Documentary Filmmaker Sought for THE INNOCENT MOLESTER: The Vindication of Myra Richardson
Myra Kathryn Richardson is seeking to collaborate with a documentary filmmaker in order to tell her story. In the winter of 2002, Myra Richardson, an African-American educator, was falsely accused of committing a heinous sexual act against a 16 year old minor child by the name of Tiffany Smiley. Myra taught English Literature within an alternative high school called Sullivan House, located on the far south side of Chicago. After Myra’s termination she proceeded to file a defamation lawsuit against the institution, and fought to clear her name for nearly 5 years. Then, 4 days before her trial which was scheduled for August 18th, 2006, Myra was left alone in the chambers of Cook County Judge William Taylor, whom threatened her and attempted forcing a settlement of $17,000…an offer which she refused. Legal documents were signed by Myra’s attorneys against her will, pursuant to court order. In addition, her signature was forged onto settlement checks…also pursuant to court order. This story is unique in that The Department of Children and Family Services was never notified as mandated in cases involving even the suspicion of sexual abuse, nor was Myra ever arrested. Instead, the school’s administrators claimed that she was emotionally disturbed and invented the story for attention. She was also provided a Letter of Recommendation from the school’s director. Was Myra Richardson unstable, or was this a cover-up to prevent guilty parties from taking responsibility for destroying a woman and her livelihood?
This circumstance lends itself to a documentary format because it chronicles a teacher’s struggle to regain her dignity, at a time when children are stripped of their innocence at alarming rates by the very individuals chosen to nurture them socially, emotionally, and academically. The infamous Richard J. Daley Center located in downtown Chicago, plays a role in this story which is more egregious than the accusation itself. Myra Richardson is also author of the nonfiction book titled, THE INNOCENT MOLESTER, www.theinnocentmolesterbook.com, which contains deposition testimony, trial exhibits, and other pertinent legal documentation, all of which support the fact that this teacher was innocent and stripped of her right to a trial by jury. This documentary would serve as the trial that Myra was entitled to, and never received. Please watch the book trailer below:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h3peooJNHkA
If interested, please contact Myra at mkrlaw3@hotmail.com.