I Totally Agree..."I'd Like The State Of California  To Wake Up And Change The Laws". Prosecuters Violate The Law And it's Called "Misconduct", This Is Why Prosecuters Do What They Do, They Have No Fear Of Consequences. Now As For Jagels, He's In A League Of His Own, He's A CRIMINAL. Jagels Is Running A Criminal Business On The Backs Of INNOCENT AMERICANS. I'm Convinced This Man Has No Conscience. Jagels Is Still Arresting & Convicting The Innocent. This Man Is Pure Evil, And A Danger To Society. He Belongs In Prison!!! My Thoghts And Prayers Are With All These Families, For They Lived A Frightening  Nightmare And Survived. I Have Faith, JUSTICE WILL BE SERVED. IN GOD WE STILL TRUST 

 "Frankly, I still don’t understand how it happened."

Ever read Arthur Miller?

"Good night, and  good luck." ERM

Sean Penn is such a wonderful actor; its too bad his politics are so wrong.  Its a shame that his political views are given weight by his popularity.  More acting and less opining!

Lois write, Frankly, I still don’t understand how it happened.

Well Lois, it happened because your ethics-challenged DA Ed Jagels was out headline hunting which is something far too many District Attorneys do in California.  It also happened because Bako had a population which was susceptible to the witch hunt mentality.  Because of it's large fundamental fire and brimstone religious population, it's not hard to get a puritan ethic hell and damnation ethic moving which makes these moral panic, mass hysteria, mob mentality situations possible.

And as the LA Times pointed out, There is neither explanation of why local journalists seemed to accept these extraordinary convictions on face value nor any attempt to put these cases in the context of the general molestation hysteria that gripped the state and the nation at this time.

Bako can be a dangerious place and not just because of the bad air.

Kinda odd that all of those "crimes" occured in County juristiction, and not one in the City. Hmmm...

The Bakersfield Californian was a responsible as any other organization for the hysteria.  There was a cozy relationship between the newspaper and local law enforcement under which the newspaper turned a blind eye to the craziness coming out of Child Protective Services, the Police and Sheriff's Departments, and the DA's Office, and law enforcement turned a blind eye to the "peculiar habits" of Ted Fritts as well as many other movers and shakers.

Any downtowner of the time could have given you Ted's schedule.  He would leave the Californian building about 3 p.m., stop at the liquor store  on 19th and F and pick up some liquor and mixers, and then drive down to Beach Park (Yokuts hadn't been build yet) looking for some adolescent action.   Everyone knew about it, no one ever did or said anything (except to make jokes). Why? Because Ted's position made him immune so long as the newspaper co-operated.

The newspaper is still wussy.  It's been something like 25 years, and I don't think the Californian has ever sent a reporter up to see Bobby Mistriel in prison for an interview.

"Witch Hunt" accurately describes the events of the era that are so eerily reminiscent of Arthur Miller's play "The Crucible" which chronicled the injustices suffered by a few innocent Massachusetts people over the outrageous claims of religious super zealots.

The willingness of Kern citizens and law enforcement to embrace the outrageous allegations extracted from children closely reflects the mentality of the people of Salem two centuries earlier.

It shows that many people here were, and possibly still are, immersed in the ideological savagery of the puritanical past.

Here, decades later, people like Jagels and his ilk resolutely posture behind their ignominious righteousness, refusing to admit responsibility for their heinous acts in a community where Jagels the inquisitor is popularly reelected with no opposition.

It's a sad commentary on Kern County's collective mentality.

As I remember hearing the lawyers in the case had kids saying they were mnolested. My question is what happened to the kids that were either coaxed into lying about it or outright lyed about it? If the ones doing the interview with the kids coaxed them to say it, then those people need to be held responsible, if the kids outright lied about it then they need to be held responsible. I don't agree with everything the DA or the cops do, but if the witnesses give false information & in this case straight out lied about it, you'd think those that lied or cohersed the kids to lie need to spend the same amount of time, if not more in prison that the innocent people did.

