Man given probation in death of mother

Volunteer work also part of his sentence
By Dana Littlefield
UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER
March 5, 2005

VISTA – A North County man was placed on three years' probation yesterday for his role in the death of his mother in what a judge said was one of the most unusual cases to come before him.

Superior Court Judge Richard E. Mills also ordered Leo Dunckley, 62, to complete 300 hours of volunteer work.

The judge said he had never seen a case like Dunckley's in which the defendant had made such an effort "to do the right thing" and still ended up being convicted of a crime.

In January, a jury convicted Dunckley, formerly of Solana Beach, of elder abuse in the death of his 90-year-old mother, Eleanor Dunckley, on Aug. 12,2002. Leo Dunckley lived with his mother, who suffered from a host of maladies including Alzheimer's disease and poor circulation, and cared for her for eight years.

According to testimony during two trials, Eleanor Dunckley died of a lung infection and a blot clot. Medical authorities said her body was covered in bedsores, which contributed to her death.

The first jury deadlocked 6-6 in July over whether Dunckley was responsible for his mother's death.

Prosecutor Robert Stein argued during the trials that Dunckley failed to properly care for his mother by keeping her in a filthy apartment and refusing to take her to a local doctor or emergency room when her bedsores got out of hand.

Dunckley testified that he treated the bedsores himself by spraying them with an iodine solution and turning his mother regularly throughout the day and night. He said he tried to get an appointment with either of two doctors he trusted in Los Angeles but was unable to do so.

Stein said Dunckley preferred those doctors because they, like himself, were members of the Church of Scientology. Stein said Dunckley ignored the doctors' advice that he take his mother to a doctor or emergency room in San Diego County.

Defense attorney Jerry Leahy argued during the trials that Dunckley cared as best he could for his mother and committed "an error in judgment" rather than criminal neglect.

Leahy reiterated those arguments in court yesterday when he asked Judge Mills to overturn the conviction or reduce the felony charge to a misdemeanor.

"He was doing what he thought was right," Leahy told the judge. "In hindsight he should have done something differently."

The judge denied both requests.

Mills spent more than two hours discussing the case, weighing what sentence would be appropriate and why he rejected a jail sentence. The judge said he also considered the wishes of Dunckley's brothers, who regarded him as a hero, and what Eleanor Dunckley might want.

"I think she'd say, "Don't do anything to Leo,' " the judge said, becoming overcome by emotion that caused him to take a brief break.

Mills said he recognized that Dunckley deserves credit for the effort he made to care for his mother and his lack of a criminal record. However, the judge said Dunckley's obligation to his mother was to take better care of the bedsores.

"It's unimaginable to me that Mr. Dunckley could not have been aware of his mother's condition, and he needed to have it treated in a different way," the judge said.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dana Littlefield: (760) 476-8233; dana.littlefield@uniontrib.com

From: Mike Gormez
Subject: Re: Scientologist given probation in death of mother
Date: Sat, 05 Mar 2005 12:19:25 +0100
Organization: STOP-WISE.BIZ
Message-ID: <8b5j21t44d1kbt28h216f2v924orm2pra2@4ax.com>

"On 5 Mar 2005 10:04:41 -0000, Anonymous <Use-Author-Supplied-Address@[127.1]> wrote in <CYLALT9T38416.1699189815@anonymous.poster>:

>Man given probation in death of mother
>
>Volunteer work also part of his sentence
>By Dana Littlefield
>UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER
>March 5, 2005
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/northcounty/20050305-9999-1mc5dunckley.html

Previous stories http://signonsandiego.printthis.clickability.com/pt/cpt?action=cpt&title=Solana+Beach+man+convicted+of+abuse+in+death+of+mother+%7C+The+San+Diego+Union-Tribune&expire=&urlID=12825994&fb=Y&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.signonsandiego.com%2Funiontrib%2F20050108%2Fnews_1mc8dunckley.html&partnerID=616

Here's Megan Shields testifying http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2005/01/06/news/coastal/del_mar/21_46_571_5_05.txt

http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2004/07/08/news/top_stories/23_30_387_7_04.txt http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2005/01/05/news/coastal/oceanside/23_25_291_4_05.txt

"A medical examiner testified that the emaciated woman was dehydrated and had bedsores so severe on her hip and back that her bones were visible in at least one of the sores." http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2005/01/08/news/coastal/del_mar/22_1_58_091_7_05.txt

-- Mike Gormez

- World Institute of Scientology Enterprises (WISE) - www.stop-wise.biz
- www.whyaretheydead.net - Why Are They Dead, Scientology?
- Child abuse and neglect by scientologists www.taxexemptchildabuse.net
- www.psychassualt.org - Scientology hatred of mental health (CCHR)

From: barbz
Subject: Scientologist elder abuse
Date: Sat, 05 Mar 2005 12:07:44 -0800
Message-ID: <422a119f$1@news2.lightlink.com>

Leo Dunkley allowed his elderly mother to die because he didn't want to go to a "strange doctor."

