CALIFORNIA SLAYINGS Charged with killing children, man faces 33 additional counts

FRESNO, Calif. (AP) -- A man accused of killing nine of his children was charged Wednesday with 33 new counts, all alleging long-term sexual abuse and some dating as far back as 1988.
The new charges against Marcus Wesson include multiple counts of continuous sexual abuse and forcible rape against females who lived with him. The documents do not specify whether the women were family members, but say five of the six victims were under 14 when the attacks occurred.
Wesson, 57, already is charged with murdering eight children ages 1 to 17, as well as a 25-year-old daughter who police said was the mother of one of the slain children. The victims' bodies were found piled on top of each other.
Wesson has pleaded innocent and is being held in lieu of $9 million bail. If convicted, he could face the death penalty.
A preliminary hearing was scheduled for today. Judge Lawrence Jones rejected a defense request for a delay, saying Wesson had not waived his right to a hearing within 10 days of his arraignment.
Public defender Pete Jones had argued that he "could not possibly be effective" without enough time to explain the new charges to his client or to go through evidence related to them.