The indictment alleged that Nieves had injured the toddler, who was born prematurely with severe medical problems, by violently shaking him-an example of "abusive head trauma" (AHT), a.k.a. "shaken baby syndrome." But earlier this year, the judge presiding over Nieves' trial expressed appropriate skepticism about the very concept of AHT, which has been crucial in many dubious child abuse cases.
In a January 7 decision, New Jersey Superior Court Judge Pedro J. Jimenez Jr. barred testimony from AHT experts, saying the diagnosis is "akin to 'junk science." Jimenez is one of many critics who have questioned the reliability of shaken-baby convictions.
This story is from the August - September 2022 edition of Reason magazine.
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This story is from the August - September 2022 edition of Reason magazine.
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