Speech expert: Boy who cops said confessed could barely talk

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/cst-nws-harris23.html

A 7-year-old boy who Chicago Police said gave specific details in his confession to murdering 11-year-old Ryan Harris has a speech impediment so severe that it's tough for even language experts to understand what he's saying. snip

Monday, speech pathologist Maureen Sweeney said the younger boy only started speaking in full sentences a year before he allegedly confessed.

Even then, she said, he mumbled in a gravelly voice and regularly substituted letters in words, resulting in times when "what he's saying doesn't make sense."

The boy is also "very open to suggestion," Sweeney said, as one therapist suggested a scenario and the boy then "incorporated that into his story" of Ryan's death.

[Southpaw Bookworm]

1. The Chicago PD strikes again

Aren't they the ones that shock detainees into confessing to crimes they didn't commit?

[Quetzal]

2. Shouldn't this interrogation have been videotaped?

It is my understanding that Obama helped pass a law when he was in the State Legislature which would have required that law enforcement videotape the interrogations of any alleged perpetrators in homicide cases.

[MidwestTransplant]

3. How about the fact that the kid IS 7 YEARS OLD

Should a 7 year old be allowed to be questioned without at least his parents present?

[Kelvin Mace]

4. Why do you hate America?

I mean if we can't keep the streets safe from blood-thirsty seven year-olds, what's the point of having a police department.

:sarcasm:

[MidwestTransplant]

5. I don't hate America, those that question the government do.

I was merely pointing out that the kid was 7! ;)

[Kelvin Mace]

6. That was a highly sarcastic question

meant to illustrate absurdity. I am SO sick of be called anti-police, anti-soldier, anti-American, etc. for having common sense.

I have spoken to people who would be perfectly OK with a seven year-old being executed, so you can understand my need for black humor. :)

[MidwestTransplant]

7. This guy hates America!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x4435201

One of the best pictures I have ever seen!

[kestrel91316]

11. Relax. I think the "why do you hate America?" is a takeoff on

Ann Coulter, IIRC..........correct me DU if I'm wrong. It's sarcastic humor, not an attack on you.

[Richard Steele]

8. I was glad to see from the story that he is not on trial...

The Police Dept. is!

But my question (as with all of these stories) is:
where are the CRIMINAL TRIALS
for the officers who FRAMED 2 little boys for this horrible crime?


And the answer, as with all these stories, is: *crickets*

[jwirr]

9. Police Departments are notorious for their failure to

deal with people who have various disabilities. I remember the shooting of the boy who was deaf because he did not stop when they ordered him to. They also tend to ignore mental illness and developmental disabilities. In my opinion the police need the same education that a classroom teacher gets regarding disabilities.

[damntexdem]

10. Ooh, those Chicago cops sure are great!

I mean: they can understand someone with a speech impediment so severe that even speech experts struggle to understand what's said.

Where did Chicago find all of those speech experts and how can it afford to employ them as police? ;-)

It sure ain't the Chicago police that I remember.