For those who couldn't go yesterday, this will run on MSNBC:

SATURDAY, MAY 2, 2009

7PM: MSNBC Films: Sean Penn's "Witch Hunt": (2-hours) Executive Producer Sean Penn proudly presents "Witch Hunt," a gripping indictment of the United States justice system told through the lens of one small town. It's the story of John Stoll and dozens of other men and women who found themselves ensnared in a spiral of fear, ignorance and hysteria. These working class moms and dads were rounded up with little or no evidence, charged and convicted of almost unimaginable crimes. All sexual. All crimes against children. Years, sometimes decades later, they would find freedom again, but their lives and the lives of their children would be changed forever. This film shows viewers that the real crime in this case is not molestation, but coercion. Viewers hear from the child witnesses describe scary sessions with sheriff's deputies in which they were told -- not asked -- about sexual experiences that happened to them. Their coerced testimony led to dozens of convictions. Many times their own parents were the ones they put behind bars. Soon after the trials, the children started to crack. They told adults of the lies they'd been forced to tell on the stand and hoped it would make a difference. It didn't and the convicted continued to sit in prison. As the allegations grew more outlandish, California's Attorney General wrote a scathing report on the court misconduct, but instead of being buried by criticism, Kern County District Attorney Ed Jagels thrived, doing what he did best-- putting people away. He boasted one of the highest conviction rates in the country. This strategy served him well. Jagels is still in office today. Through new interviews, archival footage, and unflinching narration by Mr. Penn, the filmmakers construct an intimate film that illustrates a universal point; when power is allowed to exist without oversight from the press, the community or law enforcement, the rights of everyday citizens can be lost for decades.    

I found this to be one of the most depressing articles ever by Rolling Stone:

http://www.truthinjustice.o...

Ed and the Bakersfield group mentality scare this former LA city slicker.

I've also read "Lords: Part I" and seen the interview with Stolls on Nightline (I believe that was the show).  This County is a weird bird.

I understand how we got here~ it the lack of moral character that is incomprehensible.

I worked with one of the accused,that liquor store owner gopherbro mentioned was up to no good with his own son( I grew up with him),one of the CPS workers was an acquaintance and another,whom I hold in the highest respect, swears to this day they are guilty. I think they are innocent.

The political climbing of our D.A. (hoped to use this case to run for Governor),the shady dealings of more than one local "big wig",the 'good old boy" mentality all combined to bring this nightmare into fruition. This story made cover for somebody.

...and the newest puritanical witch hunt came in the form of Proposition 8. Redneck Conservatism is fueled by the need to have a scapegoat or cause. What intrigues me is that Kern County's history is lined with this sort of social hysteria. Read the book Mean Justice by Edward Humes. Paranoia Plagues the Blissfully Ignorant. The justice system is mearly a reflection of society at the time.  The people wanted a cause and Jagels, CPS, and KCSO gave them one.

Equally important to keep in mind is that anyone who runs against Jagels is suceptable to having charges trumped up against them. Jagels got into office playing dirty. He will remain in office by those means. As long as his enemies are limitted to bloggers, news junkies, and his current and past victims of his sort of justice, he will do as he pleases because thats what citizens expect him to do: hangem' high! Put them away long and fast at ALL cost. The last time his name showed up on a ballot, the results were intriguing. He ran unopposed, yet only managed 86% of the vote. Maybe next time Mickey Mouse will muster enough votes to force a run off.

LeftofCenter, I tried, I wrote in Mickey Mouse. Boggles the mind that he keeps getting elected, but then when one reads some of the letters to the editor it is understandable.   Thank goodness for Lois, at least she tries to hold the powers that be accountable.

I write my name in the ballot, I don't have experenice but I am honest,,,my hubby thinks I am crazy but I refuse to vote for the "The Thing",,,I always wish some one would run aganist him, please any one...Though I am not sure I would trust anyone in the DA's office I would have to think about it.  IMO

 Sean Penn is such a wonderful actor; its too bad his politics are so wrong.  Its a shame that his political views are given weight by his popularity.  More acting and less opining!

So, PollyBaker, did you feel the same way about Reagan  or the Governator.......i know i didn't like their acting but i gotta tell you, tolerant person such as yourself..............

Newsflash:

rich, powerful, good-looking people will always have a bigger soap box than you or any of us........

and, are you telling me they don't have a right to voice the same opinion you just did?  no, because that would be hypocrtitical.