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David Birney: Meredith Baxter's ex-husband denies abuse allegations
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"Family Ties" mom Meredith Baxter has been making the media rounds to discuss her new memoir, "Untied," in which she details the physical and mental abuse she endured from her then-husband David Birney during her time on the popular '80s sitcom.When Oprah Winfrey reached out to Birney, the father of Baxter's three children, for comment, he had none. It seems that the "St. Elsewhere" actor has changed his mind, however. Birney reached out to People on Friday to tell them that Baxter's book is "a kind of fairy tale" and an "appalling abuse of the truth."
He claims that after their divorce, 20 years ago, Baxter did her best to gain sole custody of their three children, despite the judge's joint custody ruling. "During that time she arrived in court repeatedly with various lawyers and several therapists, 'recovered memories,' accusations of abuse - a common charge in custody disputes - and tales of our life together that bore little resemblance to truth - a mean spirited process that battered us all, especially the children," he says. "The court denied her suit on every occasion. This current recycled version of our family story is no more credible now than it was then."
Birney says that the fact that Baxter had absolutely nothing positive to say about their 16 years of marriage saddens him. "This blanket omission, this unrelieved denial of even a single instance of joy or pleasure in the creation of a family, the substance and amazing joy of raising children together, of simply being together with them during that time, is incomprehensible. And sad."
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As a divorce lawyer, I tend to view Meredith's claims with some skepticism. These sorts of claims are all too frequently made in divorce cases, and many times they are not true. In my very first divorce case, almost 20 years ago, I represented a party who made claims of abuse. I totally bought into it. When those claims were conclusively proven to be false, I felt like a fool. Now I tend to view all such claims with some detachment until I have corroborating evidence. That's not to say I don't take them seriously - I just do my own investigation.
I always liked David Birney as an actor and it was disturbing to hear Meredith on TV last week claiming all this.
Hopefully the truth lies at least somewhere in the middle.
course he denies it
I always thought she came off as a real ***** and he did say that every time she took him to court, the judges threw out her lawsuits/claims. Naturally I am going to believe him.
I don't know...I suspect that her claims are true. Why, after all of these years, would she bring it up again then? Good Luck, Meredith, we still love you as always-
Sorry, Richard but in my opinion, she's a nut case. I side with Buster on this.
Sorry, Richard but in my opinion, she's a nut case. I side with Buster on this.
Why would she claim this? Gee book sales perhaps? Perhaps she got re-enamored with the spotlight she got after coming out last year? Yet another chance to run the talk show circuit. I dont care or follow either people but if it's true she can't remember one positive thing about the 16 years of marriage I think she's lying! Apparently the judges at the time thought so too.
I remember them as a cute couple, it so sad to see her come out now and bad mouth her children father. If he was such a bad person and she has moved on, GREAT. But if she is not teling the truth, WHY??? NOW. I saw what three oldest children said, but about the children she had by him, what do they say, has she made them chose sides? I hope she
has not turn brothers and sisters against each other, if that is the case, she will come out the loser.
All three of the children were on Oprah's show and corraborated Baxter's story. One may make it up but the children are now adults with no reason to deny a kind father if he had been one. It stands to reason, then, that Baxter was telling the truth.