San Diego
A teacher at Knox Elementary School in Southeast San Diego was ordered Wednesday to stand trial on 28 child molestation counts involving two female students.
Four sex charges against Ernest Brown, 47, were dismissed by San Diego Municipal Judge Rafael Arreola on grounds of insufficient evidence.
At the request of defense attorney Alex Landon, the judge cut bail for Brown from $600,000 to $300,000. But the suspect remains in County Jail.
Deputy Dist. Atty. Aaron Katz said he opposed the bail reduction “vehemently.”
The two 12-year-old girls began their testimony Friday in the preliminary hearing, which was closed at the request of the prosecutor. A psychiatrist had testified that the girls would suffer psychologically if required to testify in open court.
Brown is to return to Superior Court on Feb. 28 for setting of a trial date.
He was arrested Nov. 30 at the school, where he has taught fourth and fifth grades since 1986.
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