Mean Justice (75 page)

32
. From the author’s interviews with Nancy Dunn and her attorney, James L. Faulkner, who obtained the X-rays and had radiologists compare the two. It is unclear how and when the rib was broken—sheriff’s reports quote one witness who believed Danny fell down the stairs before the police arrived. It is possible the rib was broken then, rather than in the jail; however, the severe liver laceration, which caused Danny Dunn to bleed to death in a matter of minutes, had to have occurred during the struggle in the jail.

33
. From the author’s interviews with Rex Martin and former Bakersfield Police Chief Robert Patterson.

34
. Marie Gates, interviews with the author.

35
. Ibid.

APPENDIX A

W
RONGFUL
P
ROSECUTIONS IN
K
ERN
C
OUNTY

Comments

The first of the molestation “ring” cases that swept the nation in the eighties; virtually all were based on incredible, sometimes disprovable allegations generally unsupported by physical evidence. Denials and recantations by “victims” were ignored and disbelieved, but the wildest allegations were accepted as fact by the police and prosecutors. After fourteen years, all four defendants were exonerated and set free because prosecutors, police, and social workers coerced children into making false accusations. Case also relied on discredited medical testimony. One of several Kern County cases to become models of how
not
to investigate child abuse.

Comments

One defendant freed after four years because of illegal interrogations by the sheriff, another after ten years because authorities coerced children into making false accusations. The third defendant—a lone molester who had nothing to do with any ring—remains in prison.

Comments

First molestation-ring case to produce satanic-ritual abuse allegations. Prosecutors hid evidence, coerced witnesses, refused to allow medical exams of victims. After defendants spend two years in jail, five hundred charges dismissed in wake of report on investigative and prosecutorial errors.

Comments

Year-long probe into ritual abuse created hysteria despite no evidence and much to disprove case. Children coerced, crucial information kept hidden by prosecutors, and Kern County ended up excoriated by grand jury, and state attorney general. Case became another example of how not to investigate child abuse.

Comments

Massive prison sentences overturned after five years because of gross prosecutorial misconduct.

Comments

Two in “ring” granted new trials because favorable psychological testimony was barred from first trials. Kern County declined to retry them, as same concerns about coerced testimony, bogus medical evidence infect this case. Other two defendants failed to preserve appeal, remain in prison; habeas hearing pending for one.

Comments

Coerced testimony and disprovable satanic allegations lead to dismissals.

Comments

Some charges dismissed, two defendants set free. Most of “ring” remain in prison despite recantations of victims and concerns about coercion and erroneous medical evidence. Habeas hearing pending on government perjury and hidden evidence.

Comments

Allegations of ring that preyed on sixteen children dismissed in wake of other ring-case revelations about coercion.

Comments

Twenty-one children removed from parents. Allegations later disproven.

Comments

Illegal search by Kern County Sheriff led to dismissal of case.

Comments

Track star’s murder conviction overturned because of jury misconduct, prosecutorial misconduct, and judicial errors.

Comments

Double murderer given new trial because prosecutor exluded Hispanic jurors. Retried and convicted.

Comments

Rape conviction and sixty-five-year sentence overturned because prosecution DNA evidence overstated likelihood of guilt.

Comments

Freed after sixteen years because of defense attorney incompetence and prosecutor’s reliance on faulty and illegal eyewitness identification.