Family Innocence Benefit
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The Family Defense Center’s Family Innocence Benefit Honoring: Ellen Domph, Deborah Tuerkheimer, Louis Fogel, and the Goodman Theatre Sunday, September 21, 2014 To Protect Children, Defend Families Welcome to the Family Innocence Benefit for the Family Defense Center! The Family Defense Center has so much to celebrate this year, and we thank you for joining us in the celebration. This year’s honorees demonstrate the variety of avenues through which we can work to advance a single cause: protecting children by defending families. Our honorees have made contributions in the realms of direct legal representation and advocacy, legal scholarship, Board and committee involvement, pro bono representation, and theatre. Through these diverse avenues, each honoree has notably joined our effort to promote child welfare by protecting and defending families. Our 2014 Family Defender, Attorney Ellen Domph, exemplifies the highest ideals of the legal profession. Her tireless, passionate and highly skilled defense of families has made it possible for loving parents to protect their right to raise their own children without the unjust intervention of the State. In focusing on family innocence this year, Ms. Domph’s exemplary work as lead trial counsel in the celebrated In re: Yohan K. case led to a landmark appellate victory, one that we celebrate tonight. Our 2014 Family Defense Scholar, Professor Deborah Tuerkheimer, is an outstanding example of the difference legal scholarship can make in giving voice to the marginalized. As Prof. Tuerkheimer discovered the widespread injustice and error in so many “Shaken Baby Syndrome” prosecutions, her passion for truth inspired her to dig deeper, culminating in the publication of her book, Flawed Convictions: Shaken Baby Syndrome and the Inertia of Justice. Now widely recognized as the leading academic legal scholar on the topic, Prof. Tuerkheimer’s work has helped exonerate wrongly accused families and shaped public discourse. This year, the Family Defense Center also honors a dear friend and dedicated supporter of our mission: Louis Fogel. Mr. Fogel’s professional achievements and community service commitments speak for themselves: he has supported the FDC and worked to defend families as a Board member, committee chair, and individual pro bono attorney, as well as playing a key role in growing and developing FDC’s pro bono program. Finally, we honor Goodman Theatre for promoting community awareness of the child welfare system through the production of the play Luna Gale. Goodman Theatre demonstrates the positive role that excellent theatre can play, not only educating the public but even shaping public opinion for the better. The Family Defense Center was founded in 2005. In less than a decade, the Center has become one of the most powerful protectors of children and defenders of families in Illinois. The Center has been extremely fortunate to have partners in its work, including our stellar honorees. We count each of you here today as a partner in this incredibly important work. We are honored to co-chair this year’s benefit and we hope you enjoy the evening. Thank you for your support of the Family Defense Center. Together we can advance justice in the child welfare system and achieve even greater future victories for children and families. Daniel Edelman & Fran Kravitz Tom & Mary Broderick Cocktail Reception and Award Ceremony 4:00–5:00 p.m. Reception Cocktails and hors d’oeuvres Silent auction including original pieces by painter and muralist Alejandro Romero Entertainment by pianist William Wallin 5:15–5:45 p.m. Program and Award Ceremony Community and Professional Service Award Louis Fogel Community Awareness Award Goodman Theatre Family Defense Scholar Award Professor Deborah Tuerkheimer Family Defender Award Ellen Domph 5:45–6:15 p.m. iPad Raffle, Live Auction and Fund-A-Need Policy Advocacy Fund Jim Miller, Auctioneer 6:15–6:45 p.m. Silent Auction 6:15 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. Cocktails, Dessert, Coffee 7:30 p.m. Benefit Conclusion 1 September 21, 2014 Dear Friends of the Family Defense Center, We have had a spectacular year at the Family Defense Center and we have so much to celebrate as we look back on our recent work defending innocent families. Even so, more than a few people have wondered out loud, “why are we focusing on such serious topics as wrongful convictions and wrongful separation of families accused of shaken baby syndrome at a festive annual benefit?” The reason is simple: we are proud of our work to exonerate wrongly accused family members, including work since 2013 in the very challenging area of family defense of parents accused of so-called “shaken baby syndrome." We’re also proud to have been able to bring