Satanic Panic, Lies, and the McMartin Preschool Trial: The Most Expensive Case in U.S. History
In the 1980s, America was gripped by a moral hysteria that led to one of the most infamous and expensive trials in U.S. history. The McMartin Preschool case began as a single accusation but quickly spiraled into a full-blown scandal, igniting fears of a secret network of child abusers conducting ritualistic abuse. The case dragged on for seven years, cost taxpayers over $15 million, and ultimately led to zero convictions. So how did this happen? And what does it say about the dangers of mass hysteria and false memories?
The Spark That Set the Fire
It all started in August 1983 when Judy Johnson, a mother in Manhattan Beach, California, claimed her 2-year-old son had been molested. She pointed the finger at Ray Buckey, a staff member at Virginia McMartin Preschool. But Johnson’s claims didn’t stop at simple abuse—she alleged satanic rituals, secret tunnels, and even underground sacrifices. The police took the allegations seriously, and on September 7, Buckey was arrested.
The very next day, authorities sent a chilling letter to hundreds of parents, asking them to question their children about possible abuse. The letter specifically named Buckey, essentially setting the stage for panic. Parents, terrified and desperate for answers, started probing their children for details. But rather than allowing for neutral responses, they often pushed for confessions—whether or not the events had actually occurred.
The Rise of Bizarre Accusations
Over the next few months, social workers at Children’s Institute International (CII) conducted interviews with hundreds of children. But these weren’t normal conversations—these were heavily suggestive interrogations. Kids were asked leading questions, pressured into “remembering” events, and even shamed if they denied abuse.
The results? More than 360 children made claims of horrific abuse, describing secret tunnels, occult ceremonies, and teachers flying through the air as witches. Some said they were forced to participate in sacrificial rituals, others claimed to have been transported to graveyards where bodies were dug up.
Despite these lurid claims, no physical evidence—no tunnels, no bodies, no traces of ritual abuse—was ever found. But in an atmosphere of national hysteria, logic took a backseat to fear.
The Longest Trial in U.S. History
By 1984, six McMartin teachers, including Ray Buckey’s mother, Peggy McMartin Buckey, were indicted. The prosecution alleged they were part of a secret child pornography ring, though no actual footage was ever discovered. At one point, even the FBI and Interpol got involved, but they too found nothing to support the claims.
The trial officially began in 1987, making headlines across the country. But as the years dragged on, cracks in the case became undeniable. The main accuser, Judy Johnson, was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia in 1985 and later died of alcohol-related complications. Meanwhile, the credibility of the children’s testimonies crumbled as experts pointed out the deeply flawed interviewing techniques used by CII.
By 1990, after seven years of courtroom battles, both Ray Buckey and his mother were acquitted of all charges. The jury deadlocked on a handful of accusations against Buckey, leading to a second trial. But by July 1990, it too ended in a mistrial. Prosecutors, under immense pressure, decided not to pursue a third trial. The case had finally ended—though not before ruining lives, shattering a community, and wasting millions of taxpayer dollars.
The Aftermath: A Legacy of Fear and Regret
Despite the acquittals, many parents remained convinced that abuse had occurred. In 1993, some even hired an archaeologist to dig beneath the preschool in search of the infamous tunnels. The result? They found nothing but old trash pits.
Years later, one of the former McMartin students, Kyle Zirpolo, came forward and admitted he had lied about being abused. He explained that during questioning, he had felt immense pressure to “remember” things that never happened. “There were so many kids saying all these things happened that you didn’t want to be the one who said nothing did,” he revealed.
Lessons from the McMartin Case
The McMartin Preschool case remains a cautionary tale about the dangers of mass hysteria, flawed investigative methods, and the power of suggestion. Today, forensic experts and psychologists point to it as a textbook example of how not to interview children.
Lindsay Malloy, a professor of forensic psychology, notes, “We now have a much greater understanding of suggestibility and the importance of properly collecting memory evidence—especially from vulnerable populations like children.”
The case may be closed, but its impact lingers. It serves as a chilling reminder of how easily fear can override facts, and how a single accusation can ignite a wildfire of paranoia. The McMartin trial may be history, but the lessons it left behind are more relevant than ever.
