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Plea Delayed for Sunday School Teacher Accused in Rape, Murder of California Girl, 8

Associated Press
Published | Updated
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April 14: Melissa Huckaby cries as she hears the charges of murder against her in the death of Sandra Cantu. (FNC)

TRACY, Calif. – The Sunday school teacher accused in the rape and killing of 8-year-old Sandra Cantu had her plea delayed a second time Friday to give her defense team more time to prepare.

Melissa Huckaby, 28, was scheduled to make her second court appearance in San Joaquin County Court after being charged with murder with special circumstances, including kidnapping and rape with a foreign object.

A conviction on any of the special circumstances would make her eligible for the death penalty.

Public Defender Sam Behar asked for a delay in entering a plea. She is now set to enter a plea on May 11, KTVU.com reported.

Behar has complained he hasn't received any evidence from prosecutors.

San Joaquin County Superior Court Judge Linda Lofthus also granted the prosecution's request to seal autopsy and toxicology reports.

Click here for photos.

Click here for photos from Sandra Cantu's memorial service.

Meanwhile, prosecutors and Huckaby's lawyer are at odds over the forensic evidence from the girl's autopsy.

Public defender Peter Fox is attacking the credibility of San Joaquin County's chief medical examiner, Dr. Bennet Omalu.

Fox claims that some attorneys have complained that Omalu's opinions in other homicide cases were biased toward the prosecution.

Omalu has not responded to Fox's claims because of a gag order in the case.

This week, police in Orange County said Huckaby was questioned in connection with two arson fires set in 2007.

La Palma police Capt. Jim Enright said Huckaby was considered a person of interest in two fires set at a home where she lived that year.

Any investigation would halt while the murder case proceeded, according to Enright.

Authorities said the two fires caused nearly $90,000 in damages.

Huckaby remains in jail without bail facing allegations she kidnapped, raped and murdered her 5-year-old daughter's playmate. The child disappeared March 27; her body was found stuffed in a suitcase belonging to Huckaby that was dumped in a drainage pond.

Click here for more on this story from FOX affiliate KTVU.com.