Direct Examination by Defense Attorney Dean Gits:
"Did you ever molest any of those children?"
"Never. "
"Did you ever touch them on any part of their bodies for the purpose of sexual gratification either of yourself or of anybody else?"
"No."
"Were you ever naked in front of any of these children?"
"Was I ever what?"
"Were you ever naked in front of these children?"
"No."
"Did you ever make any of these children get naked?"
"No."
"Did you ever make any of these children get partially naked?"
"No."
"Did you ever transport any of these children off the school grounds for the purpose of molesting them?"
"Never. "
"Did you ever transport any of these children off the school grounds for the purpose of permitting other adults to touch them?"
"No."
"Did you ever transport any of these children off the school grounds for the purpose of engaging in satanic acts at a church?"
"Never. "
"Did you ever threaten these children in any manner?"
"No."
"Did you ever see any person molest these children while you were at the preschool?"
"Never. "
"Did you see any other person any place in the world molest these children?"
"No."
"Did you ever see these children naked with any other teacher at the preschool?"
"No."
"With any other adult at the preschool?"
"No."
"Did you ever see anything at the preschool that ever once gave you the slightest suspicion that any of those children were being molested in any manner whatsoever?"
"Never. "
"Are you aware of the other complaining witnesses in this case?"
"Yes."
"Did you ever see any person molest those children?"
"Never. "
"Did you ever see those children naked with any other adult?"
"Never. "
"Did you ever see anything at the school that gave you the slightest suspicion that those children were being molested or mistreated in any manner?"
"Never."
"Did you ever conspire or agree with anyone to molest any children at the preschool?"
"No,"
"Did you ever conspire or agree to permit others to molest any of those children?"
"No."
"Any other children at the preschool?"
"No....."
"Mrs. Buckey, why was it that you hired your son, Raymond, as an aide at the preschool?"
"He was my son, and he was interested in working with children. And I felt he had the potential of being a good teacher."
"Was there a particular teacher that was assigned to be present with Raymond in the afternoon hours?"
"Yes, it would have been Betty [Raidor]...."
"When did you first become aware that you were a suspect?"
"I never did find out until I was arrested."
"When were you arrested?"
"March 22, 1984."
"Do you recognize the person in that photograph?" [Gits shows a photo of a woman.]
"Yes."
"Who is that?"
"Me. Peggy Buckey."
"Do you know when that photograph was taken?"
"Yes."
"When?"
"When I was arrested. In jail."
"Do you know who it was that took that photograph?"
"Yes. One of the deputies."
"And where was that photograph taken?"
"Sybil Brand."
"And what is Sybil Brand?"
"Well, it's a jail."
Cross-examination by Lael Rubin:
"You told the court that, as director of the preschool, you were interested in having your son work at the preschool because he had some interest in working with children and that he had the potential to be a good teacher, correct?"
"Yes."
"What was it at the time that caused you to believe that he had an interest in working with children?"
"He had a very gentle, loving way with children, which you need when you work with children."
"Your honor, I move to strike the answer as nonresponsive."
"Overruled. The answer will stand."
"What was it that was communicated to you by your son that explained his having an interest in working with children, and I guess my question is, did he tell you that he had an interest in working with children?"
"Yes. He did some volunteer work in San Diego."
"Objection, the answer is nonresponsive. Move that it be stricken."
"Sustained. "
"Did your son specifically tell you that he had an interest in working with children?"
"He enjoyed working with children."
"And how was it that the subject came up, that your son told you he was interested in working with children?"
"As I just mentioned, he did volunteer work in San Diego and. . ."
"Your honor that is not responsive. Move to strike."
"Sustained. "
"How is it that the subject came up, that your son wanted to work with children?"
"He was at the school one morning and. . . we were out to lunch, and he just told me how he enjoyed working with children, and he would like to come and work at our school."
"And were you surprised when your son. . . offered to work at the McMartin Preschool?"
"Yes."
"And why were you surprised?"
"Because he had never been interested before."
"Did you ask him how it came to be that he was interested in working with children?"
"Yes."
"And what did he say?"
"That he had volunteered in San Diego. . . and he got a certificate. . ."
"Objection. Move to strike. . ."
"Mrs. Buckey, did your son tell you that part of his duties were cleaning up?"
"Yes. He worked out in the yard, supervising the children."
"And was the award specifically for this?"
"I don't remember."
"And what is it he said?"
"He said he would like to come home and work at the school."
"Did you ask him about his qualifications?"
"No."
"Is there a reason you didn't ask him about his qualifications to work with children?"
"Yes."
"And what was that?"
"If you employ someone and you feel they have the potential to be a good teacher, they take certain courses, and that is what I told him he would have to do."
