How To Create A Sex Scandal

[DanaK]

Quote

The Max Original three-part docuseries HOW TO CREATE A SEX SCANDAL, directed by Julian P. Hobbs and executive produced by Elli Hakami (co-directors "House of Hammer"), debuts TUESDAY, MAY 23 on Max.

· Synopsis: In 2005, the sleepy community of Mineola, Texas, is thrown into turmoil when local children reveal shocking stories about a pedophile sex ring that took place at a local swingers club. As arrests are made, life sentences handed down, and lives ruined, it soon becomes apparent that there is a lot more to the story than meets the eye. Now, the startling long-term repercussions of the scandal are revealed. With more twists and turns than a Hollywood thriller, HOW TO CREATE A SEX SCANDAL is a startling and scarcely believable telling of a crime story that really is stranger than fiction.

Press release and trailer http://www.thefutoncritic.com/news/2023/05/12/max-original-three-part-docuseries-how-to-create-a-sex-scandal-debuts-may-23-455215/20230512wbd01/

[DanaK]

An article from 2019 about the scandal and followup https://www.texasmonthly.com/news-politics/third-accuser-mineola-child-sex-abuse-case-recants/

[EtheltoTillie]

Thanks for posting the article.  This show was too long and confusing to follow and I bagged it. 

[IntrovertRed]

After watching this, I’m not sure what the hell to believe.  I can only say with certainty that Margie Cantrell is an awful person, and I don’t doubt that she and her husband abused their fosters kids.  She is another reason why I don’t believe there should be “career fosters”. It’s only about the money for them, not about helping kids. That’s what I took from Marnie and the way she talked about Shelby, Hunter and Carly.

lt was maddening to watch Kemp interview the children with Margie in the room. How the hell was that not an issue during the trials?  Other than those videos, how could juries convict with just about zero evidence. 

I do wonder what happened with the siblings, because only two recanted. The older sister, Shelby, has not, which is curious. The cousin, Gabby, was to be a smart young kid when Kemp first started interviewing her, she didn’t seem to be intimidated at first.  

Edited May 29, 2023 by IntrovertRed

[chediavolo]

Got to be careful about believing children, part and parcel. Look up the McMartin preschool debacle. 

[DanaK]

5 hours ago, chediavolo said:

Got to be careful about believing children, part and parcel. Look up the McMartin preschool debacle. 

And leading them to what you want them to say, even if you mean well. As I understand it, you have to question children carefully and in certain ways when it comes to abuse and that didn’t happen with events like McMartin

[Rlb8031]

On 5/29/2023 at 2:05 AM, IntrovertRed said:

After watching this, I’m not sure what the hell to believe.  I can only say with certainty that Margie Cantrell is an awful person, and I don’t doubt that she and her husband abused their fosters kids.  She is another reason why I don’t believe there should be “career fosters”. It’s only about the money for them, not about helping kids. That’s what I took from Marnie and the way she talked about Shelby, Hunter and Carly.

lt was maddening to watch Kemp interview the children with Margie in the room. How the hell was that not an issue during the trials?  Other than those videos, how could juries convict with just about zero evidence. 

I do wonder what happened with the siblings, because only two recanted. The older sister, Shelby, has not, which is curious. The cousin, Gabby, was to be a smart young kid when Kemp first started interviewing her, she didn’t seem to be intimidated at first.  

According to the article posted above, all three have now recanted their stories.