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1
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We're trying to
hypnotize her.
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00:00:03,504 --> 00:00:06,406
You should just lay there calm
after that.
3
00:00:06,507 --> 00:00:08,375
Are you going to be calm now?
4
00:00:10,043 --> 00:00:11,545
You can't be hypnotized.
5
00:00:14,448 --> 00:00:16,183
Everybody loved
Principal Kenney.
6
00:00:17,351 --> 00:00:20,787
He was very highly spoken about
and very popular.
7
00:00:22,322 --> 00:00:23,423
There's a rumor that
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00:00:23,524 --> 00:00:25,692
the school principal
hypnotizes kids.
9
00:00:25,792 --> 00:00:27,594
This isn't like the movies
where it's,
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00:00:27,694 --> 00:00:30,898
"Ooh, you're now hypnotized,
and you're gonna go do this."
11
00:00:30,998 --> 00:00:33,033
This is something that can
really help you.
12
00:00:35,669 --> 00:00:38,305
But it just never seemed
harmful at first.
13
00:00:39,339 --> 00:00:41,742
Marcus was, like, not himself.
14
00:00:42,910 --> 00:00:45,012
Like, he looked like he was,
like, demonic.
15
00:00:46,613 --> 00:00:49,650
You're altering their mind,
and that's OK with you?
16
00:00:49,750 --> 00:00:51,251
La-di-da?
I mean, seriously?
17
00:00:52,252 --> 00:00:53,754
And then the kids fall
into his lap?
18
00:00:56,356 --> 00:00:57,691
It's like Marcus passed away,
19
00:00:57,791 --> 00:01:00,360
Wesley passes away,
Brittany passes away.
20
00:01:01,595 --> 00:01:03,130
Dr. Kenney's tied in
the middle of all of this.
21
00:01:04,298 --> 00:01:06,633
I mean, yeah, there's sinister
people in this world.
22
00:01:06,733 --> 00:01:08,335
Well that's Satan knocking
at your doors.
23
00:01:43,637 --> 00:01:45,505
I haven't been in this
yearbook in so long.
24
00:01:47,341 --> 00:01:48,742
Here's the seniors.
25
00:01:48,842 --> 00:01:51,678
So there's Markeisha, there's
Shanice, and there's Nikki.
26
00:01:53,113 --> 00:01:55,182
There's Zach,
and there's Cody.
27
00:01:55,282 --> 00:01:58,285
So apparently enough people
thought of me as a gossiper.
28
00:01:58,385 --> 00:02:00,721
Here's where
I'm the biggest gossiper.
29
00:02:03,890 --> 00:02:05,692
It's not my fault everyone
talks to me, tells me things.
30
00:02:06,693 --> 00:02:08,395
So I-- I refuse to take blame.
31
00:02:10,364 --> 00:02:11,331
It fits, though.
32
00:02:12,599 --> 00:02:13,967
My name is Paul Balcomb.
33
00:02:15,068 --> 00:02:17,237
I'm 32 years old,
live in Punta Gorda.
34
00:02:21,942 --> 00:02:23,410
Uh, varsity letters...
35
00:02:24,911 --> 00:02:26,847
weightlifting, and football.
36
00:02:29,816 --> 00:02:32,452
I transferred to North Port
end of my sophomore year
37
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to go ahead and play football.
38
00:02:35,288 --> 00:02:38,125
North Port was a place I was
looking for a quarterback,
39
00:02:39,092 --> 00:02:40,293
so I transferred in.
40
00:02:49,536 --> 00:02:52,339
It was kind of like sort of
small-town vibes,
41
00:02:52,439 --> 00:02:54,875
a lot-- almost everybody
knew each other.
42
00:02:57,077 --> 00:03:00,013
In most high schools,
right, you have these groups.
43
00:03:01,048 --> 00:03:04,117
And they would hang out with
each other and not anyone else.
44
00:03:05,085 --> 00:03:07,387
At North Port, it just kind of
felt like more people were
45
00:03:07,487 --> 00:03:09,056
friends with, really, everybody.
46
00:03:13,293 --> 00:03:16,029
Going into the junior year,
I was starting quarterback.
47
00:03:16,129 --> 00:03:17,898
Marcus Freeman was on the team.
48
00:03:19,866 --> 00:03:20,934
He was one of my best friends.
49
00:03:21,034 --> 00:03:22,369
He was a couple of grades
behind me.
50
00:03:23,937 --> 00:03:25,105
I'd call him my little protege.
51
00:03:27,274 --> 00:03:30,010
I remember sitting down with
the school principal and a few
52
00:03:30,110 --> 00:03:32,179
of the other administrators
and stuff like that.
53
00:03:32,279 --> 00:03:35,749
When you met Dr. Kenney,
like, you had a principal that
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00:03:35,849 --> 00:03:37,417
you felt cared.
55
00:03:37,517 --> 00:03:39,920
I've been principal of
North Port High School since
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00:03:40,020 --> 00:03:41,388
a year before
the school opened,
57
00:03:41,488 --> 00:03:43,323
and this is our 10th
year in operation.
58
00:03:45,692 --> 00:03:49,696
Of all the principals,
George Kenney, he very quickly
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00:03:49,796 --> 00:03:51,598
became a part of our community.
60
00:03:53,166 --> 00:03:56,937
He was heavily, heavily, heavily
involved in all of the students.
61
00:03:57,037 --> 00:03:58,805
He was always
present for anything
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00:03:58,905 --> 00:04:00,907
that happened
in the school.
63
00:04:01,007 --> 00:04:03,910
During the football games,
he's in the stands playing
64
00:04:04,010 --> 00:04:06,480
his flugelhorn with the band
the whole game.
65
00:04:07,481 --> 00:04:09,015
He was a fun guy.
The kids liked him.
66
00:04:10,851 --> 00:04:14,221
He developed
an almost cult-like following.
67
00:04:14,321 --> 00:04:16,590
George Kenney was
a respected role model
68
00:04:16,690 --> 00:04:18,792
and father-figure for so many.
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00:04:20,694 --> 00:04:23,997
A lot of parents felt like
George Kenney had their back,
70
00:04:24,097 --> 00:04:25,732
that their kids were in
good hands.
71
00:04:27,434 --> 00:04:30,337
There's a rumor that Dr. Kenney
hypnotizes kids.
72
00:04:31,571 --> 00:04:34,241
I had psychology class
around 2009.
73
00:04:35,742 --> 00:04:38,912
So when we went into section
where you go into hypnotism,
74
00:04:39,946 --> 00:04:41,214
Dr. Kenney would come into
75
00:04:41,314 --> 00:04:44,451
the class for a presentation
on hypnosis.
76
00:04:46,019 --> 00:04:49,456
He showed us that this isn't
like the movies where it's,
77
00:04:49,556 --> 00:04:52,292
"Ooh, you're now hypnotized
and you're gonna go do this."
78
00:04:53,326 --> 00:04:56,396
It is just your subconscious
mind at work.
79
00:04:56,496 --> 00:04:58,899
And it's like, OK, so there's
nothing that can, like, not--
80
00:04:58,999 --> 00:05:00,500
real harm that's going to come
from this.
81
00:05:00,600 --> 00:05:03,470
Because I was immediately like,
"Dr. Kenney, yeah,
82
00:05:03,570 --> 00:05:04,771
I'm your guy.
Let's go ahead and do this."
83
00:05:06,673 --> 00:05:09,576
I went to the office for
a private session.
84
00:05:09,676 --> 00:05:12,779
There's a lot that goes into
being a high school athlete.
85
00:05:12,879 --> 00:05:15,148
And for me, there was
a lot of anxiety.
86
00:05:15,248 --> 00:05:16,750
That's what we were really
working on.
87
00:05:16,850 --> 00:05:17,951
And once you're under,
88
00:05:18,051 --> 00:05:19,719
he's tapping
the back of your head,
89
00:05:20,754 --> 00:05:22,155
talking to you about whatever
90
00:05:22,255 --> 00:05:23,523
it is that you're working
on, right?
91
00:05:23,623 --> 00:05:26,960
So, with me, just,
"You're good enough.
