Pre-Preliminary Hearing for Carrera, Cins Pushed to April 4

RANCHO CUCAMONGA, Calif.—In brief proceedings Thursday morning, the Superior Court of California, County of San Bernardino rescheduled today's planned pre-preliminary hearing to April 4 in the multiple-felony case against adult performer Mercedes Carrera and husband Daemon Cins. The prelimary hearing originally scheduled for next Wednesday, February 20, has been vacated and continued, with time waived for that hearing until June 4. A pre-preliminary hearing, according to the San Bernardino County District Attorney website, is intended to determine "if both sides are ready to proceed on the Preliminary Hearing Date." At a preliminary hearing, the site says, "the prosecution presents evidence and testimony in an attempt to persuade a judge that there is sufficient evidence against the defendant for the case to be set for trial." It adds, "The defense has the opportunity to cross-examine witnesses and to challenge prosecution evidence at the Preliminary Hearing. ... If, at the conclusion of the Preliminary Hearing, the Judge determines there is sufficient cause for the defendant's case to be set for trial, the defendant is ordered 'held to answer' on some or all of the charges."