 Mark Berndt, 61, arrested on suspicion of committing lewd acts upon a child, faces 23 criminal counts involving children aged 7 to 10 years old. |
A judge today refused to reduce the $23 million bail for Mark Berndt, the former Miramonte Elementary School teacher, accused of abusing nearly two dozen children.
The 61 year-old Berndt pleaded not guilty last month to 23 counts of committing a lewd act on a child.
Berndt’s public defender, Victor Acevedo, argued his client was not a flight risk, but according to a KNX radio report, the judge declined to lower the bail because some of his victims have been experiencing nightmares.
Berndt is due to appear in court on May 1st for a preliminary hearing.
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