The Region : Judge Upholds 100 McMartin Counts

A judge issued his final rulings denying defense motions to dismiss all 100 charges against the two remaining defendants in the McMartin Pre-School molestation case. Attorneys for Peggy McMartin Buckey, 59, and her son, Ray Buckey, 27, asked Superior Court Judge Roger Boren to dismiss one count of conspiracy and 99 counts of child molestation on grounds that the two defendants were denied due process rights at their lengthy preliminary hearing. Boren had tentatively denied the motions last month. After finalizing his rulings, he scheduled a trial-setting hearing for Aug. 22. “I don’t think there was any deprivation of due process to the defendants,” the judge said. “I do hereby deny the motion as to each defendant.” Buckey and his mother are charged with molesting 14 of their pupils at the now-closed preschool in Manhattan Beach.