92
00:05:27,060 --> 00:05:29,763
Don't have to be so worried
about football."
93
00:05:32,966 --> 00:05:34,734
I would say
that I was hypnotized
94
00:05:34,835 --> 00:05:37,037
at least 50 times,
give or take.
95
00:05:38,238 --> 00:05:39,973
You just feel much better
about yourself.
96
00:05:40,073 --> 00:05:42,242
It's kind of like this,
like the cloud that you feel
97
00:05:42,342 --> 00:05:43,510
like was over you is gone.
98
00:05:49,916 --> 00:05:51,751
That's where, like, I started
realizing, like, man, this is
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00:05:51,852 --> 00:05:53,153
something that can really
help you.
100
00:05:55,989 --> 00:05:57,657
I think majority of
people thought it was
101
00:05:57,757 --> 00:05:59,192
helpful, beneficial.
102
00:05:59,292 --> 00:06:01,528
But one of the administrators
had a problem with it.
103
00:06:03,230 --> 00:06:06,433
Hey, buddy. Hi, Georgie.
Can you give me a kiss?
104
00:06:08,068 --> 00:06:09,736
You a good bird?
Are you a good bird?
105
00:06:09,836 --> 00:06:11,905
Can you be an eagle?
Be an eagle.
106
00:06:12,005 --> 00:06:12,906
Be an eagle.
Ow.
107
00:06:13,006 --> 00:06:15,775
What are you biting me for?
You a good bird?
108
00:06:18,645 --> 00:06:19,613
I'm Mark Gilliland.
109
00:06:20,847 --> 00:06:22,849
I've been an administrator
in Sarasota County
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00:06:22,949 --> 00:06:25,518
for 29 years.
Retired.
111
00:06:27,487 --> 00:06:30,023
Found him behind
my school at Booker High.
112
00:06:30,123 --> 00:06:32,959
23 years, 22 years ago.
Right, George?
113
00:06:33,059 --> 00:06:34,794
Nobody loved you because
you pluck yourself.
114
00:06:35,795 --> 00:06:36,796
You're a mother plucker.
115
00:06:38,698 --> 00:06:40,800
I was an assistant principal at
North Port High
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00:06:40,901 --> 00:06:42,669
from 2006 to 2009.
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00:06:44,004 --> 00:06:46,172
George got to hire the whole
staff for the school
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00:06:46,273 --> 00:06:47,207
when it opened.
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00:06:47,307 --> 00:06:49,542
And so the staff who he hired
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00:06:49,643 --> 00:06:51,678
and brought on board, loved him.
121
00:06:51,778 --> 00:06:55,215
So when I got to North Port,
I was the new kid on the block.
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00:06:56,216 --> 00:06:58,818
You know, going back to that
first year I was there,
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00:06:58,919 --> 00:07:00,820
at the end of the school year,
they had a lock-in
124
00:07:00,921 --> 00:07:01,922
for the seniors.
125
00:07:03,456 --> 00:07:07,861
Project Graduation is an
all-night lock-in for seniors.
126
00:07:09,229 --> 00:07:13,066
So after they've graduated,
you provide them with a very
127
00:07:13,166 --> 00:07:18,571
safe place to be at for,
you know, six to ten hours.
128
00:07:18,672 --> 00:07:20,106
So that they're not
out partying.
129
00:07:21,107 --> 00:07:23,276
You had various staff members
there helping out,
130
00:07:23,376 --> 00:07:25,145
you know, chaperoning.
131
00:07:25,245 --> 00:07:26,780
You had parents there,
too, chaperoning.
132
00:07:26,880 --> 00:07:28,949
And I'll never forget, it was
around 2 or 3 in the morning,
133
00:07:29,049 --> 00:07:31,451
they told the kids,
"Hey, we're all gonna go
in the gym now."
134
00:07:33,486 --> 00:07:36,623
And there was about 15 or 20
students on the stage,
135
00:07:36,723 --> 00:07:38,591
and then Dr. Kenney came out
136
00:07:38,692 --> 00:07:40,860
and started to hypnotize them
on stage.
137
00:07:42,796 --> 00:07:44,864
I was there
throughout the night,
138
00:07:44,965 --> 00:07:48,168
and the students thought it
was hilarious.
139
00:07:48,268 --> 00:07:51,037
He would count
them down and say,
140
00:07:51,137 --> 00:07:54,975
"You're going in this pageant
and you have to look your best."
141
00:07:55,075 --> 00:07:58,712
And 17-year-old football players
142
00:07:58,812 --> 00:08:02,816
would put on lipstick and wigs
and they would march around
143
00:08:02,916 --> 00:08:06,086
like they were in
a beauty pageant.
144
00:08:06,186 --> 00:08:09,055
I would take
close-up pictures of these kids
145
00:08:09,155 --> 00:08:11,391
and walk up to them
afterwards and I'm like,
146
00:08:11,491 --> 00:08:13,526
"Hey, did you know
you were doing this?"
147
00:08:13,626 --> 00:08:15,261
"Absolutely not."
148
00:08:15,362 --> 00:08:17,497
Had I not had the photographs,
149
00:08:17,597 --> 00:08:19,065
they would have never
believed it.
150
00:08:21,034 --> 00:08:23,770
George Kenney was clearly
putting people under
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00:08:23,870 --> 00:08:26,239
some sort of spell.
152
00:08:26,339 --> 00:08:29,909
This is not hypnotherapy.
It's parlor tricks.
153
00:08:30,010 --> 00:08:32,912
There's a big difference
between therapy
154
00:08:33,013 --> 00:08:35,749
versus entertainment purposes.
155
00:08:35,849 --> 00:08:38,218
If it's done for entertainment,
well, it can be done by
156
00:08:38,318 --> 00:08:39,719
a certified hypnotist.
157
00:08:40,754 --> 00:08:46,159
But in order to do therapeutic
hypnosis, you have to have
158
00:08:46,259 --> 00:08:48,228
a license in a medical field.
159
00:08:49,462 --> 00:08:52,365
He was certified, not licensed.
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00:08:52,465 --> 00:08:56,603
This is a guy who got into
the therapeutic purposes area
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00:08:56,703 --> 00:08:58,438
once he starts hypnotizing
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00:08:58,538 --> 00:09:00,440
students in his office
for anxiety.
163
00:09:02,175 --> 00:09:03,943
I immediately felt
this is not right.
164
00:09:04,044 --> 00:09:07,013
Hypnotizing kids in the middle
of the night, having them doing
165
00:09:07,113 --> 00:09:09,215
silly stuff on stage.
166
00:09:09,315 --> 00:09:12,318
You know, this isn't something
an educator does.
167
00:09:14,888 --> 00:09:17,223
I reported him the summer
of 2007.
168
00:09:17,323 --> 00:09:20,126
I called the director of
high schools and told him,
169
00:09:20,226 --> 00:09:23,263
"Did you know George was
hypnotizing kids on the stage
170
00:09:23,363 --> 00:09:24,831
during their lock-in?"
171
00:09:24,931 --> 00:09:28,735
And he kind of was
flabbergasted and said, "What?"
172
00:09:29,869 --> 00:09:31,704
After I turned it over to him,
I expected, well,
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00:09:31,805 --> 00:09:35,375
I did my due diligence,
so it's up to the powers-that-be
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00:09:35,475 --> 00:09:36,443
to deal with it now.
175
00:09:38,078 --> 00:09:39,813
Years later, when questioned,
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00:09:39,913 --> 00:09:42,982
the director of secondary
schools says he spoke
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00:09:43,083 --> 00:09:46,086
to Kenney after Gilliland
reported him,
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00:09:46,186 --> 00:09:48,721
and told Kenney he could
only do hypnosis
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00:09:48,822 --> 00:09:52,025
in a classroom setting
with parental permission.
180
00:09:53,460 --> 00:09:56,229
Apparently, he kept doing it
in his office in private
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00:09:56,329 --> 00:09:58,198
for three or four years
after I reported it.