"And from the time your son became employed at the preschool, was he taking courses?"
"Yes. "
"Do you know where it was he was taking courses?"
"EI Camino College. . . some of my parents were in the same classes."
"Now, you told us there are requirements essential for working with children. . . how would you define that?"
"First, you have to care for children. You have to love children. Ray was very gentle. He had a wonderful rapport with children."
"Now, you told us that you never saw anything that gave you the slightest suspicion that children were being molested at the preschool. Were you aware that your son didn't wear underwear? Isn't that right?"
"And you were aware that his penis was seen, correct?"
"No."
"And you had the belief that it was okay for Raymond Buckey to be in the preschool and not wear underwear?"
"I do not remember that."
"You heard your husband testify that you said that women don't wear bras, so it's no big deal. Do you remember that?"
"Yes."
"And what did you say?"
"I see nothing wrong with not wearing underwear."
"Why not?"
"Many of the young men who came to our house did not wear underwear. Kids at the beach did not wear underwear. Lots of them. "
"And did you. . . see their genitals?"
"I never saw anybody's genitals. "
"Your honor I move to have the answer stricken."
"Overruled."
"Now, Mrs. Buckey. . . did you recognize that there may be a difference between not wearing underwear at the beach and not wearing underwear at the preschool?"
"Never gave it a thought."
"Now, did you make statements in the past that some women don't wear bras so it's no big deal?"
"I don't remember that."
"Now, with a child sitting on his lap and his not wearing underwear, might that make it easier for a child to touch his genitals?"
"No...."
"Now one of the differences might be that having a child sitting on your son's lap and his not wearing underwear might make it easier for him to get aroused, correct?"
"No."
"Are you aware that ----- grabbed your son in his penis or had you heard that she grabbed your son in his penis?"
"I certainly did. "
"Was that something that you observed?"
"No."
"How was it that you heard that?"
"My son told me."
"And how was it that your son told you that?"
"I asked my son if anything happened at the school. . . so I could tell the parents."
"And after asking if anything happened, what were you told?"
"That ------ grabbed him in the genitals through his clothes."
"And what did your son say?"
"He told me that he told her she shouldn't do that....."
"Now at the time your son told you about ----- grabbing his genitals, did he tell you that ----- was sitting on his lap?"
"All I remember is that he just told her not to do that again. He did not make a big thing of it to the child."
"Did you ask your son where it happened?"
"All I know is he was sitting."
"Did you ask your son how long she had her hand on his genitals?"
"She just grabbed him and let go...."
"When you checked, that one time, you saw he did have a hard on, correct?"
"He certainly did not!"
"Would you agree it is an unusual event when the director of a preschool checks her son for an erection?"
"I told you I did it one time and one time only. It's such a dumb question!....It had to do with his being male."
"Have you ever seen your son with an erection on any other occasion?"
"Objection. Assumes facts not in evidence...."
"Was she [amother who made accusations against Ray] lying?"
"Yes, she was lying."
"Why would she lie?"
"Why did everybody lie in this case?"
"Do you have a reason to lie in this courtroom?"
"I don't lie. . . . I'm telling the truth. I've heard the word, 'lie,' so much in this case I've learned to say 'lie'
like the rest of you. . . ."
"Are you accusing me of lying?"
"No, I'm not...."
"It's true, Mrs. Buckey, that as time went on, there were more and more complaints about your son, Raymond Buckey, correct?"
"No."
"Mrs. Buckey, when Mrs. ----- first informed you that she had been notified by the police, did she tell you during the conversation that she was informed as to when the molestation was supposed to have taken place?"
"No...."
"Now, when you talked to Det. Hoag, whether it be the thirtieth or the thirty-first of August 1983, you in fact told Det. Hoag that the parent should have come to you first before going to the police, correct?"
"I don't remember saying that."
"That's something you believe, isn't it?"
"No, I think that's up to the parents to make their decision. I've said that I think it would be nice if they would come to me, but that was up to the parents to do what they thought was the right thing, not for me to tell them what to do."
"Now, from the thirtieth or thirty-first of August, within the next few days after that, on the second of September, that was when your residence was searched, correct?"
"Yes."
"And before the search actually began, you told one of the police officers that 'You can't believe little kids. They'll llie.' Correct?"
"I do not recall saying that."
"Mrs. Buckey, showing you this document, I would ask you to read the end of the first paragraph. . . . And doesn't that refresh your recollection that, shortly after Det. Hoag arrived at your residence, you remarked that 'You
can't believe little kids. They all lie. '?"
"I do not remember saying that."
"Mrs. Buckey, if Det. Hoag put that in her police report, would that be untrue?"
"It certainly would be. She lied about a lot of things...."