California officer videotaped in beating of teenager is fired

<br>LOS ANGELES (AP) _ The police officer facing a criminal trial in the videotaped beating of a handcuffed 16-year-old has been fired, authorities said. <br><br>``I conducted a hearing, and I made my

Friday, October 25th 2002, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

LOS ANGELES (AP) _ The police officer facing a criminal trial in the videotaped beating of a handcuffed 16-year-old has been fired, authorities said.

``I conducted a hearing, and I made my final decision,'' Inglewood Police Chief Ronald Banks said Thursday.

Jeremy Morse, the police officer whose beating of a teenager in July was caught on videotape and broadcast nationwide, was terminated effective Oct. 14.

Morse has been on paid administrative leave since the July 6 incident, which led to charges of police brutality and comparisons with the beating of Rodney King.

A bystander's videotape showed Morse lifting a handcuffed Donovan Jackson to his feet, slamming his head onto a squad car and punching and choking him.

Jackson and his father, Coby Chavis, were stopped at a gas station by Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies because their car had expired tags. Morse and his partner, Bijan Darvish, arrived as Chavis was being questioned.

A police report states Jackson violently resisted arrest and Morse claims the teen grabbed his groin.

Morse was indicted by a grand jury on a charge of assault under color of law. Darvish was indicted on a charge of filing a false police report after the incident. Both officers have pleaded not guilty.

Morse's attorney has asked the city to begin the process of arbitration, a standard option for terminated employees, officials said. During arbitration, the city and the Inglewood Police Association will pick an arbitrator to review the case and then forward an opinion to City Administrator Joseph T. Rouzan Jr.

Rouzan then will either validate the chief's decision or recommend another action.

Darvish, who faces a 10-day suspension without pay for ``omission of information'' on a police report, is expected to meet Friday with Banks for a hearing on disciplinary charges.

The city's actions were taken after a Superior Court judge issued, then lifted, a restraining order in late August, clearing the way for Banks to fire Morse. Banks initiated the process Aug. 1 that led to the termination.

``There are a lot of due process rules,'' Rouzan said. ``They can still wind up appealing this to a state court, and perhaps even further, if their attorneys decide to fight it.''

Morse's lawyer in the city employment case could not be reached for comment Thursday.

Darvish's lawyer, Corey Glave, said his client would challenge any disciplinary action against him.

``We are challenging the recommendation of discipline; at some point in time there will be a predisciplinary hearing,'' Glave said.

Morse's defense had argued that the Police Department failed to advise him of his constitutional rights before he was questioned, and that he was not allowed to have his attorney present at an interrogation.

Morse also said that investigators had kept important documents from his defense.