Fran and Dan Keller freed: Two of the last victims of satanic ritual abuse panic.

Among the atrocities that Frances and Dan Keller were supposed to have committed while running a day care center out of their Texas home: drowning and dismembering babies in front of the children; killing dogs and cats in front of the children; transporting the children to Mexico to be sexually abused by soldiers in the Mexican army; dressing as pumpkins and shooting children in the arms and legs; putting the children into a pool with sharks that ate babies; putting blood in the children’s Kool-Aid; cutting the arm or a finger off a gorilla at a local park; and exhuming bodies at a cemetery, forcing children to carry the bones.

It was frankly unbelievable—except that people, most importantly, a Texas jury, didbelieve the Kellers had committed at least some of these acts. In 1992, the Kellers were convicted of aggravated sexual assault on a child and each sentenced to 48 years in prison. The investigation into their supposed crimes took slightly more than a year, the trial only six days.
And now, even the Travis County district attorney agrees that the trial was unfair.

After multiple appeal efforts and 21 years in prison, the Kellers are finally free. Fran Keller, 63, was released from prison on Nov. 26 on a personal bond, just in time for Thanksgiving. Her daughter was waiting for her with a bag full of the first clothes that weren’t prison-issued that Keller had seen in years. Dan, who turned 72 in prison and now walks with a cane, was released on Dec. 5; this time, Fran was there to greet him. (The Kellers divorced while in prison yet remain close, as close as two people locked up in separate prisons for crimes they say they didn’t commit can be.)

The Kellers were released after the doctor who had testified at their trial and provided the only physical evidence that any sexual assault had taken place recanted his testimony. Travis County District Attorney Rosemary Lehmberg agreed with the findings of appeals filed on the Kellers’ behalf that they were denied their right to a fair trial and that their conviction should

be overturned, allowing the Kellers to be released while their appeals move through the courts. In practical terms, this means the Kellers are on a path that may lead to their complete exoneration—and that they were able to celebrate their first Christmas with their families in more than 20 years.
Their release may also finally mark the end to one of the strangest, widest-reaching, and most damaging moral panics in America’s history: the satanic ritual abuse panic of the 1980s and 1990s.
“That was literally a witch hunt,” said Keith Hampton, pro-bono lawyer for the Kellers. “We say ‘witch hunt’ in this figurative way, but that was a modern-day literal witch hunt. They really were after people who they thought were worshipping at the feet of the Dark Lord.”

So what the hell happened?

Slate Continue to the source article at

You know I had pretty much forgotten about this and honestly I had thought they were exonerated a long time ago. The whole thing started because of a spanking then the stories got bigger and wilder. It seems this was another case of trial by media and now those who were instrumental in their prosecution are recanting. Seems like a long time to let someone rot in jail to finally come forward that you are not certain.

These are the type of conspiracies that I know happen all to often where the prosecutors do not give a damn about the truth just their conviction record. I guess that is why I resist jumping on the media bandwagon when they convict people on their shows before the trials, all they care about are ratings. I have known someone who with the "help" of a therapist recalled all sorts of things well I remember that period in time as well but not at all like them. 15 years later that person now says none of it happened and doesn't even remember making the accusations so excuse me if I don't have faith in psychotherapists.

Well read the article see for yourself maybe some still think they are guilty but I don't.

Oh Slate . . . Surely the most unbiased source to gather info from. Figures a character like the OP would post something like this. I am expecting some very entertaining threads from you in the future as you seem to be ramping up your output lately.

Child abuse is a reality and it charges should be taken seriously and investigated thoroughly.

BELOW ARE THE REAL VICTIMS OF ABUSE



-FBB

reply to post by FriedBabelBroccoli


So does that mean you are of the opinion that

drowning and dismembering babies in front of the children; killing dogs and cats in front of the children; transporting the children to Mexico to be sexually abused by soldiers in the Mexican army; dressing as pumpkins and shooting children in the arms and legs; putting the children into a pool with sharks that ate babies; putting blood in the children’s Kool-Aid; cutting the arm or a finger off a gorilla at a local park; and exhuming bodies at a cemetery, forcing children to carry the bones

were real and even though the doctor recanted his testimony which was the only reason they were convicted you still think they are not victims of an unfair trial.

The doctor who had testified at their trial claimed there was evidence of sexual assault and that was what they were prosecuted for but now he has recanted.

I expected better from you.

