Judge OKs Retrial in Alleged Abuse Case

An Orange County judge on Friday ruled that a Los Angeles County sheriff’s sergeant and his school administrator wife can be retried on charges that they abused their teenage son.

Attorneys for Grady and Deborah Machnick of Yorba Linda had wanted the judge to dismiss the single misdemeanor count against each defendant. Their first trial ended with their acquittal on a felony count of conspiracy to commit child abuse. Jurors deadlocked 7 to 5 in favor of convicting the wife and 9 to 3 to acquit the husband on the lesser charge.