Local News in Brief : Evidence Limited in McMartin Trial
The judge in the McMartin Pre-School trial scaled back the defense case Wednesday, barring evidence about events at the school before the first alleged child molestation a decade ago.
The earliest alleged molestation occurred about July 1, 1978. Although prosecutors believe molestations occurred at the school before then, a six-year statute of limitations prevented them from charging earlier crimes.
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge William Pounders limited the defense case at the request of prosecutors who objected to the testimony of a non-teacher who oversaw the day-care center at the now-closed Manhattan Beach nursery between September, 1976, and June, 1978.
Prosecutors argued the testimony was irrelevant since it could only deal with events at the school before the charged molestations.
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