A judge set the date for the preliminary hearing of classics
Professor Andrew Dyck on Monday. Dyck is accused of sending
pornographic material through the internet to a 13-year-old
girl.
The hearing will take place March 25 at the Ventura Superior
Court.
A preliminary hearing serves to establish there is enough
evidence to continue on with a trial. The burden of proof during
the preliminary hearing lies with the prosecution.
Donald Etra, Dyck’s attorney, said he did not know whether
Dyck would testify during the preliminary hearing. Dyck pleaded not
guilty on Dec. 19 to four counts of sending harmful materials to a
minor.
Parents of the Simi Valley girl contacted police in December
2002 about e-mails containing explicit material their daughter had
allegedly been receiving from Dyck. Police posing as the girl
continued receiving inappropriate e-mails over the next few
months.
Police seized Dyck’s computer in July 2003 and found
images on the computer corresponding to the ones allegedly sent to
the victim.
Dyck turned himself in to Simi Valley police in Oct. 2003 after
being notified of a warrant issued for his arrest. He is currently
teaching at UCLA.