182
00:10:00,700 --> 00:10:02,969
Now, years later,
the director of high schools
183
00:10:03,069 --> 00:10:05,572
calls me and says,
"Hey, Mark, remember, I think
184
00:10:05,672 --> 00:10:08,241
you reported it the second
or third year you were there."
185
00:10:08,341 --> 00:10:11,511
I said, "No, I'm pretty sure it
was the first year because it
186
00:10:11,611 --> 00:10:13,413
was the lock-in in 2007."
187
00:10:13,513 --> 00:10:16,015
He goes, "No, I'm pretty sure
it was third year."
188
00:10:16,116 --> 00:10:17,917
I said, "Well, yeah,
that's in my memory,
189
00:10:18,017 --> 00:10:20,019
I just wanted to try to confirm
with you on the timeline."
190
00:10:20,120 --> 00:10:21,488
So the light bulb
went on in my head.
191
00:10:22,455 --> 00:10:24,924
Did they ever deal with this
guy after I reported it?
192
00:10:25,024 --> 00:10:26,826
I definitely believe that
the school board
193
00:10:26,926 --> 00:10:27,894
tried to cover their ass.
194
00:10:37,971 --> 00:10:39,739
All right, catch me a big bass.
195
00:10:39,839 --> 00:10:42,208
Honestly, though, if I catch a
fish, I'm probably gonna scream.
196
00:10:42,308 --> 00:10:47,113
My name is Carley, formerly
known as Carly O'Boyle.
197
00:10:48,848 --> 00:10:52,819
I am a mother now
to a four-year-old.
198
00:10:54,254 --> 00:10:55,788
I am married as well.
199
00:10:57,557 --> 00:10:59,659
- Ready to fish, hun?
- Let's go.
200
00:10:59,759 --> 00:11:00,727
Just don't hook me, all right?
201
00:11:01,928 --> 00:11:03,329
- I already hooked you, baby.
- Oh, dear.
202
00:11:06,266 --> 00:11:10,770
We are here
in Port Charlotte, Florida,
203
00:11:12,605 --> 00:11:14,007
right next to North Port.
204
00:11:16,576 --> 00:11:18,378
I walked into Spanish class,
205
00:11:19,512 --> 00:11:21,948
and like, here comes
Marcus Freeman, like,
206
00:11:22,048 --> 00:11:23,016
walking through the door.
207
00:11:24,517 --> 00:11:26,219
He was a popular kid.
208
00:11:26,319 --> 00:11:27,554
Like, he was friends
with everybody.
209
00:11:30,089 --> 00:11:34,194
And one day, I just had
a really rough day at school.
210
00:11:35,195 --> 00:11:37,363
I got home that day,
and the first thing I do
211
00:11:37,463 --> 00:11:38,932
every day
when I get home is like,
212
00:11:39,032 --> 00:11:41,601
"Oh, I gotta go check
my MySpace," like...
213
00:11:43,169 --> 00:11:45,004
And I had a message from him.
214
00:11:45,104 --> 00:11:48,274
And it was, "Hey, cutie"
with a smiley face.
215
00:11:48,374 --> 00:11:50,810
And I was like, "What?"
216
00:11:50,910 --> 00:11:53,546
I remember he was like,
"I hope you're OK.
217
00:11:53,646 --> 00:11:55,181
"I could tell, like,
something was wrong
218
00:11:55,281 --> 00:11:56,282
"with you today in class.
219
00:11:56,382 --> 00:11:59,085
Like, I like you.
Like, I think you're cute."
220
00:11:59,185 --> 00:12:00,787
You know, and I was like,
"All right."
221
00:12:02,288 --> 00:12:05,024
And I remember him being like,
"Will you be my girlfriend?"
222
00:12:05,124 --> 00:12:06,759
And I was like, "Yeah."
223
00:12:06,859 --> 00:12:08,127
You know, it's like that--
.
224
00:12:09,495 --> 00:12:11,731
He was so just, like,
caring, passionate,
225
00:12:11,831 --> 00:12:13,833
lovable, like-- mm!
226
00:12:15,435 --> 00:12:16,869
But I was the cheerleader,
and he was still,
227
00:12:16,970 --> 00:12:18,171
like, quarterback.
228
00:12:18,271 --> 00:12:20,273
You know, it's like,
cheerleader, quarterback.
229
00:12:21,708 --> 00:12:24,544
I just remember him telling me,
"Dr. Kenney, I think, is gonna,
230
00:12:24,644 --> 00:12:26,045
like, start hypnotizing me."
231
00:12:27,513 --> 00:12:29,949
That was just, like,
what the athletes did.
232
00:12:30,049 --> 00:12:32,252
They all got hypnotized by
Dr. Kenney
233
00:12:32,352 --> 00:12:33,753
to do better on the field.
234
00:12:36,155 --> 00:12:39,025
But he really did not speak
about the hypnosis.
235
00:12:40,026 --> 00:12:43,196
I don't think anybody actually
knew exactly what was going on.
236
00:12:44,197 --> 00:12:46,032
But he was with
Dr. Kenney a lot.
237
00:12:46,132 --> 00:12:47,667
He used to have to go before
every single game
238
00:12:47,767 --> 00:12:49,102
to get hypnotized.
239
00:12:49,202 --> 00:12:50,703
So I'm like,
"Dr. Kenney's taking you
240
00:12:50,803 --> 00:12:51,804
away from me."
241
00:12:54,607 --> 00:12:57,076
Woke up, regular day.
242
00:12:57,176 --> 00:12:59,512
Marcus, he had
a dentist appointment.
243
00:12:59,612 --> 00:13:03,683
And then we went back to my
house for, like, a little bit.
244
00:13:04,951 --> 00:13:08,921
We normally take back roads,
but he took 75 that day.
245
00:13:10,823 --> 00:13:12,992
We were driving down the road,
246
00:13:14,327 --> 00:13:16,062
and then...
247
00:13:16,162 --> 00:13:18,264
I just literally remember him,
248
00:13:18,364 --> 00:13:20,233
his arms were like this--
249
00:13:21,534 --> 00:13:22,535
and his head was like--
250
00:13:25,238 --> 00:13:26,306
I, like, see it in my head.
251
00:13:26,406 --> 00:13:27,907
Like, his head was just,
like, to the back.
252
00:13:31,277 --> 00:13:32,478
I think I was, like...
253
00:13:34,080 --> 00:13:35,081
screaming his name.
254
00:13:38,318 --> 00:13:42,422
We just kept going 100 on
the interstate, like,
255
00:13:42,522 --> 00:13:44,424
no braking, no moving.
256
00:13:45,692 --> 00:13:48,394
And everything just...
257
00:13:50,096 --> 00:13:51,230
like, went to the right.
258
00:13:52,665 --> 00:13:57,570
There's nothing in my mind that
I remember more than him being
259
00:13:57,670 --> 00:13:58,771
stiff the way he was.
260
00:13:58,871 --> 00:14:01,641
Like, that image is in my head,
like, all the time.
261
00:14:01,741 --> 00:14:05,345
Like, OK, explain
the stiff arms, like...
262
00:14:07,413 --> 00:14:10,116
explain, like, the head,
like, tilting back.
263
00:14:10,216 --> 00:14:13,453
Like, why-- why--
why did that happen?
264
00:14:13,553 --> 00:14:16,889
There's something weird,
like, going on.
265
00:14:16,989 --> 00:14:19,425
Like, so bizarre.
266
00:14:21,894 --> 00:14:25,131
Like, he was kind of,
like, not himself.
267
00:14:28,401 --> 00:14:30,236
He looked like he was,
like, demonic.
268
00:14:34,006 --> 00:14:35,708
And that's the last thing
I remember.
269
00:14:42,682 --> 00:14:46,252
After that,
I remember waking up...
270
00:14:48,654 --> 00:14:49,822
in the hospital bed.
271
00:14:51,924 --> 00:14:52,992
Like...
272
00:14:55,661 --> 00:14:58,431
"Where am I?"
Like, "What the heck?"
273
00:14:59,665 --> 00:15:00,666
Ugh, I'm shaking.
274
00:15:03,669 --> 00:15:04,670
And they told me...
