Ex-karate teacher gets trial on murder solicitation charges
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}A former karate instructor accused of sexually assaulting students will stand trial in Pennsylvania on charges he tried to have witnesses killed.
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (http://bit.ly/2pZmVge) reports South Park resident Michael Scherbanic waived his right Friday to a preliminary hearing on charges he asked his cellmate to kill or intimidate his victims.
His attorney Richard Narvin says he "maintains he is innocent" of the charges.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Investigators say he used a reference from the "Star Wars" movies as a codename for his plan.
He was charged last year in five sexual-assault cases. Police say the victims ranged in age from 12 to 20 and were students at the Tang Soo Do Karate College in North Versailles (vur-SAYLZ').
His trial for the assault cases is set for August.
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Information from: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, http://www.post-gazette.com