![Leonard Bales, 46, of Palmdale, appeared in an Antelope Valley courtroom Thursday, Oct. 15, but did not enter a plea. His arraignment was instead postponed to Nov. 12. [Photo by JOHN MEZA]](https://www.theavtimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Leonard-Bales-in-court-10.15.15.jpg)
Leonard Earl Bales, 46, of Palmdale, faces one count each of forcible oral copulation; kidnapping to commit forcible oral copulation; attempted murder; criminal threats; assault with a deadly weapon, belt; false imprisonment by violence and assault with intent to commit rape, sodomy or oral copulation, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.
Deputy District Attorney Jon Hatami said the case includes allegations of kidnap, tying, binding, great bodily injury and two or more serious or violent felony convictions.
Bales appeared in court but did not enter a plea Thursday. His arraignment was instead postponed to Nov. 12.
The latest case stems from a Sept. 26 incident. Bales allegedly took a 35-year-old woman to a vacant house in Quartz Hill where he choked, dragged and sexually assaulted her, the prosecutor said. The victim managed to escape the home without any clothes on and get a neighbor to shelter her and call police, the prosecutor added.
Bales was arrested that day by Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies and has remained in jail since then on just over $3.8 million bail.
Prosecutors allege Bales has a 1998 conviction for killing a woman in Lancaster. In that case, a 27-year-old Bales was initially charged with murder in the 1996 strangulation death of a 37-year-old woman, according to prior media reports. Bales eventually took a plea deal in 1998 for voluntary manslaughter and was sentenced to 18 years in state prison and paroled in 2013.
The criminal complaint also alleges that Bales has convictions from 1994 for assault by means likely to produce great bodily injury and first-degree burglary.
If convicted of the latest charges, Bales could face up to life in state prison, according to the District Attorney’s Office.
The case remains under investigation by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, Lancaster Station.
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larry says
i agree victim should sue the state!
leah says
I wonder how many women he has killed. Sounds like a serial killer to me. Its sad to think however i bet there are other victims. Should have kept him in prison.
Justice sucks says
His whole family and judge should bury their heads in holes for allowing Chester the molester to experience life after such a gruesome murder. Just to repeat it like the creep he was raised to be !
shaun says
If he only had been convicted of having a single topless photo of a 16-year old girl on his phone, or once had slapped a woman’s rear in a bar… then he would have been on a list for all to see.
But that is that and is not appropriate for a person who has killed another after beating someone else and breaking into someone else’s residence. Tee hee.
terry says
D.A. DO UR JOB RIGHT THIS TIME DON’T LET THIS MURDER HAVE A CHANCE TO GET OUT OF PRISON EVER AGAIN! ITS NOT FAIR TO PUT WOMEN IN FEAR OF THEIR LIVES BECAUSE U CAN’T DO UR JOB CORRECTLY.
terry says
i agree a murderer only gets life it seems for killing a cop. no good justice. this man has been hurting and beating women his entire life since he was a teenager and he was let free over and over again to kill and now attempt to kill another. lets all pray this time they lock him away for life without the possibility of parole to go and hurt another woman. he kills dogs to. thank God we r safe once again.
True Moo says
That is so wacked out that this guy was ever let out to commit another of a similar crime, the murder of a woman. I’m so glad the victim made away with her life. Plea deals in cases involving murder? No way! That is crazy! They are murderers and that’s it, throw them away! They have identified themselves as what they do and should be disgorged from society! Duh!
Mary says
An animal?
Except for Pit Bulls, (Not all of course) not even animals viciously attack humans this way!
This man should have never been released from prison and it is my hope that the victim sues for her injuries and humiliation of having to go out doors nude to seek help.
This was an unnecessary rape as this man should have never been released from prison.
No infant, child, man, or woman, should have to endure rape by anyone
I will say it again MEN and WOMAN
You will NEVER get away with a sexual crime so if you are planning one, keep in mind, prison is a tough world. If you are doing a sex crime, you are going to eventually be reported and arrested so turn yourself in.
Life is too precious to waste even one day of it in jail, or prison.
notagain says
Why was a repeat offender and violent criminal who committed murder, ever let out of prison? Answer me that, Jerry Brown.
! says
Let’s compare a murderer, rapist, psycho to a pit-bull oh but not all of them. These are the most sweet, loving, loyal, dogs you will ever meet. If you have NEVER owned one please keep your media informed opinion of a pit bull to yourself! This goes for ALL breeds, there is no such thing as a BAD dog it is BAD owners and people out there who are ignorantly informed.
Now on to the real issue of this article. This POS should have never been released. Funny how someone who commits rape, as well as murder only gets 18 years. 18 years for taking someone’s life and not even serving the full term of his sentence. That is what is wrong with society these days. People feel sorry for the offender and fight for their rights or convince someone somewhere that he/she has a mental disorder.
This is Awesome, Thanks Jerry Brown!!!!!
carrie says
i agree 100% its not pit bulls that are the problem its idiots and heartless jerks that are cruel and abusive to ANY dog that’s the problem and all they want is to be loved just like us!! and if u show them love they will stand by ur side and PROTECT ur entire family from monsters like this guy!!
Diego Del Monte says
This release in 2013 based on a plea deal was a year before the “Non-Violent inmate release” program started by Jerry Brown. Maybe if the program had started sooner, he would not have been released due to the overcrowded prisons full of non-violent inmates.
Bob says
This is what happens when you live in a liberal state. Liberals feel more sorry for the people who commit crimes than for the victims!
dumbandblind says
I wonder why animals like these are kept alive, worse by taxpayer funds.
Tim Scott says
So stop paying taxes.
Truth says
As Tim would say, the real danger is the laSd. People like this are mostly reformed and no danger, but the laSd is dangerous. Since Tim is no hypocrite, he doesn’t pay taxes to support the criminal laSd.
sofia says
Why comparing this monsters to a animal. .animals are no danger to society, but those individuals are…the victim should be able to sue the state for releasing him ever out of prison.