Joel Skolnick, who counseled Cheryl, believed that both women were innocent. Joel Skolnick, a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW), interviewed Cheryl Amirault while she was incarcerated in MCI Framingham as well as reviewed transcripts of interviews administered by the Department of Social Services. Skolnick determined that the interviews were not administered properly and biased the children's responses, making them unreliable. Furthermore, he noted that the vast majority of sex offenders will readily confess to their crimes if offered freedom in exchange for doing so, and that because of this the steadfast refusal of the Amiraults to do the same was further indication of their innocence. A study by a McGill University psychologist of hundreds of children aged 4 to 6 found that the kind of prolonged, repeated questioning used on the children in the Amirault case frequently results in false reports. Other studies had shown that the method of interrogation via anatomically correct dolls also had an incredibly great margin of error. Appeals In August 1995, after serving eight years in state prison, Violet and Cheryl were freed on a successful appeal. A Superior Court judge, Robert Barton, ruled that their convictions were wrongful because they were not able to directly confront their accusers. A similar appeal on behalf of Gerald Amirault was denied in November 1995, and the SJC reinstated the women's convictions in March 1997, citing the need for "finality". In May 1997, another Superior Court judge, Isaac Borenstein, granted the women separate motions for new trials. Borenstein ruled that the children's interrogations were so tainted by "grave errors" in the investigation process that they could not be used in any new trial. He explained that: These grave errors led to the testimony of the children being forever tainted. The only allegations made by the child witnesses occurred after they were subjected to the admittedly suggestive interviews, and investigative techniques, as well as inappropriate - even if understandable - influence by their families. Moreover, neither behavioral symptoms nor physical evidence which may be consistent with child sexual abuse were revealed until after the children and their families were subjected to these improper interviewing and investigative techniques. These alleged symptoms were only discussed after the families were overwhelmed by the panic, hysteria and media attention that snowballed this case into national headlines and widespread concern about ritualistic sexual abuse of children. While awaiting resolution, Violet Amirault died, in