Coastal Post Online
MARIN COUNTY'S NEWS
MONTHLY - FREE PRESS
(415)868-1600 -
(415)868-0502(fax) - P.O. Box 31, Bolinas, CA, 94924
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Media Blackout On Father's Felony
Child Abuse Charges
By Jim Scanlon
For
the second time since Felony child abuse charges were filed in November against
Leo Allen Magers, the Solano County Superior Court has continued scheduled
court hearings until May 9 for a readiness hearing and May 10th for the
preliminary hearing.
As far as can be determined from the scanty information available, Magers is
charged with the felony child abuse of his daughter with Carol Mardeusz, whose
efforts to protect her daughter from Magers resulted in her being jailed and
imprisoned in the California Correctional System and triggered a recall
campaign against Marin Superior Court judges Michael Dufficy, Terrence Boren
and District Attorney Paula Kamena. The recall attempt failed miserably
Magers is apparently also being charged with felony child abuse against his
son with his late wife Ana Cavazos who died under unusual circumstances after
being found in the kitchen of the Magers home in 2001 by Mardeusz's daughter
who was removed from her custody and placed by the Sonoma Court with Magers.
Further details about the death of Ana Cavazos can be obtained at
www.newsmakingnews.com
While the prosecution of Mardeusz for contempt of court and violating a
court decree was a cause celebre in 2002 and was covered by major local media,
including the Marin Independent Journal and the Sonoma County Press Democrat,
there has, so far, been no mention of the arrest, jailing and prosecution of Magers
since the felony incident(s), whatever they were, occurred in November 2004.
It is believed that dependency proceedings are underway in Solano County to protect the two children involved. These hearings are
strictly confidential and, in addition, a "gag" order has been
imposed on all parties involved. The Solano County Deputy District Attorney
involved has not returned repeated telephone calls regarding the felony abuse
charges against Mr. Magers.
Magers is now scheduled to appear in Criminal Court in Vallejo on May 9 and 10 for readiness and
preliminary hearings.
It is exceedingly difficult to understand why this case, so intimately
connected with the uproar of criticism of the Marin County justice system and
the recall election campaign of 2001 has not been mentioned by the Marin Independent
Journal, except, perhaps that Mardeusz's fears and claims that her daughter was
in danger living with Magers might now be considered to have had some validity,
and, consequently, that she might have been unjustly punished in Marin County.