Rape and Molestation Convicts Favored by Judges in Custody Cases:
Knight v Elizondo
Justice Gazette News Staff
Bakersfield, CA. April 21, 2015. Judge James L. Compton in Division D of the Kern County Superior Court continued to allow eight year old S--- Knight Elizondo to reside with a convicted child molester who allegedly had been caught in bed with little Sarah.
Lisa Knight returned to court on April 21, prepared to fight for custody of her daughter. With witnesses expected to testify to Lisa's ability to raise her daughter in a stable, safe environment, she expected to be granted some or all custodial rights to her daughter. Currently, all custodial rights have been given to a convicted child molester who obtained custody after his conviction for molesting a girl S---'s age. The question for observers was whether the court would require the child to be in a situation where she likely would be forced into sex or an environment where she would be free from sexual abuse. Lisa Knight's environment would allow the girl to grow up without having to engage in sexual acts. Observers continue to ask why this is not a high judicial priority as well.
Lisa went to the home of convicted child molester Nicholas Elizondo and allegedly found the two in one of S---'s two twin beds under the covers. It was further alleged that, as the two got out of bed, Elizondo was undressed and S--- was in her nightgown. The child has reportedly said that she does what she has to do with her father and that he gets into bed with her at night but leaves before sleeping time.
Hospital records show that little S--- has been repeatedly treated for urinary tract infections since being in the custody of her father. Repeated urinary tract infections are considered by medical experts to be one indication of child molestation.
A witness who spoke to the Justice Gazette staff was present at a hospital in Madera, CA, when Elizondo allegedly assaulted and battered the mother Lisa Knight while her young daughter was present. Elizondo also allegedly grabbed the girl's arm and forcibly took the child away against her will as she screamed that she didn't want to go with him. Ms. Knight also had documents in her possession indicating Elizondo is currently on probation for drunk driving. Would it matter to this judge whether a convicted child molester is drunk while driving a young child around town?
The system has been so stacked against Ms. Knight that, when she tried to get a fee waiver for a court reporter, she got nothing but a run-around by court personnel in Bakersfield. At her Marc 27th, hearing, a friend paid $600 to have a court reporter present and was later told the actual transcript for the short hearing would cost $6000. Court Administrator Terry McNally said that he believed that transcript fee was excessive.
With some assistance from the staff of the Justice Gazette, a fee waiver for the court reporter and other services was presented to the Office of the Kern County Superior Court Administrator, Terry McNally. McNally was quite pleasant and cooperative. He offered to send a roving court reporter to Compton's Courtroom and to coordinate the timing with the clerk.
Compton's clerk was heard complaining to convicted child molester Elizondo's attorney Larry Wilson that someone had called McNally and that there would be a court reporter. The clerk added that, “She will still have to pay for the transcript,” in a tone that made it appear she felt the fee would be too excessive for a transcript to be received. Added to the $6000 fee requested for the earlier transcript, observers of the interaction questioned whether there was collusion to prevent Knight from receiving a record of the custody hearing. Some questioned whether Ms. Knight would even have a fair opportunity to stop any future molestation of her daughter. Does Ms. Knight's daughter have any right to be free from sex at her young age? Since when is sex with a child a sign of good parenting? These were questions observers wanted answered.
The matter was again continued as minor's counsel Stephanie Childers stated she did not have records. Childers conferred extensively with counsel for the convicted molester both on March 27th and April 21st but only spoke with the mother briefly on the 21st for the purpose of obtaining the records the mother had with her and police reference numbers. When a Justice Gazette reporter asked Childers whether she was bothered by the idea of a child living with a convicted child molester who had molested a girl the same age as the one in his custody when that child molester had been allegedly caught undressed in bed with the very girl in his care, Childers chose to ignore the question—although it was clear she had heard the question. A common complaint from protective parents about minor's counsels is that child molesters often pay them extra to turn a blind eye towards child molestation.
Because of Childers's lack of preparedness, the judge continued the case to May 7, 2015. It was also previously continued on March 27, before the alleged assault and battery in Madera. That continuance was mainly due to Childers's lack of preparedness on March 27th. Sarah is again forced to stay in the custody of the convicted child molester. The only allowance Judge Compton gave the concerned mother was to allow her to take the child to church on occasions. There was no indication in this hearing that the judge was at all concerned about the likelihood of forced sex on a child or that the Judge was concerned about the child's welfare or rights. No emergency measures were taken to protect the child.
Protective parents in California and throughout the United States have launched numerous mass protests against what they call is a statewide and national trend towards judges giving full custody of children to rapists and documented child molesters. In California and elsewhere, judges ignore police reports that a child molester raped a child and provide him with full custody over his victim. In some states, the problem of giving child custody to rapists has gotten so bad that protective parents are writing petitions to protect the children from the rapists who raped their mothers. Observers have noted that the Knight-Elizondo case involving the placing of this particular child into the hands of a convicted child molester fits this growing pattern of disregarding the safety and needs of children.