275
00:15:05,938 --> 00:15:07,407
Marcus passed away.
276
00:15:11,411 --> 00:15:12,879
I don't have him here anymore.
277
00:15:16,849 --> 00:15:19,952
Like, that light in my life at
the time that I needed so bad,
278
00:15:21,754 --> 00:15:22,755
like, was gone.
279
00:15:26,092 --> 00:15:29,262
I was waiting for Marcus
Freeman in the locker room.
280
00:15:29,362 --> 00:15:31,397
Every day we were working out,
and we were going to
281
00:15:31,497 --> 00:15:32,498
the field and throwing.
282
00:15:35,334 --> 00:15:37,370
I texted him.
Not hearing back from him.
283
00:15:37,470 --> 00:15:40,440
And I remember I went home with
my girlfriend at the time,
284
00:15:40,540 --> 00:15:42,141
and we hear the phone ring.
285
00:15:42,241 --> 00:15:44,911
And you hear the-- the--
286
00:15:45,011 --> 00:15:47,747
the message
come across as Dr. Kenney.
287
00:15:47,847 --> 00:15:49,882
And he's saying like how
288
00:15:49,982 --> 00:15:52,618
he regrets to inform us that
a student has passed.
289
00:15:55,021 --> 00:15:57,523
And then when he said
Marcus Freeman,
290
00:15:57,623 --> 00:16:00,526
it-- it-- it kind of just,
you just hit.
291
00:16:02,161 --> 00:16:03,362
I've known Marcus very well.
292
00:16:03,463 --> 00:16:06,699
He's a great student,
a great athlete, um...
293
00:16:09,368 --> 00:16:10,369
An outstand--
.
294
00:16:13,005 --> 00:16:14,240
He was a great student,
295
00:16:14,340 --> 00:16:16,476
a great athlete,
and an outstanding person.
296
00:16:19,612 --> 00:16:21,614
My initial thought was,
jeez, this kid was at
297
00:16:21,714 --> 00:16:23,082
the dentist, and he goes into
298
00:16:23,182 --> 00:16:25,284
a trance-like effect
behind the wheel.
299
00:16:25,384 --> 00:16:28,421
That anesthesia that they give
you has some side effects.
300
00:16:29,555 --> 00:16:30,556
And then that's when,
like, more of,
301
00:16:30,656 --> 00:16:33,259
like, the dentist stuff started
coming about.
302
00:16:33,359 --> 00:16:36,629
But this autopsy was obviously
done on Marcus,
303
00:16:36,729 --> 00:16:39,031
and he was not overly medicated.
304
00:16:40,266 --> 00:16:44,904
No-- no sign
of brain aneurysm, nothing.
305
00:16:46,105 --> 00:16:49,041
It's like, OK, well,
what else happened then?
306
00:16:50,109 --> 00:16:52,945
I do believe that
the hypnotizing
307
00:16:53,045 --> 00:16:54,280
had a huge factor...
308
00:16:55,748 --> 00:16:56,749
in Marcus's death.
309
00:16:58,217 --> 00:17:01,687
I was the last person to see
him, and I know that he looked
310
00:17:01,787 --> 00:17:03,456
like he was in
a self-hypnotic state.
311
00:17:04,891 --> 00:17:08,094
So one of the reasons that
Marcus Freeman's death was so
312
00:17:08,194 --> 00:17:11,464
suspicious, and some were tying
it to George Kenney,
313
00:17:11,564 --> 00:17:13,633
is because at autopsy,
314
00:17:13,733 --> 00:17:16,869
there was no obvious reason
for him to go into the state
315
00:17:16,969 --> 00:17:18,804
that his girlfriend described.
316
00:17:18,905 --> 00:17:22,408
Marcus died from a broken neck
in the accident.
317
00:17:22,508 --> 00:17:25,177
He was not having a seizure
or a stroke or anything
318
00:17:25,278 --> 00:17:27,947
like that.
But here's something else.
319
00:17:28,047 --> 00:17:29,348
That was troubling to me.
320
00:17:29,448 --> 00:17:33,152
There was a teacher who was
supposedly hypnotized by him
321
00:17:33,252 --> 00:17:34,720
who died in a car accident.
322
00:17:36,856 --> 00:17:39,926
Ms. Thornton, she was
a teacher at North Port.
323
00:17:40,026 --> 00:17:42,595
She was the first one.
She died in November of 2010.
324
00:17:43,930 --> 00:17:47,800
Then Marcus, same exact kind of
accident on 75,
325
00:17:47,900 --> 00:17:50,803
hit a tree, no weather,
in the daytime.
326
00:17:51,804 --> 00:17:55,408
We were told that George Kenney
had paid for her funeral.
327
00:17:55,508 --> 00:17:58,010
And we had heard that
Ms. Thornton may have been
328
00:17:58,110 --> 00:18:00,646
hypnotized, just like Marcus.
329
00:18:00,746 --> 00:18:02,281
There's a correlation there
330
00:18:02,381 --> 00:18:05,618
that is just too bizarre.
I'm sorry.
331
00:18:06,752 --> 00:18:08,454
What happened to Marcus?
332
00:18:08,554 --> 00:18:10,957
It was just such
a horrific thing.
333
00:18:11,057 --> 00:18:15,161
But then I another student
who was being hypnotized by
334
00:18:15,261 --> 00:18:19,532
Dr. Kenney passes away
right after Marcus,
335
00:18:19,632 --> 00:18:20,700
like a month later.
336
00:18:26,939 --> 00:18:28,274
I think that George Kenney
337
00:18:28,374 --> 00:18:31,677
is a sociopathic,
narcissistic type of person,
338
00:18:31,777 --> 00:18:34,647
and he is the reason why
my brother is gone.
339
00:18:36,482 --> 00:18:39,318
So this is my project.
This is my Viking.
340
00:18:39,418 --> 00:18:44,457
I bought it as a restoration
and a fun project for myself.
341
00:18:46,525 --> 00:18:47,493
My name's Blake.
342
00:18:47,593 --> 00:18:49,161
I live here in
Fort Pierce, Florida.
343
00:18:49,261 --> 00:18:51,430
I own and operate a marine
restoration company.
344
00:18:56,435 --> 00:18:59,005
Growing up, my family was
really close.
345
00:18:59,105 --> 00:19:00,272
Wesley was my younger brother.
346
00:19:00,373 --> 00:19:04,443
He was a 16-year-old
at North Port High School,
347
00:19:04,543 --> 00:19:06,379
and then there was
my mom and dad.
348
00:19:13,886 --> 00:19:16,022
Look at this smiling child.
Look at this.
349
00:19:16,122 --> 00:19:18,758
Look at that happy face helping
his mommy cook.
350
00:19:20,793 --> 00:19:23,462
My name is
Peggy Jacobson McKinley,
351
00:19:23,562 --> 00:19:28,868
and I am very proudly
Wesley's mother.
352
00:19:30,503 --> 00:19:32,705
These are all his guitars.
353
00:19:32,805 --> 00:19:34,707
So when we went
and moved to North Port,
354
00:19:34,807 --> 00:19:38,310
there was music class
that he could play his guitar
355
00:19:38,411 --> 00:19:39,745
in-- in the class.
356
00:19:41,480 --> 00:19:44,417
He loved music, he loved all
aspects of it.
357
00:19:45,451 --> 00:19:49,155
The music teacher
had suggested to Wesley,
358
00:19:49,255 --> 00:19:52,425
"They're coming
for an audition for Juilliard,
359
00:19:52,525 --> 00:19:54,026
"and you should audition.
360
00:19:54,126 --> 00:19:56,429
I think that you're--
you're a candidate."
361
00:19:56,529 --> 00:19:59,765
And, you know,
he was all excited.
362
00:20:03,402 --> 00:20:05,871
Wesley loved
my chocolate chip cookies.
363
00:20:05,971 --> 00:20:07,907
Couldn't get him to stop
eating the batter.
364
00:20:08,007 --> 00:20:10,409
He would just eat spoonfuls
365
00:20:10,509 --> 00:20:12,778
out of the bowl before
I could get them baked.
