The Stanley children were taken from their home over false allegations. Now, their parents are suing in federal court. Photo source: Bringthestanleykidshome Facebook page [1].
by Health Impact News/MedicalKidnap.com Staff
This isn’t just about their family, Hal Stanley told Health Impact News in a recent interview. Since his children were unjustly taken from his home two years ago on a cold January night, the homeschool father of 10 has learned that what happened to his family happens all across his state of Arkansas and, indeed, all across the United States and beyond.
Although his children have been returned home, they are not the same as they were before more than 30 different government officials invaded their home and took them away from their family. They have been traumatized. Hal and his wife Michelle Stanley hope that their lawsuit will help to bring accountability and help to keep other families from going through the nightmare they have experienced.
See our original coverage of their story here:
Arkansas Takes Away 7 Homeschool Children because Father had Unapproved Mineral Supplement [2]
Together with attorney Joe Churchwell, the couple filed a 65 page complaint in federal court on January 13, 2017 – 2 years and a day after DHS and armed law enforcement swooped into their home based on false allegations surrounding the use of a mineral supplement product, MMS (Miracle Mineral Supplement). (See complaint here [3].)
Hal Stanley with attorney Joe Churchwell outside the courthouse just before filing the federal lawsuit. Source: BringtheStanleykidshome Facebook page [1].
At issue are allegations that the government agents violated several Constitutional rights, such as due process, familial association, and unlawful seizure, based on the First, Fourth, and Fourteenth Amendments, and that those involved with taking the children lied to the court, fabricated evidence, and suppressed exculpatory evidence.
The complaint also alleges that the state has adopted policies and practices that are in violation of citizens’ Constitutional rights, and that they have failed to train their employees to refrain from unlawful acts in doing their jobs.
Additionally, law enforcement participated in, and failed to stop, the unlawful seizure of the Stanley children.
Virtually every family who has ever contacted Health Impact News for help has had these same issues with Child Protective Services, no matter what state they are in.
All charges have been dropped, and it is clear that the state of Arkansas knew from the very beginning that they were acting illegally in seizing the Stanley children.
See:
Arkansas Senator Writes to DHS “The Gloves are About to Come Off” as Cover-up in Stanley Case is Discovered [4]
Attorney Fights for Stanley Family
Attorney Joe Churchwell [5] recently wrote about the lawsuit and what they are trying to accomplish:
A Federal Suit was filed yesterday for the violation of the Stanley family’s civil rights. This was not an isolated incident nor is it uncommon. The Stanleys have been active in encouraging legislative change and speaking out against the tyranny, but we have learned in the process that the voice of the people is not enough to motivate all those that must be motivated to effectuate real and meaningful change. This lawsuit is a necessary component. History in other Federal Circuits (9th for example) has shown that the government will fight for years and spend millions to defend illegal and immoral actions of these agencies. They have spent $10Million to fight a case that could have been settled for $500k. Governments don’t care because they don’t have to earn the $$. They take yours.
We have a very strong case, but we do not have the funds to stay in this fight without help. I’ve never been good at asking for help. This is one of the most painful messages, personally, that I’ve ever posted for that reason.
The Stanleys and I are up against all of the lawyers at the AG’s office, the lawyers in the Office of Chief Counsel for DHS , and Garland County, plus any lawyers that those sued individually will hire.
I’ve been unsuccessfully seeking help for a year from lawyers or firms with experience in federal civil rights cases and the manpower and means to fight effectively for the duration of this phase.
It hasn’t happened, so it must not be God’s plan. The Orange County case dragged out for years before the Plaintiff saw a penny. The children are now adults over a decade later and Orange County is still resisting. A few months ago they argued before the 9th Circuit that the government agents should be immune from liability even when they lie in court and fabricate evidence to take people’s children.
From what we have experienced here in Arkansas we expect the same or worse. An apology and removing Hal and Michelle from the maltreatment registry for educational neglect would have settled this case. Even though their 17-year-old son had easily passed the GED and their 16-year-old daughter was enrolled in college they were adamant that they remain on this list.
So enough is enough. We are seeking redress because we are entitled under the law. We will be seeking injunctive relief to force the government to recognize the Bill of Rights. Read the complaint. There is an email attached as an exhibit from the Deputy Director of DHS clearly stating that the right of Arkansas’s families to be free from unreasonable searches and seizures does not apply to them.
We’re going to show them that it does. But we need your help. We’re not doing this because we want to or because we think we’re going to get rich, in fact this is the last thing we wanted to do, and if, and I do mean if we see a penny return even on what we’ve invested so far it will likely be a decade.
If you are inclined and you can afford to help you can click on this link and go to our site that was created to demand accountability from this government. This isn’t simply a lawsuit, this is one part of the campaign for accountability and one step in the journey to take back our families right to be families.We have an elephant to eat, and this is the first bite.
God bless.
Go Here to Donate:
BUTWESEEJESUS.COM [6]
Head of DCS Doesn’t Think Constitution Applies to Them
Keesa Smith. Image source [7].
