Four Sydney police officers involved in the fatal arrest of Brazilian student Roberto Laudisio Curti have pleaded not guilty to assault charges.

The 21-year-old died in the early hours of March 18, 2012, after being chased by 11 police officers and repeatedly tasered.

He was also sprayed with capsicum spray and held on the ground during the arrest.

Today in Downing Centre Local Court, the lawyer for Senior Constable Chin Aun (Eric) Lim, Senior Constable Damien Ralph, Senior Constable Scott Edmondson and Constable Daniel Barling entered pleas on their behalf.

"My clients plead not guilty to the charges against them," lawyer Bill Madden said.

The case has been adjourned until a later date.

Outside court the officers made no comment.

In November 2012, New South Wales coroner Mary Jerram made scathing findings against the police officers present on the night of Mr Curti's death, describing them as "thuggish".

Ms Jerram said some of the officers "threw themselves" into the confrontation "like schoolboys in Lord Of The Flies".

Mr Curti had stolen a packet of biscuits from a convenience store and was delusional and behaving erratically after taking a small amount of LSD.

"Roberto's only foes during his ordeal were the police," Ms Jerram said.

"There was no victim other than Roberto, no member of the public who suffered an iota from his delusionary fear."

Ms Jerram referred the case to the state's Police Integrity Commission (PIC).

Late last year the Director of Public Prosecutions advised the PIC there was enough evidence to charge four of the officers.

Tasers fired at Curti 14 times

Mr Curti was a fit and healthy student who had been out celebrating after a football win.

The seven officers who restrained him used three cans of capsicum spray close to his face, a baton and two pairs of handcuffs.

Tasers were fired at him 14 times and he was hit by them nine times.

The student was tasered in the back as he lay on the ground and tasered several times in drive-stun mode, which involves a Taser pressed close against the skin.

Much of the chase was captured on security cameras and cameras attached to the Taser guns, and his family gave permission for the disturbing footage to be released to the public.

Police officers told the 2012 inquest their actions were influenced by a radio call that accidentally labelled the incident as an armed robbery.

Some also said they thought the student was dangerous and had "superhuman strength".

The NSW Ombudsman found the police internal investigation into the incident "lacking".