Trial and Error

Aug 22, 2010

People with questions about Dennis’s suicide attempt might be interested in the following excerpt from an article about Karin Huffer, author of a book about what she calls “Legal Abuse Syndrome.”  Anyone who has ever been the subject of a legal action will no doubt identify to some degree with her theory, but none of us can remotely imagine the stress that Dennis has withstood during so many years of public vilification, legal and political abuse, and repeated disappointments. When combined with the harsh and unrelenting realities of life imprisoned in a maximum security prison I think we can all agree that Dennis must be the toughest and most resilient person we have ever known.

The link to Karin Huffer’s article: http://www.tulanelink.com/tulanelink/karinhuffer_box.htm  and below is an excerpt from her article:

So says Karin Huffer, whose experience as a marriage and family counselor in private practice and the wife of a businessman who was brutally defrauded in the courts uniquely qualifies her as an expert on the subject.

Huffer discovered that many of the legal system’s victims suffer from a variant of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, which she has termed “Legal Abuse Syndrome.” The condition derives from the abusive and protracted litigation that many plaintiffs commonly encounter in the courts.

According to Huffer, you may be suffering from Legal Abuse Syndrome: 1) if you feel deeply disillusioned and oppressed as a result of your experience with the legal system; 2) if you have been frustrated in your effort to obtain justice; 3) if you feel your dreams and plans for your life were torn from you by a system that supposedly was there to protect your rights and property; 4) if you fear that the system will defeat you at every turn and there is nothing you can do about it; and 5) if you feel you have been victimized several times over by the perpetrators, by lawyers, judges, bailiffs and other court personnel. As a consequence, you may suffer from tension and anxiety and have recurring nightmares, and you may also feel emotionally and physically exhausted, numb, disconnected and vulnerable.

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Once again, thank you for your support and we ask that you continue supporting us by sending your letters to the press with your concerns about justice and forward this to friends, relatives, and your legislators.

Dennis’ Birthday is October 29th.  If you wish to send him a card, please send it to Dennis  Dechaine #1725 Maine State Prison 807 Cushing Road Warren Maine 04864.

Go to www.trialanderrordennis.org for the latest news and links to Maine’s newspapers.

Donations will soon be needed since we expect to pay for expert witnesses who may testify at the hearing.  Donations may be sent to:

Trial and Error PO Box 153 Madawaska Me. 04756.

Sincerely

Carol Waltman

Bill Bunting

Steve Sandau

Bernie Huebner

Don Dechaine

Dennis Dechaine