RETRIAL IN ABUSE CASE

A 53 year old Syosset mother accused of sexually abusing her children will get a new trial, after a state appeals court ruled that her lawyer made significant mistakes in defending her.  The woman was convicted in March 2006 of molesting two of her children for about six years, from 1994 to 2000.  During that time, prosecutors say she forced her son to have sex with her, and used her daughter's Barbie dolls to molest her.  The woman's son and daughter were 18 and 15 at the time of the trial, respectively.  The woman was sentenced to 21 years in prison before the conviction was overturned last week.  She is now free on bail.

(New York)