San Diego Marine to Stand Trial on Child Abuse Charges
San Diego Marine, James Lewis Charles, is set to face trial to defend himself against multiple allegations of child abuse raised by the San Diego District Attorney's Office. In a contested hearing known as a Preliminary Hearing, Judge Leo Valentine of the San Diego Superior Court found enough evidence was presented by the prosecution so that Mr. Charles will likely face a trial. Defense attorney Vikas Bajaj, who represents Mr. Charles, aggressively attacked the prosecution's witnesses and medical evidence. He voiced grave concerns to the court regarding the qualifications of the prosecution's expert witnesses and raised serious questions surrounding the allegations. He stated he plans to present a qualified medical expert to contest the medical conclusions reached by the prosecution's witness. A future court date of June 17, 2009 has been set to determine a trial date.
