Purpose
I am a survivor! I’ve overcome the horror of severe domestic violence, of having predatory, lying, evil author Ann Rule try to destroy me through publishing falsified court findings, purposeful omission of the truth, fabrication of untrue “facts” which are refuted here with concrete, verifiable documentation you can view for youself.
I am a survivor of a corrupt and broken justice system that ignored the mandates of the federal Violence Against Women Act and finds it easier to re-victimize abuse victims and traumatized children than to buck the status quo – the understanding that women are expendable in the good ol’ boy system of Oregon politics.
I survived, despite a district attorney who destroyed and tampered with evidence, violated my due process rights, then lied about it to the press and to the governor of Oregon.
I survived an unethical attorney who was routinely drunk, misappropriated funds, failed to secure witnesses whom he knew verified that my husband had battered other women in addition to me; an attorney who took a quarter million dollars from me, then threatened to walk off my case mid-trial leaving me with no money and no lawyer unless I took the plea he’d arranged without my permission. He then lied under oath to cover up his coercion.
This website provides concrete documentation and irrefutable evidence that I was found to be a victim of domestic violence by the court and that I acted for the sole purpose of protecting my children and myself.
There are essays that help dispel the myths that “she could have just left” and that restraining orders and shelters have solved the problems victims of domestic abuse face.
Although this website is about me and my case, it is dedicated to the more than 400 women and children who have been killed by a batterer in the state of Oregon just since I’ve been locked up.
Every day I make a conscious decision to be a positive force and not succumb to the evil Ann Rule presented or the hate that she and her followers engender.
Also included on this website are links to the happy new chapter in my life, proving that true love does indeed triumph over the most difficult obstacles imaginable. You can see here how Rick Swart used his genius and media savvy to successfully place my side of this story on the front page of a major metropolitan newspaper, which independently verified voluminous facts he presented overwhelmingly discrediting Ann Rule’s book. Ann Rule has gone ballistic and has attacked him with venom and vitriol, yet has failed to refute a single thing that he wrote, which just goes to show she can dish it out but she can’t take it. We all know that is the sure sign of a bully.
I want to thank the many people who’ve courageously stood by me through this ordeal. Together I believe we can make a difference and give battered women a fighting chance.
Oregon has nation's second worst
record of violence against women
More than one quarter of Oregon women said they've been raped; only Alaska had a higher percentage.
An exhaustive government survey of rape and domestic violence released in December of 2011 affirmed that sexual violence against women remains epidemic in the United States and in some instances may be far more common than previously thought.
The federal study indicates that rape and other problems are even more prevalent in Oregon than most states.
More than 27 percent of women in Oregon said they had been raped at some point in their lives, and nearly 57 percent said they had experienced another form of sexual violence.Read more
Why I fell on my sword for Liysa Northon
By Rick Swart
There is a disturbing trend in journalism away from investigation, exposing corruption and pointing out mistreatment of the little guy, to exploitation and pandering to big dollar advertisers, sponsors or special interest groups that have control of the media.
Recently some of the more sanctimonious entertainment media have held up my decision not to volunteer in advance information that I had fallen in love with domestic violence victim and wrongfully portrayed survivor, Liysa Northon, during the course of my investigation of her case as an ethical violation. Read more
Worldwide Women's Criminal Justice Network features Liysa and her family on the home page of their website
Michael H. Fox, one of the great crusaders for an end to gender disparity in the criminal justice system has featured Liysa's case as one worthy of front page coverage on his organization's website. This is what the organization had to say:
"Lyisa Northon's release from prison has been announced! The wife of an abusive husband, and later the subject of abusive, misogynist writer Ann Rule, Lyisa will be released from prison and reunited with her loving husband Rick and her two sons in 2012."
Launched in celebration of the first Women and Innocence Conference , the Worldwide Women's Criminal Justice Network was created by Michael H. Fox, director of the Japan Innocence and Death Penalty Research Center, the first innocence project in Japan. Fox cut his teeth researching and supporting the case of Etsuko Yamada, female defendant in the Kabutoyama case which raged from 1974 to 2000. He also assists two defense teams for cases of wrongfully convicted women, Keiko Aoki of the Higashi-Sumiyoshi Case and Minako Ohkoshi of the Eniwa case.
Why an innocence network devoted to women? When he began researching Japanese criminal justice, Fox was shocked and startled at the lack of rights and predatory nature of the media toward the criminally accused. His studies lead him into the bowels of the US criminal justice system, which exceeds not only Japan but all developed countries in severity, length of sentencing, and wrongful convictions. Recent research shows that women face special prejudice--particularly the danger of guilt by association-- arrest and conviction simply by associating with criminal or undesirable men. While some societies acknowledge that men may sometimes step over the line, women are not allowed leniency, and are punished more severley for similar crimes. Mothers with children who associate with undesirable men, innocent or guilty, are punished the worst of all.
