No Preliminary Hearing Date Set Yet for Andre Edwards

The setting of a preliminary hearing date for Andre Edwards, the former custodian accused of two students, was pushed back a month in San Mateo County Superior Court this morning.

Edwards, 52, who on April 15 to two counts of committing lewd or lascivious acts on a child under 14, was supposed to have a preliminary hearing scheduled today, but the court granted the attorneys an additional month to set a date.

His preliminary hearing date is anticipated to be set on June 30 at 9 a.m.

Edwards did not appear in court today. He is out of custody on a $200,000 bail bond, which he  about 1:45 a.m. on March 18, the morning after he was arrested following a four-month-long investigation by the that stemmed from a female student's reports that Edwards inappropriately touched her.

It was the second time a student had accused Edwards of such behavior; in 2001, Edwards allegedly put his hands down the pants of a 13-year-old girl, according to the district attorney's office.

That girl also reported the incident, but the case was not prosecuted due to lack of corroboration. Edwards was told, however, to not be alone with any students in his janitor office.

Edwards, who retired from the on Feb. 28, had worked there  since September 1987. He has denied the claims.

Edwards' defense attorney Eric Hove declined to comment on the case outside the courtroom this morning.

Edwards faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted, District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe said.