code: public static List<Token> getPrecedingTokens(JCas jCas, Token token)
      {
          List<Token> result = new ArrayList<Token>();
  
          for (Token t : JCasUtil.select(getInitialView(jCas), Token.class)) {
              if (t.getBegin() < token.getBegin()) {
                  result.add(t);
              }
          }
  
          return result;
      }
docs: Returns a list of tokens preceding the given token
  
  @param jCas  jCas
  @param token token
  @return list of tokens (may be empty if the token is the first one, but never null)