Comparative research of wrongfully charged women can lead to a trenchant understanding of prejudices against women across borders. Three particular cases , two from Japan and one from the States, demonstrate the disgust of law enforcement authorities for women who bring civil suits seeking redress for wrongful treatment. In all three cases, the women were vengefully rearrested and charged with murder. See: "Accusing the Accuser:
Fox spends much time jetting between the two countries, assisting the wrongfully convicted on both sides of the Pacific, and giving papers at academic associations, and lectures at universities. He is working on a book, "Women Doing Time for Men's Crimes." Please do send information about cases that are not already listed here. He is also interested in hearing from those who are already on the list. Write to us if we don't know you, and keep in touch if we do know you. We need to create a global network to help women who are innocent, overly charged, on death row, and doing life without parole. We need to join intellects, energies, work together, and above all else
.....Speak Truth to Power..
Did Ann Rule project her own pathology onto Liysa? Psychiatrist says yes in book review on Amazon.com
The following is a book review on Amazon.com posted by a psychiatristt from Nashville, Tennessee. In this review he suggests that Ann Rule's book about Liysa is "deeply disturbing" and he even questions the psychological well-being of the author.
Let's boycott authors who are only out to enhance themselves
Admittedly, I have never read crime novels, but last week from Goodwill, I picked up Grisham's " The Innocent Man," and Ann Rule's book on Liysa Northom, both for sixty-five cents each. Grisham's book bothered me since the "innocent man" had over six different psychiatric diagnoses, when it appeared quite obvious he was simply a severe alcoholic, nonetheless, I admired Grisham since it was obvious that the subject of the book was indeed "innocent."
Ann Rule's book was deeply disturbing. How could anyone read this book and not see the black and white, borderline presentation, with Liysa all bad, and Chris, all-good, and not question the psychological well-being of the writer? The book was bizarre in its presentation of this wonderful husband and the conniving wife.
Ann Rule refused to classify Liysa as attractive, even though in pictures she was lovely. I had never heard of Liysa or this case prior to this book, but looking at the photos included, I could not help but notice the envy and jealousy exhibited by the overweight, plain, overly made-up, Ann Rule for her subject.
"Why does a wife murder her husband?"
For Insurance? Ann Rule thinks so, but does that say more about Ann Rule than anyone else? Afterall, she had written by her own acknowledgement over twenty-three books with the great help of others in as many years. Who loves money? Projection?
This book was disturbing on so many levels. First it never made sense. It did not flow. Rule admits that Liysa was a good writer yet she only includes the barest snippets of her writing to present Rule's point of view. Why not include Liysa's writing? Let us judge.
It was poorly written, pitiful, actually. I will admit that I do not know if this is what American considers good writing since this was my first foray in crime. I had read both novels simply because I have become concerned about Psychiatry's claim to be scientific. I am a psychiatrist, and I will be the first to admit it is an art, an inexact one, to be sure. With Grisham's patient, it was laughable to consider all the diagnoses he was given. For instance he was both schizophrenic and manic-depressive, two entirely different disorders, both thought to be hereditary, yet he had no family history. It was clear that he was cursively examined and given diagnoses, that sounded good but had no basis in fact. I cried as I kept reading, how wronged this man had been treated by both the medical profession and the law. We should all be ashamed. This was the first novel I had ever read by Grisham, yet I admired him, knew I would read more, and felt chastized, like I needed to be more involved in my community. Then I read Ann Rule.
Besides the poor writing, it was so biased, and left so many unanswered quetions, that after the first few chapters I found myself insensed. This appeared to be a commercial enterprize to make Ann Rule money, otherwise it was useless. The junk science psychiatry make me laugh, at first, and then I was angry. She states that most people have more tham one personality disorder, and then goes on to claim Liysa has several. Does the public accept this? From the reviews I have read, apparently so, but then the public is as deluded as Ann Rule. Let's face it, Ann Rule wrote this book in a hurry to make money. Is it true? Of course it isn't!
I have no idea what happened. I do not know anything about the two people in the book, Chris or Liysa, but what I do know is that this book was absurdly ridiculous on so many levels. All of us who care about justice should rail against someone like Ann Rule who is simply out to enhance herself, something that she accuses Liysa of, yet projection is a powerful thing.
What would Ghandi have done in Liysa's situation?
Mahatma Ghandi, whose known as the father of non-violence, when asked if faced with a situation of protecting a loved one with violence or remaining passive he said without hesitation you must us violence to protect a loved one because cowardice and standing idly by is a far greater sin that protecting what you love.
Copyright © 2011, all rights reserved
This article may not be used in whole or part without the express written permission of Liysa Northon.
This site:
Frequently Asked Questions about Liysa and her case
Liysa's rebuttal to Ann Rule's lies:
Liysa_ source.pdf - 496K Download
Liysa's essays:
My Children's First
Free Breath
Strangulation is a Misdemeanor?
Other Resources:
Prison Reform Network
DivorceNet - What is Battered Woman's Syndrome?
Battered women who kill in non-beating situation have self-defense right
National Clearing-house for the Defense of Battered Women
Worldwide Women's Criminal Justice Network
Liysa's Photography
with Getty Images:
Media Center
SEATTLE WEEKLY ARTICLE DISCREDITING ANN RULE'S BOOK ABOUT LIYSA
THE OTHER SIDE OF THE STORY THE WALLOWA COUNTY CHIEFTAIN REFUSED TO PRINT
THE SUNDAY OREGONIAN'S FRONT PAGE FEATURE