Exonerating Melvin Quinney "Victim Satanic Panic"
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Victims of ‘satanic panic’
We are the Quinneys, our dad and oldest brother John were the subjects of the podcast “Conviction: American Panic”. In 1989, when John was 9 years old, he was brainwashed into accusing our dad of crimes he didn’t commit. If you are reading this because you heard the podcast, then you know it is a crazy story. John was just one of hundreds of kids who were convinced to accuse their parents of terrible things that didn't happen. Our parents were getting a divorce, and we all were put into therapy where we were told that my dad had molested us and abused us in Satanic cult rituals. John knew then that it wasn't true, but he was a little kid and he believed what the adults around him were saying. Because of what he said at our dad's trial our dad went to prison for 8 years and 12 years parole. He got out in 1999 but it wasn’t until 2014 that we got back in touch.
We know he’s innocent — he didn’t do anything to John or any of us and having him back in our lives in the last few years has been amazing. He’s the same dorky loving dad we remember, and can’t believe we ever could have thought he would do the terrible things they made John say he did. But still John carries around a lot of guilt, every day. Our dad has no money, no job, no car and he lives alone in housing that’s meant for sex offenders but he is not a sex offender and doesn’t deserve to have to live there, or be on the sex offender registry. We barely ever get to see him because moving him up to Dallas to be closer to us and his grandkids would be too difficult as a registered offender.
The reason are we asking for help is because we found a lawyer in San Antonio who is willing to try to exonerate my dad, or at least get him off the sex offender registry so he can move up to Dallas . We want to try and give him a better life, with the years he has left. He’s 72, he won’t be around forever. We didn’t have my dad in our life for a really long time. We feel like we really owe it to him - and to everyone - to try and right the wrongs of the past. The lawyer normally charges $30,000 but she says she will do it for less, $20,000, with $10,000 up front. If we can even get this to the $10,000 mark we’d be happy. We are really grateful for whatever you can give. It all helps.
We are the Quinneys, our dad and oldest brother John were the subjects of the podcast “Conviction: American Panic”. In 1989, when John was 9 years old, he was brainwashed into accusing our dad of crimes he didn’t commit. If you are reading this because you heard the podcast, then you know it is a crazy story. John was just one of hundreds of kids who were convinced to accuse their parents of terrible things that didn't happen. Our parents were getting a divorce, and we all were put into therapy where we were told that my dad had molested us and abused us in Satanic cult rituals. John knew then that it wasn't true, but he was a little kid and he believed what the adults around him were saying. Because of what he said at our dad's trial our dad went to prison for 8 years and 12 years parole. He got out in 1999 but it wasn’t until 2014 that we got back in touch.
We know he’s innocent — he didn’t do anything to John or any of us and having him back in our lives in the last few years has been amazing. He’s the same dorky loving dad we remember, and can’t believe we ever could have thought he would do the terrible things they made John say he did. But still John carries around a lot of guilt, every day. Our dad has no money, no job, no car and he lives alone in housing that’s meant for sex offenders but he is not a sex offender and doesn’t deserve to have to live there, or be on the sex offender registry. We barely ever get to see him because moving him up to Dallas to be closer to us and his grandkids would be too difficult as a registered offender.
The reason are we asking for help is because we found a lawyer in San Antonio who is willing to try to exonerate my dad, or at least get him off the sex offender registry so he can move up to Dallas . We want to try and give him a better life, with the years he has left. He’s 72, he won’t be around forever. We didn’t have my dad in our life for a really long time. We feel like we really owe it to him - and to everyone - to try and right the wrongs of the past. The lawyer normally charges $30,000 but she says she will do it for less, $20,000, with $10,000 up front. If we can even get this to the $10,000 mark we’d be happy. We are really grateful for whatever you can give. It all helps.
Fundraising team (3)
Sarah Parker
Organizer
Dallas, TX
Melvin Quinney
Team member
John Parker
Team member
