Paul Ingram
Encyclopedia
The Thurston county ritual abuse case was a case in which Paul Ingram, county Republican Party Chairman of Thurston County, Washington and the Chief Civil Deputy of the Sheriff's department, was accused by his daughters of sexual abuse
, by at least one daughter of satanic ritual abuse
and later accused by his son in 1996 of abusing him from the ages of 4 to 12. He originally pled guilty but has since maintained his innocence. After pleading guilty, he attempted to withdraw his plea and requested a trial or clemency but his requests were refused. Ingram was released in 2003 after serving his sentence.
Ingram confessed to a variety of extremely improbable crimes and a sizable number of Ingram's fellow Sheriff's department employees were also accused by Ingram's young daughters and their friends.
The case is often cited by proponents of the idea that satanic ritual abuse actually exists as proof because Ingram was found guilty; in reality, Ingram was never charged with "satanic ritual abuse" but with six counts of rape
in the third degree, and received an unusually long sentence – rather than a maximum of three and a half years, he was sentenced to twenty years. The "satanic" aspects of the case were dropped by the prosecution although the appearance of Satan was integral to Ingram's confessions. The case has also been compared to the Salem witch trials
.
tome The Courage to Heal
, the discredited satanic ritual abuse
autobiography Michelle Remembers
, and work by memory researchers such as Elizabeth Loftus
all worked to support, contradict and challenge conventional beliefs about how memory and repression
worked, or if the latter even existed. Ingram's daughters had both been in therapy, one before the initial outcry, the other while the trial was ongoing. The Ingrams were also members of a local Pentecostal church that promoted the idea that Satan
could control the minds of Christians, cause them to commit crimes, then remove the memories after the fact, and that God would not allow harmful false memories. While at a church retreat, Ingram's daughter was told she possessed prophetic powers and had been sexually abused by her father.
from him, and had a baby aborted when near term.
claimed that Ingram, because of his long-standing and routine experiences in his church, was inadvertently hypnotized by authority figures who conducted his interrogation, although no mental health professionals were present, and that the confessions were the result of false memories being implanted with suggestion
. Ofshe tested this hypothesis by telling Ingram that a son and daughter had accused him of forcing them to commit incest with each other. Interrogating officers had previously accused Ingram of this, but he denied it, and also denied Ofshe's accusation. Ofshe instructed Ingram to pray on the idea, and later Ingram produced a full, detailed written confession. Questioning the daughter who was supposed to have been involved, despite many other accusations against her father, she denied that such an incident had ever occurred. Upon being told that no such accusation had been made by either his son or daughter, Ingram refused to believe the incident wasn't real, maintaining "[i]t's just as real to me as anything else". Ofshe became convinced that Ingram's confessions were solely the result of extensive interrogation sessions and questions being applied to an unusually suggestive individual. He provided a report on his theory, but the prosecution initially refused to supply it to the defence, only doing so after being forced by the judge. Ofshe later reported the incident in a scientific journal, though his conclusions and methods were criticized.
. The Ingram case was also the basis for the TV-movie Forgotten Sins
, in which John Shea
played "Sheriff Matthew Bradshaw". Richard Ofshe, the only individual whose name was not changed for the movie, confirms that it is based on the Ingram case. Lawrence Wright, the author of Remembering Satan, received a "Story by" WGA credit
for the movie.
Child sexual abuse
Child sexual abuse is a form of child abuse in which an adult or older adolescent uses a child for sexual stimulation. Forms of child sexual abuse include asking or pressuring a child to engage in sexual activities , indecent exposure with intent to gratify their own sexual desires or to...
, by at least one daughter of satanic ritual abuse
Satanic ritual abuse
Satanic ritual abuse refers to the abuse of a person or animal in a ritual setting or manner...
and later accused by his son in 1996 of abusing him from the ages of 4 to 12. He originally pled guilty but has since maintained his innocence. After pleading guilty, he attempted to withdraw his plea and requested a trial or clemency but his requests were refused. Ingram was released in 2003 after serving his sentence.
Ingram confessed to a variety of extremely improbable crimes and a sizable number of Ingram's fellow Sheriff's department employees were also accused by Ingram's young daughters and their friends.
The case is often cited by proponents of the idea that satanic ritual abuse actually exists as proof because Ingram was found guilty; in reality, Ingram was never charged with "satanic ritual abuse" but with six counts of rape
Rape
Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse, which is initiated by one or more persons against another person without that person's consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority or with a person who is incapable of valid consent. The...
in the third degree, and received an unusually long sentence – rather than a maximum of three and a half years, he was sentenced to twenty years. The "satanic" aspects of the case were dropped by the prosecution although the appearance of Satan was integral to Ingram's confessions. The case has also been compared to the Salem witch trials
Salem witch trials
The Salem witch trials were a series of hearings before county court trials to prosecute people accused of witchcraft in the counties of Essex, Suffolk, and Middlesex in colonial Massachusetts, between February 1692 and May 1693...
.
Background
The accusations appeared at a time when there were tremendous questions being raised about the accuracy of memories of childhood abuse and incest. Books such as the self-helpSelf-help
Self-help, or self-improvement, is a self-guided improvement—economically, intellectually, or emotionally—often with a substantial psychological basis. There are many different self-help movements and each has its own focus, techniques, associated beliefs, proponents and in some cases, leaders...
tome The Courage to Heal
The Courage to Heal
The Courage to Heal: A Guide for Women Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse is a popular self-help book written by Ellen Bass and Laura Davis that discusses the impact of child sexual abuse and how to address it. The primary thrust of the book is that individuals with a vague set of symptoms have...
