Prosecutor to seek retrial in videotaped arrest case

LOS ANGELES -- Prosecutors promised to press for a retrial of a former police officer who was videotaped battering a handcuffed teenager, saying a verdict was "important for the community."

Los Angeles County District Attorney Steve Cooley said Wednesday he would ask for a new assault trial within 60 days for Jeremy Morse. The announcement came one day after a judge declared a mistrial when jurors deadlocked 7-5 in favor of convicting the former Inglewood officer.

"The community has set a national example of restraint and good citizenship in light of this case, and we can do nothing less than assure that this former police officer is judged in a court of law," Cooley said.

Many observers had feared civil unrest could follow if Morse, 25, was not found guilty of assaulting Donovan Jackson, then 16, on July 6, 2002. Morse is seen on the videotape slamming Jackson into a police car after Jackson approached officers as they questioned his father about an expired license plate.

Race was never mentioned at trial, but the image of a white officer beating on a black youth made national headlines and sparked angry protests in the heavily minority city of Inglewood.

A coalition of government, church and community leaders urged calm, hoping to prevent riots like the ones that devastated Los Angeles after four white police officers were acquitted in 1992 of state charges in the videotaped beating of black motorist Rodney King.

When he declared a mistrial Tuesday, Superior Court Judge William Hollingsworth scheduled a Sept. 22 hearing to determine if the case should be retried. If he agrees to a retrial, Hollingsworth said he would schedule it to begin Sept. 29.

"There is no reason to wait. The evidence is there. The witnesses are ready," Cooley said Wednesday.

Morse's attorney, John Barnett, said he would ask the judge to dismiss the charge of assault under color of authority, saying Morse was only doing his job and had just seconds to decide how much force to use against a potentially dangerous suspect.

Community leaders who had hoped for a conviction mostly said they were pleased with Cooley's call for another trial.

"That kind of action on the part of law enforcement officials gives black people a greater degree of confidence in the criminal justice system," said Danny Bakewell of the Brotherhood Crusade.

Juror Patrick Morris, 37, questioned whether any panel could reach a unanimous verdict in the case.

"In any representative sampling of people, I think you'll find that some people consider (Morse's actions) OK," he told the Los Angeles Times. "There are some people who don't."