Carney’s Attorney Seeks Bail Reduction

The attorney for Kevin Carney, the former Los Angeles County sheriff’s sergeant accused of child molestation, will ask that the jailed Palmdale resident’s bail be reduced from $1 million to $100,000 today at a court hearing.

Carney was charged in January with 17 counts of child molestation, sexual abuse and other charges allegedly involving four Antelope Valley girls in incidents dating back to 1990.

He has been held at Men’s Central Jail with bail initially set at $2 million. On March 1, Carney’s bail was reduced to $1 million.

On Wednesday, Carney’s attorney, Milton Grimes, asked Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Larry Fidler for a hearing to consider a further reduction, and to continue Carney’s arraignment.

Carney, 48, was first arrested in October after a 14-year-old girl told police he had molested her. Carney posted the $100,000 bail at that time and was elected to the Palmdale City Council four days after his arrest. He has since resigned from his council and sergeant posts, and the Sheriff’s Department granted Carney his retirement last month.

The 17 charges filed in January cover alleged incidents that involve the 14-year-old girl; two girls who were age 8 and 7; and a fourth girl who was under age 14.

Supporters of Carney have recently raised about $40,000 to cover his current bail.

“I think we would all like to have him out and be home,” said Herb Nero, the host of a TV talk show and a longtime Palmdale friend of Carney’s. “We want him to come home and be with his family.”