366
00:20:17,016 --> 00:20:19,585
That morning, I said,
"I'll make some cookies."
367
00:20:19,685 --> 00:20:21,220
And he said, "Perfect."
368
00:20:22,321 --> 00:20:23,289
He got on the bus.
369
00:20:24,623 --> 00:20:25,624
Everything was fine.
370
00:20:27,259 --> 00:20:30,930
When he came home from school,
he walked in the door
371
00:20:31,030 --> 00:20:33,065
and walked past me.
372
00:20:33,165 --> 00:20:35,267
No, "Hi mom,"
nothing like that.
373
00:20:36,569 --> 00:20:38,404
I said, "Wes, I made cookies."
374
00:20:39,805 --> 00:20:41,273
Nothing.
And he walked out back.
375
00:20:42,708 --> 00:20:45,911
And I was banging on the window
and he just ignored it.
376
00:20:48,147 --> 00:20:51,884
And about an hour and a half
later, I heard the sirens.
377
00:20:54,887 --> 00:20:57,456
After that, um...
378
00:20:57,556 --> 00:21:00,326
three detectives came to
the door and asked...
379
00:21:01,794 --> 00:21:03,095
if Wesley McKinley lived there.
380
00:21:05,931 --> 00:21:08,400
I was in Fort Lauderdale
for spring break.
381
00:21:10,870 --> 00:21:12,872
And we were walking
down the beach.
382
00:21:12,972 --> 00:21:16,542
And... I remember my mom calling.
383
00:21:18,811 --> 00:21:21,547
As soon as I answered,
then I knew something is wrong.
384
00:21:23,449 --> 00:21:25,451
I called him and said,
385
00:21:26,485 --> 00:21:29,421
"I'm sorry to do this to you,
but you need to come home."
386
00:21:29,522 --> 00:21:32,124
And he was like, "Why?"
You know, real--
387
00:21:33,259 --> 00:21:34,994
"For why? What reason?"
388
00:21:36,862 --> 00:21:37,830
I said, "Because...
389
00:21:40,666 --> 00:21:42,902
because Wesley
killed himself"-- .
390
00:21:46,272 --> 00:21:48,841
And I didn't know
how to even comprehend it.
391
00:21:50,142 --> 00:21:51,877
What do you mean he's gone?
He's gone.
392
00:21:51,977 --> 00:21:57,483
And I just... I dropped to
my knees and cried and screamed.
393
00:22:01,053 --> 00:22:03,289
We couldn't believe that
he would do that to us,
394
00:22:03,389 --> 00:22:05,391
because he knew how much
he loved us.
395
00:22:05,491 --> 00:22:06,859
Really was out of character.
396
00:22:14,900 --> 00:22:18,137
After all the deaths,
a student left a comment
397
00:22:18,237 --> 00:22:22,074
on Facebook saying that all
the kids that have died
398
00:22:22,174 --> 00:22:23,642
have been hypnotized
by Dr. Kenney.
399
00:22:27,379 --> 00:22:28,914
Someone had said,
400
00:22:29,014 --> 00:22:32,017
"Is anyone asking anything
about the hypnosis?"
401
00:22:32,117 --> 00:22:33,319
I was like, "What?"
402
00:22:35,020 --> 00:22:36,021
We didn't know anything.
403
00:22:37,022 --> 00:22:41,260
So we made arrangements to go
the next day to his office.
404
00:22:44,196 --> 00:22:46,465
George Kenney said to me,
405
00:22:47,766 --> 00:22:49,368
"I'm so sorry for your loss.
406
00:22:51,003 --> 00:22:54,974
"I didn't know Wesley.
He was one of 1,200 students.
407
00:22:56,242 --> 00:22:58,110
But I heard he was
a really good kid."
408
00:22:58,210 --> 00:22:59,278
That was a lie.
409
00:23:00,713 --> 00:23:01,714
Total lie.
410
00:23:03,782 --> 00:23:05,017
He knew who Wesley was.
411
00:23:07,519 --> 00:23:10,623
He was videotaping the kids
during their-- their sessions.
412
00:23:11,957 --> 00:23:14,126
I mean, that's a big red flag.
413
00:23:14,226 --> 00:23:15,628
And then the kids fall
into his lap.
414
00:23:19,064 --> 00:23:22,468
The videos have their own
optics to it.
415
00:23:22,568 --> 00:23:25,371
And yes, the optics are bad.
So I get it.
416
00:23:25,471 --> 00:23:26,906
Your initial thought is, "Ew!"
417
00:23:28,874 --> 00:23:30,676
There should be
maybe another...
418
00:23:32,945 --> 00:23:33,946
a pillow.
419
00:23:34,980 --> 00:23:37,082
Unless the student's a threat
to themselves or others,
420
00:23:37,182 --> 00:23:38,450
you don't put your hands
on a student.
421
00:23:45,324 --> 00:23:48,894
I remember a time
where I got pulled under,
422
00:23:48,994 --> 00:23:50,629
and I fell into his knee,
423
00:23:52,064 --> 00:23:54,733
and he supported my head there.
424
00:23:54,833 --> 00:23:57,069
You can remember
the entire thing.
425
00:23:57,169 --> 00:24:00,572
As a, what, 17-year-old,
426
00:24:00,673 --> 00:24:04,176
highly sexual, heterosexual boy,
427
00:24:04,276 --> 00:24:08,080
if I felt weird, that would have
been the moment where I'm like,
428
00:24:08,180 --> 00:24:10,182
"Yo, what the [bleep]?"
Right?
429
00:24:10,282 --> 00:24:13,452
I felt confident in the person
that was doing it.
430
00:24:14,820 --> 00:24:17,056
I'm not sure why Kenney is
431
00:24:17,156 --> 00:24:19,491
videotaping his sessions
with the students.
432
00:24:20,492 --> 00:24:23,162
The students' heads are right
there on his legs.
433
00:24:23,262 --> 00:24:25,531
Sometimes he's leaning over,
touching something
434
00:24:25,631 --> 00:24:27,099
you can't really see.
435
00:24:27,199 --> 00:24:29,234
It's weird, it's creepy,
in my opinion.
436
00:24:30,202 --> 00:24:33,839
It doesn't take much to make
that final leap to, "Uh-oh,
437
00:24:33,939 --> 00:24:35,908
"was he doing something
with these children
438
00:24:36,008 --> 00:24:38,110
"that was more than hypnosis?
439
00:24:38,210 --> 00:24:42,815
Was he doing something to them
while they were under hypnosis?"
440
00:24:42,915 --> 00:24:46,485
Something he recorded so
he could have the pleasure
441
00:24:46,585 --> 00:24:47,820
of watching it again?
442
00:24:50,823 --> 00:24:52,691
You can't do this to
these kids.
443
00:24:52,791 --> 00:24:53,959
You can't do this.
444
00:24:54,059 --> 00:24:56,795
The parents got to be there,
and the parents would stop it.
445
00:24:58,630 --> 00:25:00,399
It just made me sick to
my stomach.
446
00:25:00,499 --> 00:25:01,667
I'll be honest with you.
447
00:25:01,767 --> 00:25:04,436
I just don't know how
he thinks this was appropriate
448
00:25:04,536 --> 00:25:07,339
in any way.
You can say what you want.
449
00:25:07,439 --> 00:25:09,942
"Oh, I was trying to help."
No, I'm sorry.
450
00:25:10,042 --> 00:25:11,110
It's not tracking.
451
00:25:12,511 --> 00:25:14,446
It's just a lot of--
452
00:25:14,546 --> 00:25:16,482
a lot of weird stuff that
went on.
453
00:25:18,417 --> 00:25:19,685
And that's when it clicked.
454
00:25:21,186 --> 00:25:23,255
That's why he doesn't want
a window on his door.
455
00:25:23,355 --> 00:25:25,124
You know, if the window's
there, people can look in
456
00:25:25,224 --> 00:25:26,859
and see what's going on.
457
00:25:26,959 --> 00:25:29,495
Door's shut, I don't know
what's going on behind there.
