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Trial location in Inglewood police abuse case changes again

TORRANCE, California (CNN) -- The trial venue has changed a second time for two Southern California police officers charged in the videotaped beating of a teen-ager in July.

Inglewood officers Jeremy Morse and Bijan Darvish, who face trial October 15, appeared briefly Wednesday in Los Angeles Superior Court in Torrance, where the judge said the trial would be moved to the Airport Courhouse, still in the Los Angeles Superior Court.

A September 5 pre-trial hearing was set for motions.

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Morse, the police officer shown on an amateur video roughing up 16-year-old Donovan Jackson during an arrest, has pleaded not guilty to an assault charge.

A conviction on the charge of assault under the color of authority would carry a maximum sentence of three years in state prison and a $10,000 fine.

Darvish, Morse's partner, pleaded not guilty to a lesser charge of filing a false police report.

The case was transferred earlier this month from Inglewood Superior Court Judge Rodney Forneret to Torrance Superior Court, where it was to be heard before Judge Francis Hourigan.

Courtroom space problems prompted judicial authorities to move the trial to Los Angeles Superior Court, at the Airport Courthouse, court spokesman Allen Parachini said. The case will be heard by Judge William Hollingsworth.

The Airport Courthouse is less than two miles from the alleged crime scene in Inglewood, whose citizens were angry when the case was moved to Torrance. Inglewood citizens may now be among the jury pool.

-- Producer Tony Frassrand contributed to this report.