An expected November jury trial for a former DeKalb School District 428 employee accused of battering and grooming a student has been postponed by a judge’s ruling at the request of his defense attorney.

Quinyatta Hutchinson, now 25, worked as a student teacher in April 2023 at Huntley Middle School when he was charged with having illegal sexual relations with a minor student. Also at the time his arrest, he was a Northern Illinois University senior who lived in DeKalb, his former defense attorney and an NIU spokesperson previously confirmed. DeKalb County court records now list a Chicago address for Hutchinson.

He’s charged with grooming and aggravated criminal sexual abuse, a class 2 felony. If convicted, he could face up to seven years in prison.

His jury trial was epxected to begin this week, records show.

Instead, that trial won’t begin for another two months, ruled Circuit Court Judge Marcy Buick.

“Judge, the state is anxious to get this to trial,” said lead prosecutor Brooks Locke of the DeKalb County State’s Attorney’s Office.

Hutchinson was charged on April 18, 2023. He spent months in DeKalb County Jail before his bond, which was initially set at half a million dollars, was reduced twice, records show. He was released on Jan. 4, 2024, after posting $20,000 cash bail on a $200,000 bond, records show.

Hutchinson appeared in person, joined by several supporters, before Buick on Oct. 14. The hearing came after his Aurora-based lawyer, Geneva Penson, asked the judge to push the trial.

In court filings, Penson cited a personal medical matter she said would prevent her from being able to attend court for trial.

Buick ruled in the defense’s favor, postponing the jury trial until the new year.

Hutchinson’s contract as a middle school student math teacher with a $44,867 salary was terminated after a May 2, 2023, DeKalb school board vote, according to district documents. A substitute teacher contract, which paid Hutchinson $130 daily, was also terminated, effective retroactively on April 14, 2023.

The former student teacher is accused of grooming a 14-year-old student for months, according to court records. The student told police that the two allegedly exchanged multiple digital messages with each other, including messages with sexual content.

A Huntley Middle School employee walked in on Hutchinson and the student on April 14, 2023, and found them alone in a classroom behind a cabinet, according to court records. The behavior was reported to DeKalb police, and Hutchinson was immediately removed, District 428 officials said at the time.

The student told police that Hutchinson allegedly sexually abused them during the lunch period on April 13, 2023. The student also alleged to authorities that the two often met during school hours and engaged in sexual acts multiple times between March 1 and April 14, 2023, according to court records.

Hutchinson previously pleaded not guilty, records show.

He’s expected to appear for another pretrial status hearing at 9 a.m. Dec. 16. Penson is expected to present her arguments on a motion to suppress evidence for trial at that time, court records show.