Which Way, L.A.?

Police Use of Force after Jeremy Morse Verdict

Jeremy Morse is the former Inglewood police officer who was videotaped slamming a young black suspect onto the hood of a car last July. This afternoon, in Morse-s trial for assault under the color of authority, the jury split 7 to 5. Judge William Hollingsworth declared a mistrial, but accepted the acquittal of Morse-s partner, Bijan Darvish, who was charged with filing a false police report. Reporter Gina Keating, who-s at the courthouse for Reuters, has more on the jury-s difficulty in reaching a verdict. Then, we hear about the challenge of a criminal retrial and civil action, and get reaction from both sides. Making News: Budget Passes Assembly The state Assembly has joined the Senate and finally passed a budget. After failing to get the required two-thirds vote this morning, leaders of both parties prevailed on their members to change their minds. Lynda Gledhill, who covers Sacramento for the San Francisco Chronicle, says it took the longest session in state history to produce the compromise budget which protects social programs while relying heavily on borrowing. Reporter's Notebook: The Gold Line Some 70,000 people showed up for free rides from downtown LA to Pasadena this weekend on the Gold Line. The Metropolitan Transit Authority declined to reveal the number of yesterday-s paying riders, preferring to wait for a more accurate estimate of whether the new line is a real success. DJ Waldie, a Lakewood City official and -transit-dependent- Angelino, believes mass transit holds great promise for neighborhood communities.