The hardcopy version of the paper mentions that the Los Angeles doctors he favored are Scientologists. This is not mentioned in the online version.

http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20050108/news_1mc8dunckley.html

and here: http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2005/01/07/news/coastal/del_mar/22_04_051_6_05.txt

and here, he apparently lies about the care he provided: http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2005/01/06/news/coastal/del_mar/21_46_571_5_05.txt

Dunkley is mentioned in Scientology completion lists: http://www.truthaboutscientology.com/stats/ccint/celebrity-1980-09.html

and here: http://www.truthaboutscientology.com/stats/auditor/auditor297.html

Eleanor, his mother, is mentioned here: http://www.truthaboutscientology.com/stats/ccint/celebrity017min.html

How many people have to die because of Scientologists' irrational fear of medicine and "wog doctors?"

Was she subjected to touch assists rather than real medicine?

barb

From: barbz
Subject: Re: why did Scientology get dropped from the online edition?
Date: Sat, 05 Mar 2005 16:37:09 -0800
Message-ID: <422a50c2$1@news2.lightlink.com>
In-Reply-To: <2qjk219ddsbcir7fbp3v0dk6k8pqurg9uj@4ax.com>

Tilman Hausherr wrote:

> On Sat, 05 Mar 2005 16:22:28 -0800, barbz <xenubarb@netscape.net> wrote:
>
>
>>My dad brought a clip from the Union Tribune today. Oddly, the whole
>>paragraph about the guy who let his mother die of neglect being a
>>Scientologist was not included in the online edition.
>>Go figure.
>
>
> Do you mean that there was another paragraph than this one?
>
> Stein said Dunckley preferred those doctors because they, like himself,
> were members of the Church of Scientology. Stein said Dunckley ignored
> the doctors' advice that he take his mother to a doctor or emergency
> room in San Diego County.

Here is the missing paragraph:

"Stein said Dunckley preferred those doctors because they, like himself, were members of the church of scientology. Stein said Dunckley ignored the doctors' advice that he take his mother to a doctor or emergency room in San Diego County.

From: barbz
Subject: isn't this special
Date: Sat, 05 Mar 2005 16:59:39 -0800
Message-ID: <422a5608$1@news2.lightlink.com>

The story about the stupid cultie who neglected his mother to death... for some reason all mention of this shit head's link to Scientology has been removed from all the online news articles.

What's up with that?

Fucker was a clam. He killed his mom because of Scientology's moronic attitude towards medicine. He lied. She died.

And yet, several online news services have, in the course of a few hours, deleted all mention of Scientology in their articles.

Mikey Gormez, this is another one for whyaretheydead. I'll scan the hard copy so y'all can compare it to the online story. Why is the local paper, the San Diego Union-Tribune, covering up this story like a turd in a cat box? Hmmmm?

barb

Date: Sat, 05 Mar 2005 17:14:49 -0800
From: barbz
Subject: Leo Dunkley, Scientologist and mother killer
Message-ID: <422a599a$1@news2.lightlink.com>

http://www.sdcda.org/case/high_profile2.php#167492133820 Suspect: Leo James Dunkley Charge: Willful Cruelty To Elder/dependent Adult - Gbi Or Death DOB: 05/08/1942 Court No.: CD172929 Prosecutor: Robert Stein Defense: Jerry Leahy Synopsis: Solana Beach man charged with elder abuse that resulted in his mother's death. Custody Status: Notification letter sent Next Court Date: Sentencing Hearing, Mar 4 2005 1:30PM, Department 24, San Diego Superior Court, North County Division, Vista Regional Cent

From: barbz
Subject: oddly enough
Date: Sat, 05 Mar 2005 17:17:47 -0800
Message-ID: <422a5a49$1@news2.lightlink.com>

Now, a google search for Leo Dunkley doesn't even give any good results. This morning at least, we got the article on his mother's death due to neglect, which online omitted his link to Scientology, and hers as well.

What the f is going on here??? I've posted a scan of the hard copy article to abs. I can't even find the online article now! Isn't that just...special! barb

<p><hr><p> From: barbz
Subject: Scientology kills!
Date: Sat, 05 Mar 2005 17:22:47 -0800
Message-ID: <422a5b75$1@news2.lightlink.com>

Eleanor Dunckley...scientologist, alzheimer's victim, murdered by neglect. Local news covering it up.

Links to the original article gone from google.

Nothing like dying covered in bed sores and wallowing in your own crap. And yet, somehow, San Diego newspaper seems to have dropped all mention of Scientology from their article. And yet, somehow, the articles that showed up this morning on google are no longer listed.

I hope y'all are paying attention and taking notes. barb

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