A jury found 48-year-old Leonard Earl Bales of Palmdale guilty of one count each of forcible oral copulation; kidnapping to commit oral copulation; attempted willful, deliberate and premeditated murder; criminal threats; assault with a deadly weapon, belt; false imprisonment by violence and assault with intent to commit oral copulation.
The jury also found true allegations of kidnapping, tying and binding, great bodily injury and personally using a deadly or dangerous weapon.
The case stems from an incident that occurred during the early morning hours of Sept. 26, 2015.
According to testimony during the weeklong trial, Bales strangled a 35-year-old prostitute into unconsciousness, kidnapped her and took her to a vacant house in Quartz Hill. He proceeded to drag, tie and bind, and sexually assault the victim.
After the attack, the woman managed to escape from her bindings and ran naked from the vacant house. She found a neighbor that provided shelter and called police, the prosecutor said.
Bales is scheduled to be sentenced Feb. 3 at the Antelope Valley courthouse. He faces 90 years to life in state prison.
Bales was previously convicted in 1998 of killing a woman in Lancaster and was sentenced to 18 years in state prison.
He was paroled in 2013.
The latest case was investigated by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, Lancaster Station.
Previous related stories:
Paroled killer ordered to trial for kidnapping, sexual assault, attempted murder
Convicted killer pleads not guilty to kidnapping, sexually assaulting woman
Convicted killer charged with attempted murder, kidnapping, rape
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callingitasitis says
@ Nancy Ann Bales
It is obvious that 18 years for killing another woman was not enough, To the sister word of advice, it is better for you to stay silence. Your statement will not cover his evil behavior. Your lack of empathy for the victims is also telling.
Bill says
How the heck was this guy even on the streets?
Nanvy Bales says
For all u whom have something to say about my brother understand this I am his sister an no his wrong an he was wrong but until his last breath on this earth I will love him with every ounce of my heart an soul an I will miss the man he could have been an I will love the man he is for we r bund by blood seal with forever love I am his sister I am Nancy Ann Bales my heart is so sad alaround my love for him forever stands unbroken
Tbaldyga says
Its a Shame you share DNA. I wouldn’t go around bragging about it. The man he could have been? Please. He is a killer. A sick freak
April says
Thank. God the jury got it right this time. Pray he gets life without parole. I can sleep peacefully again knowing he can never hurt another woman.
10 Doug says
They should be put to death by his sentence and never be let out. What a shame for Calif. so called Justice system?
Chris says
For one convicted killer should if never had the oppurtunity for parole wtf?
Tim Scott says
People convicted of homicide that get paroled have one of the lowest recidivism rates of any incident crimes. Certainly turned out badly in this case, but your blanket “convicted killers should never be paroled” doesn’t have a lot of reasoning behind it.
Addison says
Yet there is no registration process for convicted killers (!).
When there is one – for life – for those convicted of ALL sort of seksual crimes, even a 19 year old having a 17 year old girlfriend, later to become his wife, or having a conversation with any person under 18, or having a photo of top-less 16 year old on your phone.
While those convicted of seksual crimes have the second lowest recidivism rate, second only to those convicted of killing (!) another person.
Explain THAT reasoning to me.
Tim Scott says
According to the data you are wrong. Recidivism rates are highest for sex crimes, and lowest for homicide. That seems like pretty obvious reasoning. You track the people who are most likely to offend again, and you don’t track the people who are least likely to offend again.
The problem, as you point out, is that we have expanded the world of “sex crimes” into absurdity.
Shane Falco says
Which sex crimes do you feel shouldn’t be sex crimes?
Tim Scott says
Why do you ask, Foolco? Especially since there was already a good example given.
The guy who is permanently registered because he had a seventeen year old girlfriend when he was nineteen…and that girlfriend is now his twenty-seven year old wife when he is twenty-nine. No doubt in your world he’s “just another cockroach” for you to look down on, but most people would agree that’s absurd.
Addisson says
You could not be more mistaken. According to all CDCR and CASOMB reports those with prior convictions requiring registration pursuant to PC 290 have the second lowest recidivism rate (with a like crime – excluding the bogus ‘Failure to register – in the 3-5% range), second only to murderers (not sure if that includes all killers) with a general re-offense rate for all others in the 60% range.
Where do you get your statistics / studies? Please cite / post a link if possible.
Tim Scott says
My bad…I misread the “total recidivism” and the “like crime” recidivism columns. You are correct, they are second lowest. I got the info from Dept of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics. I didn’t track the link, but their website is pretty easy to navigate. There’s some minor variation in specific numbers since the DOJ statistics are across all states, but as I said you were right on the order.
Laughing says
May I suggest that you start the ball rolling for a national registry of those that are released after a murder conviction. Something like Megans Law. If written properly and pushed out there correctly it may gain popularity and then become reality.
Addisson says
Or I spend my time pointing out that all registries – popular they may be – have a very limited to no public safety benefit. Which (unsupported) claim is the only way they are not deemed unconstitutional).
Why is there no registry for all criminals? If it saves one citizen?
So no, a registry for murderers is as useless as the one for 290 registrants. But that is so much more fun…
Bye bye says
Convicted killer and a prostitute disaster waiting to happen