FriedBabelBroccoli
Oh Slate . . . Surely the most unbiased source to gather info from. Figures a character like the OP would post something like this. I am expecting some very entertaining threads from you in the future as you seem to be ramping up your output lately.

Child abuse is a reality and it charges should be taken seriously and investigated thoroughly.

BELOW ARE THE REAL VICTIMS OF ABUSE

-FBB

edit on 8-1-2014 by FriedBabelBroccoli because: 101

Ummm what? I don't think the OP is marginalizing child abuse at all. You must not be familiar with this story. It's a pretty fascinating example of what power the media has to convict people and help in creating nationwide panics.

I remember this in the 80's everyone "knew" there were satanic cults abducting children when in reality it was all a creation of the media.

reply to post by drock905


Thanks you are right. I am not trying to downplay victims of sexual abuse at all. This is about an actual witch hunt in my lifetime where I think the couple was railroaded to satisfy a media frenzy.

Grimpachi
reply to post by FriedBabelBroccoli

 

So does that mean you are of the opinion that

drowning and dismembering babies in front of the children; killing dogs and cats in front of the children; transporting the children to Mexico to be sexually abused by soldiers in the Mexican army; dressing as pumpkins and shooting children in the arms and legs; putting the children into a pool with sharks that ate babies; putting blood in the children’s Kool-Aid; cutting the arm or a finger off a gorilla at a local park; and exhuming bodies at a cemetery, forcing children to carry the bones

were real and even though the doctor recanted his testimony which was the only reason they were convicted you still think they are not victims of an unfair trial.

The doctor who had testified at their trial claimed there was evidence of sexual assault and that was what they were prosecuted for but now he has recanted.

I expected better from you.

edit on 8-1-2014 by Grimpachi because: (no reason given)

A truly pathetic response Grimpachi . . . .

I respond to your article which, based on your posting history was clearly aimed at rabble rousing anti-religious sentiments, and you accuse me of supporting falsifying evidence and jailing innocent people.

Real mature way in which to respond to someone who makes a post about properly investigating allegations of child abuse.

-FBB

reply to post by FriedBabelBroccoli


You really should stop projecting. How exactly do you figure this is against religion?


Please do explain. Maybe you should go after the information instead of focusing your attention on who presents the information.

reply to post by Grimpachi


I'm wondering if the Kellers have any recourse?

They had over 20 years of their lives stolen from them, on top of whatever hardships or abuses they suffered inside the penal system.
Is all they get in return an "Oops, we're sorry. Enjoy your freedom"?

I think I'd personally want some fair recompense.
How does one tally the cost of 20 years though?

AliceBleachWhite
reply to post by Grimpachi

 

I'm wondering if the Kellers have any recourse?

They had over 20 years of their lives stolen from them, on top of whatever hardships or abuses they suffered inside the penal system.
Is all they get in return an "Oops, we're sorry. Enjoy your freedom"?

I think I'd personally want some fair recompense.
How does one tally the cost of 20 years though?

There's a set formula where they give you $X/year that you're wrongfully imprisoned. It's prorated down to the day. Texas is actually one of the most generous states. While 24 states simply give you nothing, and most only give you 20-50k per year with caps after 5 years, Texas gives $80,000 plus an additional $25,000 for every year you're a sex offender meaning each of these people get $105,000/year if found not guilty in the retrial, so 2.1 million each. Of course that will be taxed at the maximum rate so in reality they're looking at a bit over $1 million each. So they each get $1 million but missed out on seeing their kids grow up, will be unable to find work, and have the experience of having spent 20 years in prison. It's not really a fair trade.

What if, somebody or something want them to get free right now? What if they go extreme lengths to do so? Have we ever heard of torture or finding a way to make ppl fear so much that they do anything, even lie to justice system or what ever really. Just to put out there, their alleged crimes are in so evil in their nature that one have to consider more sinister playground around them also. Also there seem to be so large scale child abusing rings exposed lately, they seem to dig deep to our governments and the system around of it, so how can we truely trust anything? Then there is studies that sayd basicly about million of childrens goes missing each year in alone US & UN countries. I live in country that is about 5-6million of ppl total, so about million of childrens dissapearing per year sounds quite massive scale of being just random. But its also so massive amount of human beings that how can it be so quiet in mainstream, sometimes its hard to understant how our systems or ppl who run them is working, againts us or for us?

I dont really know if Frances and Dan Keller are really innocent and therefor also victims or are they as evil in their nature that crime list described, i do hope so they arent that corrupted tho.

Btw didnt they search/found any bones barried?