(Autism) The Beginning of the End?

[Guest guest]

http://www.ageofautism.com/2008/11/the-beginning-o.html#more

November 26, 2008

The Beginning of the End?

By Kent Heckenlively, Esq.

A decision in the first three cases of the Autism Omnibus

Proceedings, Cedillo, Hazlehurst, and Snyder will be released in

either December of this year, or shortly after in January of 2009.

I recently spoke with Golkiewicz, the chief Special Master for

the proceedings, who gave me permission to talk with Powers,

the lead attorney for the families who allege a link between vaccines

and the development of autism in their children.

According to both Golkiewicz and Powers, the Special Masters are now

hard at work preparing their decisions. The decisions will be much

longer than the typical vaccine court decision as the court is

wrestling with an enormous amount of evidence, including more than

900 scientific articles submitted by both sides. They are hoping to

release all three cases at the same time, but if not, then the

decisions will closely follow one another.

I understand the inevitable question to your beloved legal editor

will be what I think the decision will be.

The answer is, I'm in the dark as much as all of you.

However, having said that, I want to reveal some of my biases and

prejudices. Having grown up in a family with a father who's a

lawyer, a brother in the trade, me, and a mother who worshiped

lawyers I have a tremendous amount of respect for the

profession. The ideal of the law, and the work of lawyers, is a

dispassionate review of relevant information leading to a just

outcome. It is how we in a civilized society settle our differences.

Many of my best friends are lawyers. They are people of high ideals

and good character. If you will allow me to express a prejudice, the

practice of law is rarely as good and honorable as the people who

choose to enter the profession. But there are times when the justice

of a cause and the goodness of the people in the profession can come

together and change the lives of millions. I believe this is one of

those instances.

I have also been witness to terrible injustice at the hands of

lawyers and judges. (As an aside, if you ever get injured at

Disneyland, don't have the trial in Orange County. The Mouse doesn't

like to be sued in his own house. And the judges must be f***ing Goofy!)

But in my brief discussions with Golkiewicz and Powers I

get the impression they are the type of honorable lawyers who have

always had my respect. Mr. Golkiewicz seems to have read some of the

more esoteric blogs about autism than I do. He wanted me to know

that the delay in rendering a decision in these cases had nothing to

do with the timing of the elections, or the end of one administration

and the start of a new one as some blogs have claimed, but was simply

due to the massive amount of work to be done. " We're killing a lot

of trees with this work, " he told me.

Aside from a single interview I had with him early in the

proceedings, Powers has been ducking my calls because he

hasn't wanted to compromise the proceedings with any unwanted press

attention. Despite what you often see in movies and television,

lawyers are supposed to try their cases in the courtroom, not the

press. I understand the cold shoulder I have received. Mr. Powers

has conducted himself in an appropriate manner by working on the case

rather than talking to me.

But the long wait will soon be over.

I've spent a great deal of time on these proceedings. I believe the

Special Masters have done an excellent job of conducting their

inquiry and asking relevant questions.

May God grant them the wisdom to make the correct decision.

Kent Heckenlively is Legal Editor for Age of Autism.

--------------------------------------------------------

Sheri Nakken, former R.N., MA, Hahnemannian Homeopath

Vaccination Information & Choice Network, Nevada City CA & Wales UK

Vaccines - http://www.wellwithin1.com/vaccine.htm Vaccine Dangers &

Childhood Disease & Homeopathy Email classes start in December 2008