The federal judge in Atlanta presiding over the libel lawsuit brought by the parents of JonBenet and Burke Ramsey against Court TV for airing a program in which it was insinuated that Burke Ramsey was once a suspect, notwithstanding that he had been declared by the police not to be a suspect, will be heard in Georgia, home of the Ramseys, not New York. Court TV had battled mightily for the case to be heard in New York.

And in other venue news, ex-NY cop Charles Schwarz lost his bid to have his re-trial on charges he assisted Justin Volpe in the brutal assault against Abner Louima that took place in the police precinct bathroom moved out of NY. Jury selection begins again Monday. (Didn't we just cover this re-trial? Yes, but that was the third trial. This is the fourth trial for Schwarz.)

"Earlier this year, a jury found Schwarz, 36, guilty of lying about escorting Louima toward a bathroom in 1997. But it deadlocked on more serious charges alleging he held Louima down while another officer sodomized him with a broken broomstick. Schwarz denies being in the bathroom during the 1997 attack, which touched off protests alleging widespread abuse of minorities by police. "

Yes, we will follow the fourth trial too. We think the Government is right to retry Schwarz. We've been on Louima's side since day one of this case. But Schwarz proclaims his innocence and we certainly don't begrudge him his day in court.

Still, we can't help wondering why can't these guys find some common ground? Surely there is some offense Mr. Schwarz can plead to that won't involve his admission to conduct he disputes he engaged in and will entail a sentence that, when considering the time-served credit to be applied against it, Schwarz can live with and Louima can feel adequately redresses the wrong done to him.

So how much time would you want someone to serve for sodomizing you with a broomstick while their cronies looked on and, at best, did nothing and at worst, acted as a lookout or helped hold you down? Us too.....so get ready for Trial IV.

And to see what's become of Abner Louima, here is Jim Dwyer's great article from the New York Times Magazine this summer.

For some of our coverage of the last re-trial, go here and here.