Second Sentencing Delay in Child Sex Abuse Case

A South San Francisco man, found guilty on six felony counts and two misdemeanor counts of child sexual abuse, received a second delay in his sentencing.

Defense lawyers argued successfully to delay the sentencing of Dhirendra Lal, 47, until the California Supreme Court rules on whether the law prohibiting sexual conduct with a child 10 years of age or younger applies to children in their 10th year of life.

Lal will return to court Oct. 14 for a hearing on the defense motion for a new trial and for sentencing, the San Mateo County District Attorney disclosed this morning.

Lal was originally charged with 30 counts of committing a lewd and lascivious act on a child under 14 and 26 counts of oral copulation on a child.

His 10-year-old daughter confided in a teacher in 2007 that Lal had been abusing her and her 4-year-old sister; the teacher notified police. The elder daughter told the teacher she did not come forward before because her father had threatened to kill the entire family if she did so, according to a police report. Lal told authorities the girl was lying.

A jury found Lal guilty on six felony and two misdemeanor counts Sept. 10, 2010.

He faces a maximum sentence of life in prison.