Opinion ID: 4541159
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Re-Direct Examination

Text: On re-direct examination, the State asked Dr. Bivens to explain “a little bit” more about false reporting and suggestibility. The defense did not object at any point during this discussion. STATE: Now, doctor, you were just asked a few questions regarding false allegations or suggestibility. Were there any . . . pivotal studies that you’re aware of that address this issue[?] DR. BIVENS: Yes. STATE: Can you tell us about that? DR. BIVENS: I certainly can. So in the 1980s, there were several [] unfortunate incidents in which preschool children were [] inappropriately interviewed by well-minded people who believed there was a phenomenon of satanic ritualistic sexual abuse that was happening to these children. There was no particular evidence of it and none of the children really reported anything prior. But upon multiple, multiple interviews[,] these preschool age children, four and five, were pressured and otherwise coerced into making statements[,] and some of the children came to believe those statements. It was a result of [] those incidents and the studies that [] looked at how that was accomplished and the practices that we use today to conduct investigation were developed to always avoid suggesting anything or bringing up the topic of anything that might have occurred. And, in fact, when I consulted with the