Houston, Texas





A Houston judge has decided the trials of four Houston police officers caught on videotape beating a suspect in custody will be held in Houston. This decision comes following objections from the attorneys for the officers, claiming the videotape makes it impossible for the officers to receive a fair trial. The first trial is scheduled for April.The videotape shows Houston police officers beating, kicking and stomping then 15-year-old Chad Holley in March of last year. Four officers were fired for the incident and indicted for official oppression, a misdemeanor punishable by a maximum of a year in jail.The judge also noted that he had not heard testimony from any prospective juror that they could not be fair after seeing the video that saturated Houston media outlets when released by Quanell X in February."There are explanations for the officers' actions," attorney Dick DeGuerin said. "But those explanations fall by the wayside after watching those videos."DeGuerin represents former HPD officer Andrew Blomberg , who was captured on the video for several seconds before assisting in another arrest. Blomberg is scheduled to be the first defendant to face trial. Trials are pending for Phil Bryan Raad Hassan and Drew Ryser . Bryan and Hassan also were charged with violation of the civil rights of a prisoner, also a misdemeanor