After two and a half years, more than $15 million, 60,000 pages of evidence and 124 witnesses, The McMartin Pre-School case is the longest criminal trial in U.S. history.

The case is etched in people’s minds as one of the biggest fiascos in legal circles, and one of the biggest failures in humanity.

Peggy McMartin Buckey, 63, and her son Raymond Buckey, 31, were acquitted last Thursday in California of 52 counts of sex abuse.

So the Buckey’s are considered innocent, and maybe they are. But even with the court’s ruling, questions remain because some jurors said they believe some of the children were molested, but not enough evidence was presented for a guilty vote.

And it’s the prosecution’s job to present enough evidence, in the right way, to ensure a guilty verdict. No one is perfect, and prosecuters do lose cases.

But with all of the money, time and effort, the prosecution’s incompetence in spoon-feeding the children on videotape is an intolerable mistake.

Jurors said the tape was blemished because the children were answering questions for their parent’s and prosecution’s approval.

The prosecution should have had the sense to realize that the tape might damage their case. Their experience should have told them the tape was too dangerous.

Unfortunately, the prosecution doesn’t have a “next time.” Hopefully, neither do the children.