458
00:25:34,333 --> 00:25:36,668
When we met
with him the next time,
459
00:25:36,769 --> 00:25:39,271
he was pretty rude, actually,
460
00:25:39,371 --> 00:25:42,941
and would not claim any
responsibility whatsoever.
461
00:25:44,743 --> 00:25:48,947
He said that Wesley came to him
and told him that he felt
462
00:25:49,048 --> 00:25:52,551
kind of anxious about this
Juilliard audition.
463
00:25:53,986 --> 00:25:57,756
And so he started hypnotizing
him for anxiety.
464
00:25:59,725 --> 00:26:02,194
I didn't agree to that.
He said I did.
465
00:26:02,294 --> 00:26:05,431
He showed me a paper and said,
"See, you signed this paper."
466
00:26:05,531 --> 00:26:08,300
And I looked at the form and
I said, "I never signed that."
467
00:26:08,400 --> 00:26:10,702
And my signature was on
the bottom of the paper.
468
00:26:10,803 --> 00:26:14,373
And the only thing I could
bring back to memory was Wesley
469
00:26:14,473 --> 00:26:17,876
one morning, at six o'clock in
the morning, shoved a paper
470
00:26:17,976 --> 00:26:21,547
and said, "It's a field trip
for track and field,"
471
00:26:21,647 --> 00:26:22,648
and I signed it.
472
00:26:23,982 --> 00:26:27,252
And it wasn't.
Apparently it was this waiver.
473
00:26:28,420 --> 00:26:30,322
Here's the permission slip.
474
00:26:30,422 --> 00:26:34,326
"I am the parent of blank,
and I give permission for
475
00:26:34,426 --> 00:26:37,296
"Dr. Kenney to work
with my child using hypnosis
476
00:26:37,396 --> 00:26:41,033
"and hypnotherapy to improve
his/her athletic performance,
477
00:26:41,133 --> 00:26:43,602
standardized testing skills,
and academic performance."
478
00:26:44,870 --> 00:26:49,174
So George Kenney was called
Dr. Kenney by most people,
479
00:26:49,274 --> 00:26:51,376
but he was not a doctor
of psychology
480
00:26:51,477 --> 00:26:53,545
or a medical doctor, right?
481
00:26:53,645 --> 00:26:55,948
He's a doctor
of educational training,
482
00:26:56,048 --> 00:26:59,952
but the title, "doctor" may have
thrown off some people,
483
00:27:00,052 --> 00:27:04,256
maybe some parents who didn't
dig a little further, right?
484
00:27:04,356 --> 00:27:06,291
And it says he's a certified
hypnotherapist,
485
00:27:06,391 --> 00:27:07,426
which is really troubling.
486
00:27:08,961 --> 00:27:10,796
I don't know.
Is he a hypnotherapist?
487
00:27:10,896 --> 00:27:13,465
I don't think that's right.
And I'm going to tell you why.
488
00:27:13,565 --> 00:27:14,800
I don't give a [bleep].
489
00:27:15,934 --> 00:27:17,803
So in the state of Florida,
490
00:27:17,903 --> 00:27:21,773
you can be a certified
hypnotist by just taking
491
00:27:21,874 --> 00:27:24,109
a course from
a private company.
492
00:27:24,209 --> 00:27:26,278
And that's what
George Kenney did.
493
00:27:26,378 --> 00:27:29,114
But he's not licensed
to do hypnosis
494
00:27:29,214 --> 00:27:30,849
for therapeutic purposes.
495
00:27:39,525 --> 00:27:41,827
You're not gonna portray me as
an alcoholic on this, are you?
496
00:27:43,061 --> 00:27:44,429
When you talk as much as I do,
497
00:27:45,864 --> 00:27:47,966
something's got to
lubricate the throat.
498
00:27:49,835 --> 00:27:52,070
My name is Richard Barker,
The Incredible Hypnotist.
499
00:27:53,472 --> 00:27:56,375
I work on major cruise lines,
major festivals,
500
00:27:56,475 --> 00:27:59,645
fairgrounds, corporate events
all across the country.
501
00:28:04,483 --> 00:28:06,919
I remember, I saw a story
502
00:28:07,019 --> 00:28:09,254
of a principal who was
hypnotizing students.
503
00:28:10,422 --> 00:28:13,659
My understanding is Mr. Kenney
was trained through
504
00:28:13,759 --> 00:28:17,095
the Omni Hypnosis Center,
which is in Deland, Florida,
505
00:28:17,196 --> 00:28:21,333
which is where my training came
from under Dr. Gerald Kine.
506
00:28:21,433 --> 00:28:24,503
The course was a week,
something like that.
507
00:28:24,603 --> 00:28:27,339
You had a week training to
become a hypnotist,
508
00:28:27,439 --> 00:28:29,608
and now you're gonna go out
in the world and change lives
509
00:28:29,708 --> 00:28:31,643
after a week,
and you're an expert now?
510
00:28:33,412 --> 00:28:36,949
Can I tell you that he's very
lucky to be standing right now?
511
00:28:37,049 --> 00:28:40,319
Because I--
my knee-jerk reaction
512
00:28:40,419 --> 00:28:42,588
was to leap across the table
and take him out.
513
00:28:44,790 --> 00:28:48,093
You're-- you're altering their
mind, and that's OK with you?
514
00:28:48,193 --> 00:28:50,162
La-di-da?
I mean, seriously?
515
00:28:52,631 --> 00:28:54,900
I was seeing red.
I really was.
516
00:28:55,000 --> 00:28:56,935
I mean, he was a principal
of the school.
517
00:28:57,936 --> 00:29:00,105
He had no business
doing this at all.
518
00:29:04,343 --> 00:29:09,848
We found out that he had had
a hypnosis session with Wesley
519
00:29:09,948 --> 00:29:14,052
the day he died.
Maybe he felt still hypnotized,
520
00:29:15,120 --> 00:29:17,256
and was trying to get himself
out of it.
521
00:29:18,390 --> 00:29:20,792
Let's look at the things that
are problematic
522
00:29:20,892 --> 00:29:23,996
with these scenarios here, OK?
523
00:29:24,096 --> 00:29:27,466
He didn't want windows on
his door, so he's able to have
524
00:29:27,566 --> 00:29:29,234
privacy in his office.
525
00:29:29,334 --> 00:29:32,204
He's got a student in there,
a minor, that he's putting
526
00:29:32,304 --> 00:29:35,941
under hypnosis, many times with
no parent present.
527
00:29:36,908 --> 00:29:39,711
He's recording them without
parental permission,
528
00:29:39,811 --> 00:29:41,413
because that's not in
the permission slip,
529
00:29:41,513 --> 00:29:43,615
and Florida is
a two-party consent state,
530
00:29:43,715 --> 00:29:45,484
so that is unlawful.
531
00:29:45,584 --> 00:29:47,753
And he's got their heads
in his lap.
532
00:29:48,920 --> 00:29:51,156
He was asked what happened
to the tapes,
533
00:29:51,256 --> 00:29:52,557
and he said he erased them.
534
00:29:52,658 --> 00:29:55,193
Did you videotape some of
your sessions?
535
00:29:55,294 --> 00:29:56,295
Yes.
536
00:29:56,395 --> 00:29:58,096
What happened to all
those videotapes?
537
00:29:58,196 --> 00:29:59,564
I erased those.
538
00:29:59,665 --> 00:30:04,403
Yet, years later,
tapes emerge.
539
00:30:04,503 --> 00:30:07,673
Maybe he erased some.
What is he deleting?
540
00:30:07,773 --> 00:30:11,443
Who is he deleting?
What was on those videotapes?
541
00:30:11,543 --> 00:30:17,249
He had such a cavalier attitude,
and was so disrespectful.
542
00:30:17,349 --> 00:30:19,217
Ask your last question.
543
00:30:19,318 --> 00:30:22,154
I mean, there's sinister
people in this world.
544
00:30:22,254 --> 00:30:23,255
There's people that have...
545
00:30:24,256 --> 00:30:26,258
capabilities that
are very, very, very
546
00:30:26,358 --> 00:30:27,492
disturbed individuals.