, the discredited satanic ritual abuse
Satanic ritual abuse
Satanic ritual abuse refers to the abuse of a person or animal in a ritual setting or manner...
autobiography Michelle Remembers
Michelle Remembers
Michelle Remembers is a book published in 1980 co-written by Canadian psychiatrist Lawrence Pazder and his psychiatric patient Michelle Smith. A best-seller, Michelle Remembers was the first book written on the subject of satanic ritual abuse and is an important part of the controversies beginning...
, and work by memory researchers such as Elizabeth Loftus
Elizabeth Loftus
Elizabeth F. Loftus is an American psychologist and expert on human memory. She has conducted extensive research on the misinformation effect and the nature of false memories. Loftus has been recognized throughout the world for her work, receiving numerous awards and honorary degrees...
all worked to support, contradict and challenge conventional beliefs about how memory and repression
Repressed memory
Repressed memory is a hypothetical concept used to describe a significant memory, usually of a traumatic nature, that has become unavailable for recall; also called motivated forgetting in which a subject blocks out painful or traumatic times in one's life...
worked, or if the latter even existed. Ingram's daughters had both been in therapy, one before the initial outcry, the other while the trial was ongoing. The Ingrams were also members of a local Pentecostal church that promoted the idea that Satan
Satan
Satan , "the opposer", is the title of various entities, both human and divine, who challenge the faith of humans in the Hebrew Bible...
could control the minds of Christians, cause them to commit crimes, then remove the memories after the fact, and that God would not allow harmful false memories. While at a church retreat, Ingram's daughter was told she possessed prophetic powers and had been sexually abused by her father.
Accusations
Ingram was accused of sexually abusing both of his daughters for years; initially Erika, his eldest daughter, claimed this abuse had stopped in 1979 but later his other daughter Julie said it had happened less five years before. As the case proceeded, the accusations increased in scope and detail. Ingram was also accused of participating in hundreds of satanic rituals including the slaughter of 25 babies. Erika claimed she had caught a sexually transmitted diseaseSexually transmitted disease
Sexually transmitted disease , also known as a sexually transmitted infection or venereal disease , is an illness that has a significant probability of transmission between humans by means of human sexual behavior, including vaginal intercourse, oral sex, and anal sex...
from him, and had a baby aborted when near term.
False memory hypothesis
Psychologist Richard OfsheRichard Ofshe
Richard Ofshe is a Professor Emeritus of Sociology at the University of California, Berkeley. He is a member of the advisory board of the False Memory Syndrome Foundation advocacy organization, and is known for his expert testimony relating to coercion in small groups, confessions, and...
claimed that Ingram, because of his long-standing and routine experiences in his church, was inadvertently hypnotized by authority figures who conducted his interrogation, although no mental health professionals were present, and that the confessions were the result of false memories being implanted with suggestion
Suggestion
Suggestion is the psychological process by which one person guides the thoughts, feelings, or behaviour of another. Nineteenth century writers on psychology such as William James used the words "suggest" and "suggestion" in senses close to those they have in common speech—one idea was said to...
. Ofshe tested this hypothesis by telling Ingram that a son and daughter had accused him of forcing them to commit incest with each other. Interrogating officers had previously accused Ingram of this, but he denied it, and also denied Ofshe's accusation. Ofshe instructed Ingram to pray on the idea, and later Ingram produced a full, detailed written confession. Questioning the daughter who was supposed to have been involved, despite many other accusations against her father, she denied that such an incident had ever occurred. Upon being told that no such accusation had been made by either his son or daughter, Ingram refused to believe the incident wasn't real, maintaining "[i]t's just as real to me as anything else". Ofshe became convinced that Ingram's confessions were solely the result of extensive interrogation sessions and questions being applied to an unusually suggestive individual. He provided a report on his theory, but the prosecution initially refused to supply it to the defence, only doing so after being forced by the judge. Ofshe later reported the incident in a scientific journal, though his conclusions and methods were criticized.
Remembering Satan
Ingram's story became the basis of the book Remembering Satan by Lawrence WrightLawrence Wright
Lawrence Wright is a Pulitzer Prize-winning American author, screenwriter, staff writer for The New Yorker magazine, and fellow at the Center for Law and Security at the New York University School of Law...
. The Ingram case was also the basis for the TV-movie Forgotten Sins
Forgotten Sins
Forgotten Sins was a 1996 television movie based on Lawrence Wright's New Yorker articles and his book Remembering Satan, which was in turn based on the actual case of Paul Ingram. It originally aired on the ABC Network on March 7, 1996. It starred William Devane as Dr...
, in which John Shea
John Shea
John Victor Shea III is an American actor and director who has starred on stage, television and in film. He is best known for his role as Lex Luthor in the 1990s TV series Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman and also starred in the short lived 1990s TV series WIOU as Hank Zaret...
played "Sheriff Matthew Bradshaw". Richard Ofshe, the only individual whose name was not changed for the movie, confirms that it is based on the Ingram case. Lawrence Wright, the author of Remembering Satan, received a "Story by" WGA credit
WGA screenwriting credit system
In the United States, screenwriting credit for motion pictures and television programs under its jurisdiction is determined by either the Writers Guild of America, East or the Writers Guild of America, West . Since 1941, the Guilds have been the final arbiter of who receives credit for writing a...
for the movie.
External links
- Ingram Organization with details of case
- Audio of Paul Ingram Pardon Hearing
- Forgotten Sins in the Internet Movie Database
- "The Devil In Mr. Ingram", article in Mother JonesMother Jones (magazine)Mother Jones is an American independent news organization, featuring investigative and breaking news reporting on politics, the environment, human rights, and culture. Mother Jones has been nominated for 23 National Magazine Awards and has won six times, including for General Excellence in 2001,...