Justina Pelletier Part 2 with Beau Berman

2024/10/24

Nobody Should Believe Me

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Andrea Dunlop

一名专注于真实犯罪和社会问题的媒体人物和作者。

Beau Berman

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Andrea Dunlop：本集将继续讨论Justina Pelletier案，并采访了报道此案的记者Beau Berman，探讨媒体在报道此类案件时面临的挑战和困境。 Beau Berman：作为一名资深调查记者，我在2013年率先报道了Justina Pelletier案。此案涉及一名患有长期健康问题的少女，在波士顿儿童医院接受治疗后，被诊断为躯体形式障碍，并存在代理型蒙恰森综合征的可能性，最终被儿童和家庭部门带走。此案的复杂性在于，它涉及到父母的权利、政府的干预以及医院的医疗行为，这些都引发了公众的强烈关注和争议。在报道过程中，我面临着来自医院和上司的阻力，因为HIPAA的限制使得获取医院方面的信息非常困难，这使得报道容易出现不平衡。尽管如此，我仍然坚持报道，因为我相信无论父母是否说谎，这都是一个值得报道的重要新闻故事。在报道过程中，我对案件的理解不断演变，我的观点也几经转变。起初，我更倾向于同情孩子，并关注她的健康和安全。随着时间的推移，我接触到越来越多的信息，包括来自父母、医院以及其他相关人士的证词，这让我对案件的真相更加困惑。我无法简单地判断谁对谁错，因为双方都有各自的论据和证据。在法庭证词中，医院方面的专家证词对父母不利，但这些证词并没有让我完全相信父母有罪。线粒体疾病在蒙恰森综合征案件中经常出现，但其表现形式并不总是符合已知信息。Justina Pelletier的健康状况变化剧烈，这与线粒体疾病的典型特征不符。我对Pelletier一家的印象是：他们行为古怪，缺乏界限感，但同时也很友善。他们与我的沟通方式有时缺乏界限，但我的职业操守让我不会利用这些信息来影响我的报道。我采访了一些在法院外抗议的家长，他们声称自己的孩子也经历了类似的遭遇。这让我意识到，此类案件可能并非个例，也可能存在一些系统性的问题。 Beau Berman: 我在报道Justina Pelletier案的过程中，面临着巨大的挑战。首先，由于HIPAA的限制，医院方面的信息有限，这使得报道容易出现不平衡。其次，案件本身极其复杂，涉及到医疗诊断、家庭纠纷、政府干预等多个方面，需要进行大量的调查和取证。在报道过程中，我的观点也几经转变，从最初的同情孩子到后来的困惑和谨慎。我始终坚持客观公正的原则，力求呈现事实真相，而不是简单地站在任何一方。尽管我收集了大量证据，但我仍然无法对案件做出最终的判断，因为双方都有各自的论据和证据。

Deep Dive

Key Insights

Why did Beau Berman decide to cover the Justina Pelletier case?

Berman saw potential for a captivating story with life-and-death consequences, parental rights, government involvement, and possible overreach.

How did Beau Berman first learn about the Justina Pelletier case?

A meteorologist friend at the station mentioned it to him, suggesting it might be a good story.

What challenges did Beau Berman face in covering the Justina Pelletier case?

Legal concerns, pushback from his TV station, and the complexity of the case requiring frequent trips to Boston.

How did Beau Berman handle the imbalance in information between the Pelletier family and the hospital?

He sought third-party comments and reached out to the hospital multiple times, giving them ample opportunity to respond.

What was Beau Berman's impression of the Pelletier family?

They were intense, disorganized, and sometimes unethical in their communications, but also kind and trusting.

How did Beau Berman's understanding of the case evolve over time?

His opinion fluctuated daily, and he remained uncertain about who was right or wrong, even after the trial.

What did Beau Berman find most compelling during the trial?

The testimony of an expert witness who detailed Justina's negative test results for mitochondrial disorder.

How did Beau Berman address the presentation of Justina's health variability in his reporting?

He acknowledged the limitations of TV news and the need to balance visual storytelling with nuanced information.

Chapters

Beau Berman recounts how he first learned about the Justina Pelletier case and his initial reaction to the story.

Beau Berman was tipped off by a friend about the case.
He scheduled an interview with the Pelletier family and was shocked by the details.
He recognized the potential for the story to captivate the public due to its complexity and emotional weight.

Shownotes Transcript

On this show we talk a lot about how Munchausen by Proxy cases are covered in the media, and today we’re getting the inside scoop from the reporter who broke one of the most high profile MBP stories. Beau Berman began covering the Justina Pelletier case back in 2013 as a young reporter and watched over the years as the case evolved and got stranger and stranger. He tells Andrea about how the story came across his desk and the complexities of trying to keep the balance on both sides while dealing with HIPAA. He reflects on his time with the Pelletiers and his thoughts on the case more than a decade after covering it.

Links/Resources:

The Battle for Justina Pelletier: https://www.peacocktv.com/watch-online/tv/the-battle-for-justina-pelletier/5657866397468499112)

Read about Justina Pelleiter in The Boston Globe: https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2020/01/12/pelletier/0I2dQrYlZFJ9tNzscaXdAO/story.html)

Join Patreon for a look at Andrea and Dr. Bex’s previous coverage of the Justina Pelletier case: https://www.patreon.com/collection/507935)

Preorder Andrea's new book The Mother Next Door: Medicine, Deception, and Munchausen by Proxy)

Click here) to view our sponsors. Remember that using our codes helps advertisers know you’re listening and helps us keep making the show!

Subscribe on YouTube) where we have full episodes and lots of bonus content.

Follow Andrea on Instagram for behind-the-scenes photos: @andreadunlop)

Buy Andrea's books here).

To support the show, go to Patreon.com/NobodyShouldBelieveMe) or subscribe on Apple Podcasts) where you can get all episodes early and ad-free and access exclusive ethical true crime bonus content.

For more information and resources on Munchausen by Proxy, please visit MunchausenSupport.com)

The American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children’s MBP Practice Guidelines can be downloaded here).

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