A preliminary hearing in a sexual abuse case involving a 9-year-old girl was waived Tuesday.

Blanchard McLeod, attorney for Michael Green, 32, of Selma, said that his client requested to waive the hearing after he discussed it with him. McLeod added that a preliminary hearing is basically a hearsay hearing, and that Green thought it was in his best interest to forego the procedure.

Green is accused of sexually abusing a 9-year-old girl.

The district attorney’s office said that since the hearing was waived the matter will now go to a grand jury. That could happen as soon as next week, but might not occur until some months from now.

The district attorney’s office added that if the grand jury hands down an indictment then Green will be arraigned.

At an arraignment Green would enter a plea of either &uot;guilty&uot; or &uot;not guilty.&uot;

If he pleads guilty then he would be set for sentencing. If he pleads not guilty then a trial date will be set.

The accusations against Green stem from a statement the alleged victim’s mother made Oct. 8, 2001.

According to the mother’s statement, Green came to her home on Oct. 3 while the rest of her family was asleep. She said that Green told her he was going to unlock the back door to the house and come back inside through her room. He would then lock the back door and turn off his truck, which was still running.

The mother said that Green told her he’d be back in five to 10 minutes.

However, after Green did not return the mother said she stood in her hallway in an attempt to hear something. That’s when she noticed sounds from one of her children’s rooms.

In her statement, the mother said she entered the room and turned on the light. That’s when she saw Green on top of her child.

Green, the mother said, jumped up and said it was a mistake, and that he had thought it was her in the bed.

She then said she picked up two knives and one of her children looked as if she were going to hit Green with what looked like a popcorn popper.

The mother of the alleged victim said she then called Green’s mother. Once she arrived both Green and his mother left the house.