The McMartin preschool was located in Manhattan Beach, CA. It was owned by Peggy Buckley and her mother, Virginia McMartin. Ms. Buckley's son, Ray, was a part-time school-aide at the school. On 1983-AUG-12, Judy Johnson complained to the police that her son had been molested by Ray at the school. Although there was no physical evidence or confirmation from other children at the school, Ray was arrested on SEP-7. Because of lack of evidence, the DA decided to not prosecute.
The Chief of the Manhattan Beach Police then created a local panic by circulating a "strictly confidential" letter to about 200 parents of present or past McMartin students. The letter specified that Ray may have forced the children to engage in oral sex, fondling of genitals, buttocks or chest area and sodomy". The parents were urged to question their children, seeking confirmation. A local TV station was first with the news; they reported that the preschool might be linked to child pornography rings and various sex industries in nearby Los Angeles.
Hundreds of children were later interviewed by the Children's Institute International (CII). By Spring of 1984, 360 kids had been diagnosed as having been abused. Medical exams were conducted on 150 children; in spite of lack of physical evidence, the doctor concluded that about 120 had been sexually abused. The whole town, and particularly the parents of the children went ballistic. Children were pressured by parents; CII interviewers using leading questions, suggestive questions; rewards were given for disclosing the "right" answers: that the children:
A 1986 survey of residents in Los Angeles County was taken before the first trial. It showed that 90% of the potential jurors believed that Raymond and Peggy were guilty. In spite of strong bias by the townsfolk, the judge refused the defense's request for a change of venue. Judy Johnson continued to make allegations of abuse; among other charges, she said that her ex-husband had sodomized their son and the family dog, that her son had been injured by a elephant and lion during a school field trip, that her son had been tortured by teachers who put staples in his ears, nipples and tongue, and had put scissors in his eye. There was, of course, no physical evidence of this trauma. She was later diagnosed as suffering from acute paranoid-schizophrenia, was hospitalized and died at home of alcohol related liver disease before the trial began. Information of her mental illness was kept from the defense
Armed with search warrants, they police searched 11 locations but found nothing. In 1984-MAR, 208 counts of child abuse involving 40 children (some sources say 42) were laid against 7 adults: the owners of the school, Ray Buckley and 4 school teachers. After 20 months of preliminary hearings, the state's case appeared weak. They offered the defendants immunity from prosecution or leniency if they would be willing to testify against the other defendants. None took up the offer. In 1986-JAN, Ira Reiner was elected district attorney. He dropped all charges against 5 of the adults. Left were 52 charges against Ray Buckley and 20 counts against Peggy Buckley, plus a single count of conspiracy. An area telephone survey showed that:
On 1990-JAN-18, after almost three years of trial testimony and 9 weeks of deliberation, the jury cleared Peggy Buckley of all 13 remaining counts. Ray was acquitted on 39 of 52 counts; the jury's vote was split on the remaining counts, with large majorities in favor of acquittal. Ray was retried on some of the 13 counts; the second jury delivered its verdict in 1990-AUG. They were also hung. The prosecution gave up at this point.
Peggy McMartin immediately filed a civil suit against the city, county, the CII and an ABC TV station for a shopping list of improper behaviours. A few months later, Virginia McMartin and two of the defendants who were charged but never tried also filed suits.
Many lives were disrupted by the events at McMartin. Hundreds of children, now teenagers, believe that they were abused during bizarre rituals. 7 adults have been financially impoverished. The centre was closed, and leveled to the ground. The community and surrounding area was panicked by an irresponsible media. And many copy-cat prosecutions occurred across North America.