RENO COUNTY— The state will be allowed to have the victim in a Kansas rape and kidnapping case testify during the preliminary hearing by electronic means over the objection of the defense.

Twenty-year-old Victor Hugo Pedraza is charged with beating, rape and kidnapping of a Japanese foreign exchange student who attended Hutchinson Community.

He then set her passport and related documents on fire. Police say the victim had been tied to a bed and beaten, then forced into sex twice after telling him no.

The state wants to have the victim testify via video from Japan to avoid the cost of flying her to Hutchinson, which could cost thousands of dollars.

The defense argued against it. The defense does not believe the judge has jurisdiction over someone in a foreign country and says that it may violate the defendant’s right to confrontation.

However, Judge Joe McCarville says the defendant doesn’t have confrontation rights for a preliminary hearing because it’s only a probable cause hearing and granted the state’s motion.

John Tracy with the District Attorney’s office told the court they will set up the video through Facebook Messenger for the hearing. It is scheduled for Feb. 22 at 4:00 p.m. — 7 a.m. in Japan.

If the defendant is bound over for trial, the state will be required to fly the victim to the U.S. to testify in person for any trial.