
Rabbi Levi Shemtov of Friendship Circle
liability and money damages.
of Michigan, with whom Aislinn stayed
The Wendrows were arrested and
before going to the foster care facility, testi-
charged with various
fied about statements
felony counts of child
Aislinn "typed" in
sexual abuse following
school regarding a sup-
allegations supposedly
posed 3 a.m. visit to the
made by their daughter,
Shemtov home by her
Aislinn, then 14, using a
parents and several rela-
controversial and widely
tives from South Africa,
discredited technique
where Julian was born.
known as facilitated
Shemtov and his wife,
communication (FC),
Bassie, who had been
which requires an aide to
warned that Aislinn
guide the arm of the user.
was to have no contact
Tali and Julian Wendrow
Critics of the method,
with her parents, had
which include numer-
adamantly denied such
ous professional organizations such as
a visit had taken place.
the American Psychological Association,
"I felt like I was talking to a brick wall,"
claim the output comes from the facilita-
said Shemtov, expressing his dismay that
tor, either consciously or not, rather than
credibility was being given to statements
the user. The case against the Wendrows
he considered outrageous. "I had thought
began to disintegrate after a courtroom
this would be the final straw and they
demonstration showed Aislinn was not
would realize something was wrong with
able to answer any question that was asked this method of communication [FC]."
when the facilitator was out of earshot.
The lawsuit included defamatory state-
Before the charges were ultimately dis-
ments made to the media by Gorcyca,
missed, the family was separated for three
Carley and Dean during and after the
months; Tali was placed on a tether, Julian
case. The explanation provided by the
spent 80 days in jail, and Aislinn and her
prosecutor's office said the charges were
brother, Ian, then 13, were placed in sepa-
dropped because Aislinn was afraid to
rate foster care facilities. According to the
testify, and all three defendants have said
Wendrows and a psychologist who testi-
they believed the accusations were true
fied on their behalf, the family continues
but they were unable to prove their case.
to experience various forms of anxiety and The prosecutors never told the public
depression as a result of the ordeal.
that the allegations were false because FC
"It was an absolute nightmare said Tali, was unreliable, and the Wendrows never
who told the jury how the tether dug into
received an apology.
her ankle when she tried to get comfort-
"It enrages me Julian said. "It's a stigma
able at night.
... a cloud over our head. That's why I'm
Testimony was heard from Tali, Julian
sitting in this courtroom. I hope I can find
and Ian, as well as Walled Lake school
some justice here:'
personnel, former West Bloomfield Police
Previous lawsuits filed by the
officers, some expert witnesses and the
Wendrows against the West Bloomfield
three defendants: former prosecutor David Police Department, the Walled Lake
Gorcyca, former assistant chief prosecu-
Consolidated School District and the
tor Deborah Carley and former assistant
Michigan Department of Human Services
prosecuting attorney Andrea Dean. The
(DHS), resulted in out-of-court settle-
County of Oakland was also named in the
ments of $1.8 million, $1.1 million and
lawsuit.
$850,000, respectively.
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November 6 • 2014
JN