LOCAL : McMartin Jurors Return, Still Puzzled by Conspiracy Charge

Jurors in the marathon McMartin Pre-School molestation trial returned to their deliberations today after a long weekend and immediately expressed puzzlement about one conspiracy charge.

Superior Court Judge William Pounders, who had received a question from the panel before it retired Friday, called jurors into the courtroom and explained they could find either Raymond Buckey or his mother, Peggy McMartin Buckey, guilty of conspiracy and acquit the other.

But he did not expand on the explanation, and minutes after the jurors left the courtroom they sent word again that they had a further question.

They asked how such a result was possible if conspiracy with one or more people was required to find that a conspiracy exists.

The judge called lawyers for a conference and said he would answer the question later today. He has said in the past that a conspiracy in this case could involve one or more unnamed conspirators.

Meanwhile, Pounders prepared for the taking of 65 eventual verdicts in the case. The judge discussed in detail with lawyers the logistics of the courtroom scene, which he said he expects to be “highly emotional.” Pounders said it would probably take more than an hour to read the complicated verdicts and agreed to a defense request that he announce the decisions regarding Mrs. Buckey before he discloses the verdicts for her son.