As Joe Churchwell stated, the Deputy Director of the Arkansas Department of Human Services, Keesa Smith, believes that the Founding Fathers did not intend for the Bill of Rights to extend to families dealing with family court. Somehow, she believes that basic Constitutional rights don’t apply when the most valuable thing in a citizen’s life is at stake – our children.
[8]From email sent to Joe Churchwell by the Deputy Director of Arkansas Department of Human Services. Source [3].
Parents Determined to Fight on Behalf of All Families
Hal Stanley recognizes that the battle of fighting a federal lawsuit will be long and costly, but he also recognizes that there are literally thousands of innocent parents across the land who are facing the same violation of their family and their Constitutional rights that his family has experienced. His hope is that his team can win this battle for the countless other families who, for some reason or another, are unable to file such a suit.
While the general public is quick to say, “I’d file a lawsuit,” the Stanleys have learned that it is much easier to say those words than it is to actually do. Even those who defend Child Protective Services tend to assume that families who should not have had their children taken can just file a lawsuit to make everything OK.
However, the reality is that a lawsuit can take many years and many thousands of dollars to fight. Joe Churchwell says that simply taking the depositions could cost upwards of $15,000. That is just the depositions, not counting costs for expert witnesses, filing fees, and all the other fees that the suit can entail.
This is not something that the Stanleys can do alone. They are a simple family, growing their own vegetables and living by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. They have raised their family without any debt and without any need for government assistance. Now, they need help in order to stay in the battle, but they believe that they must stay in the battle. Hal Stanley says:
It’s the biggest battle of my life.
Michelle and Hal Stanley look over the complaint as they prepare to file in federal court. Source: BringtheStanleykidshome Facebook page [1].
Michelle Stanley recently wrote regarding the lawsuit that the system is “unfairly rigged.”
It is our duty and responsibility to hold our government in check by the means described in the last part of the 1st amendment. As citizens who have been egregiously and grievously wronged by our government we should be allowed to file a petition for redress. But the system is set up that unless you are very wealthy you can’t stand a chance against their billions of dollars and huge team of lawyers. That is if you can get past their “immunities.”
We don’t have the financial means it takes to launch a law suit. We have a great lawyer but no matter how fantastic he is, he is just one person against their 50 or so lawyers. We will appeal to our supporters for help but we know our supporters are mostly made up of other struggling families who have been in some way negatively touched by the corrupted side of the child welfare system. Even if everyone who supported us gave even just a little it would never come close to cover the outrageous cost for filing and all the fees involved in the process of a lawsuit that will drag out over several years. But never the less we feel if God leads he will provide.
We do feel that God wants to use our case to help bring about change. It is the only reason we will make the sacrifice it will cost our family emotionally and physically to put ourselves through several years of stress over a suit. No amount of redress will be worth the toll it will put on our already broken family. But if our case wins, it will be a win for the people of Arkansas. And if it brings about change and prevents other families from continuing to go through the hell we were put through, then all the pain will be worth it. If we don’t try at all then we go on to remain another statistic as another family that got run over by our government where no one is held accountable. They will have no reason to change and they will be further emboldened to keep on with their oppression and violation of civil rights. Our children deserve better.
The Stanleys with their 5 youngest children in front of the law office of Joe Churchwell. Photo source: Bringthestanleykidshome Facebook page [1].
Stanley Accountability Campaign: Help Support Their Legal Battle
The Stanleys have set up a webpage called the “Stanley Accountability Campaign” on their website, But We See Jesus [6]. Donations may be made there for the legal battle that has the potential to change things for families everywhere. Hal Stanley states his position:
We spent several days debating what we would call what we are doing. This is the title we kept coming back to until we were sure that it accurately says what we seek to accomplish. What happened to us, the Stanleys, should never happen in a free society. Be sure though, that what we are doing is not just for, or about the Stanleys. If if happened to us, it could happen to any family. It is happening to many in Arkansas and across the nation. If you are not familiar with what has happened to us, please update yourself by: Googling Arkansas Stanleys, seven home school children taken, or just Stanleys. Visit medicalkidnap.com [9] and search “Stanley,” and “Alan Clark” or “Arkansas Attorney.” Check our Facebook accounts: Hal Stanley [10]; bringthestanleykidshome [1] and Joe Churchwell [11].
Although it is the Stanley Accountability Campaign, it is not just about the Stanleys. We desire a movement which would touch every family, home school, and church in Arkansas. Our families are worth fighting for!
Social Workers Do NOT Have a Right to Lie Against Parents
The recent victory in California’s 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in the “Right to Lie” case took 20 years and thousands of dollars to win. The children involved are adults now. It was a hard-fought battle simply to get to the place where a panel of judges ruled that no, social workers do not have the right to lie on court documents and in court about a family, and they can lose their qualified immunity if they do so. Securing the most basic of rights can be expensive and elusive in today’s political climate.
See:
Judges Reject Claim That Social Workers Didn’t Know Lying In Court to Remove Children Was Wrong [12]
The Stanleys also plan to enlist an army of advocates and parents to work through social media to bring awareness of what is happening to many families through legal and medical kidnapping, as well as to educate the public about our rights and responsibilities as “We, the People.”