Another of the suspects in the so-called Wenatchee child sex ring case has been released from jail. And new doubts about the prosecution are rising.
Susan Everett was accused of taking part in the sex ring at the home of Harold and Idella Everett. Her attorney, John Henry Browne, went to court today to argue that Wenatchee sex crimes Detective Robert Perez had no probable cause to arrest Ms. Everett. According to a review of police documents conducted by Browne's investigator, Chris Beck, Everett's name had never been mentioned by any of the victims until after Perez arrested her. The primary witnesses, the two foster daughters of Detective Perez, were supoenaed to appear in court.
However, they failed to appear. One is in a mental institution following her most recent outburst. Sources say the girl's counselor wants her to complete a 90-day evaluation before considering whether she can testify again. And the guardian ad litem for the two girls says he thinks they should never be asked to testify again.
The prosecutor bought some time by agreeing to allow Ms. Everett to be released on her own recognizance. She's the third sex ring suspect to be released on little or no bail in the past three weeks. Another one could be released soon. Everett's trial has been rescheduled for November.
Some people in Wenatchee think these sex-ring prosecutions may all end, not with a bang, but with the whimper of a child in a mental hospital. The remaining cases are linked to disclosures by those two children. While the cases might continue without these children, because there are some other children who also made claims, most of the other children have severe credibility problems. And those children failed to make any statements until the foster child of Detective Perez set the sex-ring snowball rolling.
Connie Roberson says she believes the girls may be trying to change their stories. Pastor Roby Roberson is more pessimistic. He believes the case against him will go on, whether the primary accuser is available or not. The prosecutor says this will affect some cases, but not all. I sense that he is quite concerned by the problems with these witnesses, but he wants more time to think it through and let events play out.