Priest waives preliminary hearing in sex case

Tuesday, June 25, 2002 | 10:55 a.m.

The Rev. Mark Roberts waived his right to a preliminary hearing this morning on charges that he fondled and photographed teenage boys at his Catholic parish in Henderson.

Roberts' lawyer, George Foley Sr., told Henderson Justice of the Peace Rodney T. Burr that they accepted the evidence prosecutors had and preferred to go straight to the arraignment, set for July 16 in District Court.

Foley wrote Clark County District Attorney Stewart Bell of his intentions to waive the hearing last week. Bell said that waiving the hearing will give Roberts, 51, more time to prepare his defense and also spares the alleged victims from having to testify at a preliminary hearing.

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