together so many people who have dedicated themselves to the cause of justice in this area for decades. This work is both complex and important. We know of no better way to prove that point than by holding a party that recognizes the huge contributions of so many people to that work, starting with our two honorees Ellen Domph, our 2014 Family Defender, and Deborah Tuerkheimer, our 2014 Family Defense Scholar. At the same time, we want to recognize the contributions of people who have helped build a community of support for the Family Defense Center and its mission. That’s why we are celebrating the outstanding contribution of Louis Fogel as both an excellent member of our Board of Directors and stellar contributor to the success of our highly regarded Pro Bono Legal Services Program. It is also why we celebrate and congratulate the Goodman Theatre for its work this winter in giving public attention to the treatment of families in the child welfare system. We always hope that our friends and guests come away from our benefit more than just well fed and entertained. An event like our benefit is meant to be more than a party—it’s a networking opportunity for everyone who believes in our motto, “To protect children, defend families." It is also a chance, we hope, to get inspired for the work that remains ahead of us. Please join with me in the hearty congratulations we are giving to our honorees. I look forward to working with you on the mission we share: advocating justice for families in the child welfare system. Thank you and I hope you enjoy tonight’s program! Diane L. Redleaf Founder and Executive Director 2 Family Defense Center Family Innocence Benefit Program Book Table of Contents Event Co-Chairs: Daniel Edelman and Fran Kravitz; Mary and Tom Broderick................................................................................4 Honorary Co-Chairs: Dorothy Roberts, Christopher Sullivan, Carolyn Kubitschek, Karl Dennis, and Anita Weinberg..................................5 Mistress of Ceremonies: Laura Washington..........................................................8 Meet this Evening’s Artists: William Wallin, Pianist and Alejandro Romero, Painter...............................9 Community and Professional Service Recognition: Louis Fogel.........................10 Community Awareness Award: Goodman Theatre.............................................14 Meet Family Defender Ellen Domph..................................................................16 Meet Family Defense Scholar Deborah Tuerkheimer.........................................24 Flawed Convictions: Review by George Barry of Prof. Tuerkheimer's book.........30 Why Family Defenders Care About SBS Innocence...........................................35 The FDC's Recent Work Exonerating Innocent Family Members in Medically Complex Cases............................................................................................36 Wisconsin Innocence Project Leading National Efforts to Expose Flaws in the SBS/AHT Hypothesis.......................................................................38 Tributes to Our Honorees and Congratulations from our Supporters......................................................................................39 Acknowledgements: Foundations for Major Annual Support.............................52 Acknowledgements: Family Defense Center Supporters and Event Sponsors......52 Acknowledgements: Auction Donors..................................................................53 Acknowledgements: Board of Directors..............................................................54 Acknowledgements: Benefit Hosts, Planning Committee, Volunteers................55 Family Defense Center Staff...............................................................................55 3 Event Co-Chairs: Daniel Edelman and Fran Kravitz; Mary and Tom Broderick DANIEL EdELMAN ANd FRAN KRAVITZ: Daniel Edelman is a Partner at Edelman, Combs, Latturner, & Goodwin, L.L.C. He is a 1976 graduate, with Honors, from the University of Chicago Law School. He received his B.A. from the University of Illinois at Chicago, with Honors, in 1973. At Edelman, Combs, Latturner & Goodwin, he leads complex consumer litigation, with specific focus on class action lawsuits. With over twenty published works, Dan is a widely recognized scholar in his field, one who is frequently asked to testify in front of appropriate committees and organizations, including the Federal Trade Commission and the Illinois General Assembly. Dan is also very active in the legal community, including as an early and very effective supporter of the mission of the Family Defense Center. Fran Kravitz is a Career Consultant with the American Chemical Society. She received her B.S. in Biology from the Northern Illinois University in 1976, and went on