PASADENA — www.pasadenastarnews.com The preliminary hearing for a Monrovia man accused of killing adult actress and model Felicia Lee started just before noon on Monday.

Brian Randone is charged in Pasadena Superior Court with the torture and murder of Lee, who was found dead inside the couple’s Monrovia apartment on Sept. 11.

Randone has denied the charges.

During the preliminary hearing, prosecutors must call witnesses to convince a judge they have sufficient evidence to take Randone to trial.

Deputy District Attorney Philip Wojdak called Los Angeles County Medical Examiner Dr. Ajay Panchal to the stand as one of his first witnesses.

Panchal performed Lee’s autopsy on Sept. 14.

Panchal testified Lee died from smothering, blunt trauma, GHB intoxication and the effects of cocaine.

Using pictures of Lee’s body, Panchal identified abrasions on Lee’s forehead, nose and chin as evidence her face was pressed onto something before her death.

Cuts on the inside of Lee’s lips served as further proof that she had been smothered, Panchal testified.

Randone’s defense attorney, Mark Overland has said Lee died from a drug overdose.

The hearing recessed for lunch about five minutes into Panchal’s testimony. Overland will have the opportunity to question the medical examiner later in the day.

Lee modeled and appeared in soft-core adult movies under the name Felicia Tang. Randone is a former preacher and reality television show contestant.