Friends Stand Up For Nasons

Friends Stand Up For Nasons

November 27, 1993

Seattle Times

SISTERS, Ore. - A central-Oregon couple who adopted 76 children, many of them disabled, are the victims of a "witch hunt," and criminal charges against them should be dropped, a group of their supporters said yesterday.

Eleven friends and former associates of Dennis and Diane Nason held a news conference to voice their support for the couple, who were indicted a week ago on charges including manslaughter, criminal mistreatment and racketeering.

The group, which included former board members of the Nasons' school, said the couple's only crime was trying to do too much for the children they adopted.

"We believe that if Dennis and Diane Nason have committed any crimes, it is the crime of trying to love too many, taking on more high-need children than any one couple could handle, and collapsing under the stress," said William Carmichael, a former member of the Nasons' Great Expectations School Board.

The supporters included ministers and business people who helped raise $500,000 in contributions for the Nasons and their school.

They acknowledged the couple adopted more children than they could handle.