Lisa Knight returned to court on April 21, prepared to fight for custody of her daughter. With witnesses expected to testify to Lisa's ability to raise her daughter in a stable, safe environment, she expected to be granted some or all custodial rights to her daughter. Currently, all custodial rights have been given to a convicted child molester who obtained custody after his conviction for molesting a girl S---'s age. The question for observers was whether the court would require the child to be in a situation where she likely would be forced into sex or an environment where she would be free from sexual abuse. Lisa Knight's environment would allow the girl to grow up without having to engage in sexual acts. Observers continue to ask why this is not a high judicial priority as well.
Lisa went to the home of convicted child molester Nicholas Elizondo and allegedly found the two in one of S---'s two twin beds under the covers. It was further alleged that, as the two got out of bed, Elizondo was undressed and S--- was in her nightgown. The child has reportedly said that she does what she has to do with her father and that he gets into bed with her at night but leaves before sleeping time.
Hospital records show that little S--- has been repeatedly treated for urinary tract infections since being in the custody of her father. Repeated urinary tract infections are considered by medical experts to be one indication of child molestation.
A witness who spoke to the Justice Gazette staff was present at a hospital in Madera, CA, when Elizondo allegedly assaulted and battered the mother Lisa Knight while her young daughter was present. Elizondo also allegedly grabbed the girl's arm and forcibly took the child away against her will as she screamed that she didn't want to go with him. Ms. Knight also had documents in her possession indicating Elizondo is currently on probation for drunk driving. Would it matter to this judge whether a convicted child molester is drunk while driving a young child around town?
The system has been so stacked against Ms. Knight that, when she tried to get a fee waiver for a court reporter, she got nothing but a run-around by court personnel in Bakersfield. At her Marc 27th, hearing, a friend paid $600 to have a court reporter present and was later told the actual transcript for the short hearing would cost $6000. Court Administrator Terry McNally said that he believed that transcript fee was excessive.
With some assistance from the staff of the Justice Gazette, a fee waiver for the court reporter and other services was presented to the Office of the Kern County Superior Court Administrator, Terry McNally. McNally was quite pleasant and cooperative. He offered to send a roving court reporter to Compton's Courtroom and to coordinate the timing with the clerk.
Compton's clerk was heard complaining to convicted child molester Elizondo's attorney Larry Wilson that someone had called McNally and that there would be a court reporter. The clerk added that, “She will still have to pay for the transcript,” in a tone that made it appear she felt the fee would be too excessive for a transcript to be received. Added to the $6000 fee requested for the earlier transcript, observers of the interaction questioned whether there was collusion to prevent Knight from receiving a record of the custody hearing. Some questioned whether Ms. Knight would even have a fair opportunity to stop any future molestation of her daughter. Does Ms. Knight's daughter have any right to be free from sex at her young age? Since when is sex with a child a sign of good parenting? These were questions observers wanted answered.
The matter was again continued as minor's counsel Stephanie Childers stated she did not have records. Childers conferred extensively with counsel for the convicted molester both on March 27th and April 21st but only spoke with the mother briefly on the 21st for the purpose of obtaining the records the mother had with her and police reference numbers. When a Justice Gazette reporter asked Childers whether she was bothered by the idea of a child living with a convicted child molester who had molested a girl the same age as the one in his custody when that child molester had been allegedly caught undressed in bed with the very girl in his care, Childers chose to ignore the question—although it was clear she had heard the question. A common complaint from protective parents about minor's counsels is that child molesters often pay them extra to turn a blind eye towards child molestation.
Because of Childers's lack of preparedness, the judge continued the case to May 7, 2015. It was also previously continued on March 27, before the alleged assault and battery in Madera. That continuance was mainly due to Childers's lack of preparedness on March 27th. Sarah is again forced to stay in the custody of the convicted child molester. The only allowance Judge Compton gave the concerned mother was to allow her to take the child to church on occasions. There was no indication in this hearing that the judge was at all concerned about the likelihood of forced sex on a child or that the Judge was concerned about the child's welfare or rights. No emergency measures were taken to protect the child.
Protective parents in California and throughout the United States have launched numerous mass protests against what they call is a statewide and national trend towards judges giving full custody of children to rapists and documented child molesters. In California and elsewhere, judges ignore police reports that a child molester raped a child and provide him with full custody over his victim. In some states, the problem of giving child custody to rapists has gotten so bad that protective parents are writing petitions to protect the children from the rapists who raped their mothers. Observers have noted that the Knight-Elizondo case involving the placing of this particular child into the hands of a convicted child molester fits this growing pattern of disregarding the safety and needs of children.