547
00:30:37,669 --> 00:30:39,838
You like my ringtone?
548
00:30:43,775 --> 00:30:44,843
What's up?
549
00:30:44,943 --> 00:30:46,578
Not much,
what are you doing?
550
00:30:46,678 --> 00:30:49,815
I'm interviewing for
a George Kenney story, so.
551
00:30:49,915 --> 00:30:51,049
Remember that nut job?
552
00:30:52,884 --> 00:30:55,387
At that point, towards the end
of that school year,
553
00:30:55,487 --> 00:30:57,422
the rumor mills were going
about George,
554
00:30:58,457 --> 00:31:00,492
and that's when
you-know-what hit the fan.
555
00:31:13,739 --> 00:31:16,074
Come on.
556
00:31:16,174 --> 00:31:18,043
Hi, Egg Nog.
Come here.
557
00:31:19,478 --> 00:31:20,679
Wait.
Nope.
558
00:31:22,714 --> 00:31:27,119
I'm Elaine Allen-Emrich,
and I am a newspaper reporter
559
00:31:27,219 --> 00:31:30,222
for the Daily Sun and a parent.
560
00:31:30,322 --> 00:31:33,492
Both of my children went to
North Port High School.
561
00:31:33,592 --> 00:31:36,995
Both of them had Dr. Kenney
as their principal.
562
00:31:38,296 --> 00:31:39,831
We're trying to hypnotize her.
563
00:31:39,931 --> 00:31:42,000
So what are you supposed
to do, just--
564
00:31:42,100 --> 00:31:45,404
I think you're supposed to
just tuck them and sway them,
565
00:31:45,504 --> 00:31:47,572
and it's supposed to relax them.
566
00:31:47,672 --> 00:31:50,041
They should just lay there,
calm after that.
567
00:31:50,142 --> 00:31:52,811
- Really?
- Are you gonna
be calm now?
568
00:31:54,646 --> 00:31:57,649
You can't be hypnotized.
That's not how that works.
569
00:31:57,749 --> 00:31:58,817
We gotta train.
570
00:32:03,221 --> 00:32:04,389
After the deaths,
571
00:32:05,490 --> 00:32:08,660
I received an anonymous letter
one day at work.
572
00:32:10,362 --> 00:32:14,132
As a newspaper reporter,
we always receive information.
573
00:32:15,200 --> 00:32:17,636
But this time,
it was different.
574
00:32:18,937 --> 00:32:20,338
It hit too close to home.
575
00:32:21,706 --> 00:32:24,743
Because it was about
George Kenney, the principal,
576
00:32:24,843 --> 00:32:30,148
where both of my children went
to school, and so it was really
577
00:32:30,248 --> 00:32:33,952
important to me to investigate
all of this.
578
00:32:39,724 --> 00:32:42,360
I'm Jenna.
I'm 32 years old.
579
00:32:42,461 --> 00:32:46,665
My family just moved back
from Ramstein Air Force Base
580
00:32:46,765 --> 00:32:50,268
in Germany.
I have five children.
581
00:32:54,639 --> 00:32:57,676
So I met Brittany Palumbo
probably around kindergarten.
582
00:32:57,776 --> 00:32:59,511
We kind of grew up together,
583
00:32:59,611 --> 00:33:02,147
and we both went
to North Port High School.
584
00:33:03,482 --> 00:33:06,451
Brittany kind of seemed like
she was shy or timid,
585
00:33:06,551 --> 00:33:10,722
but once you got to know her,
she was really, really funny.
586
00:33:10,822 --> 00:33:12,090
She could make anybody laugh.
587
00:33:14,526 --> 00:33:19,097
We honestly didn't really go
out too much, but we liked to
588
00:33:19,197 --> 00:33:21,500
go get some crunchwraps at
Taco Bell after school,
589
00:33:21,600 --> 00:33:24,970
and then we'd go home and watch,
like, "CSI" on TV.
590
00:33:27,239 --> 00:33:30,442
Senior year, Brittany was
focusing on her test-taking
591
00:33:30,542 --> 00:33:31,776
to get into college.
592
00:33:32,878 --> 00:33:35,814
She wanted to go see Dr. Kenney
for her anxiety.
593
00:33:37,182 --> 00:33:38,917
Her mom did not want
her to do it,
594
00:33:39,951 --> 00:33:41,553
but then she was
very insistent.
595
00:33:41,653 --> 00:33:43,822
So she said,
"OK, if you're gonna go,
596
00:33:43,922 --> 00:33:45,423
Brittany, then I will go
with you."
597
00:33:47,359 --> 00:33:50,662
When he had put
Brittany into a hypnotic state,
598
00:33:50,762 --> 00:33:53,565
she was completely,
like, leaned over, like,
599
00:33:53,665 --> 00:33:56,067
head on her legs with her arms
dangling down.
600
00:33:58,203 --> 00:34:00,639
And after that, her mom told
her that she didn't want her to
601
00:34:00,739 --> 00:34:02,307
do it anymore,
that it freaked her out.
602
00:34:06,845 --> 00:34:09,447
A few months after she was
hypnotized by Dr. Kenney,
603
00:34:10,482 --> 00:34:12,484
Brittany's mom found her.
604
00:34:12,584 --> 00:34:13,652
She had hung herself.
605
00:34:15,587 --> 00:34:19,057
I was... shocked.
I had no idea.
606
00:34:19,157 --> 00:34:20,592
I didn't see it coming.
It...
607
00:34:21,960 --> 00:34:22,961
it killed me.
608
00:34:25,430 --> 00:34:28,133
After Brittany died,
Brittany's mom found out that
609
00:34:28,233 --> 00:34:31,236
she was hypnotized again
without her knowledge.
610
00:34:33,572 --> 00:34:34,906
It's like, Marcus passed away,
611
00:34:35,006 --> 00:34:37,542
Wesley passes away,
Brittany passes away.
612
00:34:39,544 --> 00:34:41,379
Dr. Kenney's tied in the middle
of all of this.
613
00:34:43,315 --> 00:34:44,950
So I published my story
614
00:34:45,050 --> 00:34:48,587
exposing Principal Kenney's
hypnosis practices
615
00:34:48,687 --> 00:34:51,022
in May 2011.
616
00:34:52,657 --> 00:34:56,294
It was a bombshell.
It-- it rocked North Port.
617
00:34:56,394 --> 00:34:59,731
There weren't any sectors of
our community
618
00:34:59,831 --> 00:35:01,266
that weren't talking about it.
619
00:35:06,004 --> 00:35:09,341
The laws in Florida is you can
practice hypnosis
620
00:35:09,441 --> 00:35:12,143
non-therapeutically
or therapeutically.
621
00:35:14,145 --> 00:35:17,949
So everything he did in
his office with those students,
622
00:35:18,049 --> 00:35:21,653
anxiety about Juilliard,
test-taking,
623
00:35:21,753 --> 00:35:25,056
athletic performance,
that's all illegal.
624
00:35:28,693 --> 00:35:32,097
After three students died,
George Kenney was charged with
625
00:35:32,197 --> 00:35:36,301
two misdemeanor counts of
unlicensed practice of hypnosis,
626
00:35:36,401 --> 00:35:39,504
and he took a no-contest plea,
meaning he didn't say,
627
00:35:39,604 --> 00:35:41,806
"I am guilty,"
but he acknowledged that
628
00:35:41,906 --> 00:35:45,410
the prosecution has enough
evidence to prove him guilty
629
00:35:45,510 --> 00:35:47,412
and he got one year probation.
630
00:35:48,647 --> 00:35:49,614
Slap on the wrist.
631
00:35:53,018 --> 00:35:54,552
Community service, $100 fine.
632
00:35:56,087 --> 00:35:57,822
It didn't matter
that three kids died.
633
00:36:00,992 --> 00:36:05,163
The other parents joined forces
with us, so that's when
634
00:36:05,263 --> 00:36:06,464
we hired the attorney.
635
00:36:07,899 --> 00:36:13,238
And it was suggested to us to
go after the school board.
