MAN, 78, TO STAND TRIAL ON LEWD CONDUCT CHARGES.Byline: Lee Condon Daily News Staff Writer A 78-year-old Glendale man was ordered to stand trial on felony lewd conduct charges Thursday after two young girls testified in a preliminary hearing that he touched them inappropriately while baby-sitting. After the emotional daylong hearing, Glendale Municipal Court municipal court n. a lower court which usually tries criminal misdemeanors and civil lawsuits involving lesser amounts of money than superior, district or county courts. The authority, importance and geographical area covered differ from state to state. In California, municipal courts have county-wide jurisdiction, conduct preliminary hearings of felonies, and try cases up to $25,000, while in many states they only handle cases arising out of violations Judge Joseph De Vanon decided enough evidence was presented to bound Daniel ``Danny'' Rodz over for arraignment arraignment n. the hearing in which a person charged with a crime is arraigned in his or her first appearance before a judge. This is the first appearance of a criminal defendant (unless continued from earlier time) in which all the preliminaries are taken care of. (See: arraign) in Pasadena Superior Court on 10 counts of lewd conduct with a child under 14. At an earlier Municipal Court appearance, Rodz pleaded not guilty to the charges. He will be required to enter a plea again at his Superior Court arraignment May 3. Rodz was arrested in February after a 10-year-old Burbank girl told her parents she was fondled by Rodz. The girl's 13-year-old sister and a 12-year-old neighborhood friend also came forward and told police that Rodz had fondled them. While the 10-year-old girl who made the initial accusation was too scared to testify Thursday, her 13-year-old sister and her 12-year-old neighbor did take the stand. The 13-year-old testified that Rodz on three occasions used his hand to touch her back and chest. The 12-year-old said Rodz had touched the waistband of her underpants. The father of the two sisters testified that he had known Rodz for three or four years and that he was considered a family friend. Rodz baby-sat for the children at his Glendale home on about 20 occasions over the course of 1994 and 1995, the father said. |
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