The Madera chapter of the Judge David Minier story had a horrendously auspicious beginning. The United States just celebrated its bi-centennial when 11 days later three men kidnapped 26 children and their bus driver from Chowchilla who were on their way home from summer school, July 15, 1976.
That day, Minier had interviewed with the Madera County Board of Supervisors for the district attorney job.
“I heard about the kidnapping on the radio on the drive home to Santa Maria,” Minier said.
Those horrifying days gave Minier a great deal to ponder. Here he hoped to be working in a little sleepy county in Central California and then one of the biggest crimes in history is committed, he said...