636
00:36:13,338 --> 00:36:17,175
He did a lot of things
that were shady at best,
637
00:36:17,275 --> 00:36:19,144
he needs to be questioned
638
00:36:19,244 --> 00:36:20,845
and held accountable
for this stuff.
639
00:36:28,653 --> 00:36:32,057
George Kenney was deposed for
the civil suit filed by
640
00:36:32,157 --> 00:36:35,560
the parents, and he's under
oath in the deposition,
641
00:36:35,660 --> 00:36:37,762
and hopefully the truth
will come out.
642
00:36:39,164 --> 00:36:42,100
Kenney's confronted about
treating anxious or depressed
643
00:36:42,200 --> 00:36:43,868
people with hypnosis.
644
00:36:43,968 --> 00:36:45,837
And he makes
a startling admission.
645
00:36:54,312 --> 00:36:56,247
But when asked if he knew
depressed people
646
00:36:56,347 --> 00:36:58,783
could be made more depressed
through hypnosis,
647
00:36:58,883 --> 00:37:00,552
Kenney said, "Yes."
648
00:37:00,652 --> 00:37:02,187
And in his deposition,
649
00:37:02,287 --> 00:37:04,489
he's pressed on that
point further.
650
00:37:19,537 --> 00:37:20,705
How dare he?
651
00:37:21,740 --> 00:37:23,608
Who gave him the right
to be God?
652
00:37:24,709 --> 00:37:26,444
I didn't.
653
00:37:26,544 --> 00:37:27,545
I did not.
654
00:37:29,047 --> 00:37:32,317
And if he thought that these
kids had issues or problems,
655
00:37:32,417 --> 00:37:37,255
he would go the extra step
and contact the parents
656
00:37:37,355 --> 00:37:39,357
or a real doctor.
657
00:37:40,592 --> 00:37:42,961
These students who are anxious
about taking exams
658
00:37:43,061 --> 00:37:46,064
or they're failing and failing,
they can't pass a test,
659
00:37:46,164 --> 00:37:48,433
and they're depressed
about it-- "Please help me."
660
00:37:48,533 --> 00:37:50,635
It's treating depression.
I'm sorry.
661
00:37:50,735 --> 00:37:52,470
And then he goes on and says
but if he--
662
00:37:52,570 --> 00:37:54,606
that putting someone
under hypnosis
663
00:37:54,706 --> 00:37:57,308
who is already
depressed can lead to
664
00:37:57,408 --> 00:38:00,812
suicidal ideation.
He says yes to that?
665
00:38:00,912 --> 00:38:04,916
And two students that
he treated did take their lives?
666
00:38:06,384 --> 00:38:08,486
I mean, this is a no-brainer.
667
00:38:08,586 --> 00:38:10,388
This guy was going to go down.
668
00:38:11,956 --> 00:38:15,460
In addition to that,
the school district was aware
669
00:38:15,560 --> 00:38:16,561
of what he was doing.
670
00:38:23,301 --> 00:38:24,936
Marcus, Wesley,
and Brittany all died
671
00:38:25,036 --> 00:38:27,138
within months of each other.
672
00:38:27,238 --> 00:38:30,809
Four years after the lock-in,
when the school district became
673
00:38:30,909 --> 00:38:34,312
aware that George Kenney was
hypnotizing students,
674
00:38:34,412 --> 00:38:36,614
they were all hypnotized
by him.
675
00:38:36,714 --> 00:38:40,518
So that made it, uh,
very likely
676
00:38:40,618 --> 00:38:44,088
that the school district would
be held responsible
677
00:38:45,356 --> 00:38:47,859
for their deaths had it gone
to trial.
678
00:38:47,959 --> 00:38:49,694
And that's why they settled.
679
00:38:49,794 --> 00:38:51,596
The families of three
North Port High School students
680
00:38:51,696 --> 00:38:54,432
who died after being hypnotized
by their principal will receive
681
00:38:54,532 --> 00:38:58,036
$200,000 each from the Sarasota
County School District.
682
00:39:00,572 --> 00:39:02,207
There was no amount of money
683
00:39:02,307 --> 00:39:04,943
that's gonna make it right.
No amount of money.
684
00:39:05,043 --> 00:39:07,812
You could give me a million
dollars and I wouldn't take it
685
00:39:07,912 --> 00:39:08,947
if I could have Wesley.
686
00:39:10,982 --> 00:39:11,983
Miss him every day.
687
00:39:14,185 --> 00:39:15,653
These kids need to
be remembered.
688
00:39:15,753 --> 00:39:17,956
They were kids in high school.
689
00:39:19,791 --> 00:39:21,626
Still trying to live their life
690
00:39:21,726 --> 00:39:23,428
and figure out
what they needed to do.
691
00:39:24,762 --> 00:39:27,532
Marcus, Brittany, Wesley were
not just people
692
00:39:27,632 --> 00:39:29,901
who got hypnotized.
693
00:39:30,001 --> 00:39:32,437
They were so much more
than that.
694
00:39:32,537 --> 00:39:33,705
And that's what needs to
be said.
695
00:39:37,041 --> 00:39:40,111
The town was ugly to us.
They did not like us.
696
00:39:40,211 --> 00:39:42,080
I couldn't get away from there
fast enough.
697
00:39:42,180 --> 00:39:45,316
There are kids still to
this day that will,
698
00:39:45,416 --> 00:39:47,085
you know, go, "Oh!"
699
00:39:47,185 --> 00:39:49,954
You know, he did such
wonderful things because
700
00:39:50,054 --> 00:39:52,891
that was the-- the town
felt that way,
701
00:39:52,991 --> 00:39:54,859
you know, he was their savior.
702
00:39:59,898 --> 00:40:03,635
People said that we were
brainwashed right into
703
00:40:03,735 --> 00:40:06,070
loving him and and that's--
we're just defending him
704
00:40:06,170 --> 00:40:07,939
because of all that,
and it's like,
705
00:40:08,039 --> 00:40:09,774
let's not get it twisted.
706
00:40:09,874 --> 00:40:12,277
I love Dr. Kenney, not something
that's on my mind every day,
707
00:40:12,377 --> 00:40:13,711
Right?
We don't talk.
708
00:40:13,811 --> 00:40:16,781
I haven't talked to him in
years, right?
709
00:40:16,881 --> 00:40:19,317
So it's not something where
I am obsessed with this man
710
00:40:19,417 --> 00:40:22,887
and this man groomed me into
thinking that he is my Messiah.
711
00:40:23,855 --> 00:40:25,657
Furthest thing from it.
712
00:40:25,757 --> 00:40:28,293
He was just a guy
that wanted to [bleep] help.
713
00:40:28,393 --> 00:40:30,361
And that's it.
And he [bleep] helped.
714
00:40:32,297 --> 00:40:33,631
George got out of North Port
715
00:40:33,731 --> 00:40:35,667
and moved to Waynesville,
North Carolina.
716
00:40:37,135 --> 00:40:39,070
He got to go to the mountains
717
00:40:39,170 --> 00:40:42,607
and open a bed and breakfast
and a stained glass art studio.
718
00:40:42,707 --> 00:40:44,242
He's got his wonderful
life going.
719
00:40:46,144 --> 00:40:50,949
It's unfair as a whole that
Mr. Kenney gets to just move on
720
00:40:51,049 --> 00:40:52,050
to the next town.
721
00:40:53,584 --> 00:40:56,788
If the guy's a predator,
he's doing it to somebody else,
722
00:40:56,888 --> 00:40:58,556
and that's just
the bottom line.
723
00:41:16,274 --> 00:41:18,609
She told us pretty early on
that she needed pads changed.
724
00:41:18,710 --> 00:41:20,778
I think she really wanted the
things that she lied about.
725
00:41:20,878 --> 00:41:23,281
She pulled up in the wheelchair
and she stood up.
726
00:41:23,381 --> 00:41:25,049
I couldn't sleep the whole week.
727
00:41:25,149 --> 00:41:26,818
There's something not right
in there.
728
00:41:29,787 --> 00:41:31,589
We have to be afraid
for our lives.
729
00:41:31,689 --> 00:41:32,690
I said, "Sarah, run!"
54322
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