Eighteen-year-old Santa Monica High School student Blair Rodrick Moore pleaded not guilty Tuesday at the LAX branch courthouse to a handful of misdemeanor charges relating to his suspected involvement in a physical altercation with a teacher inside a classroom on Friday.
Moore, identified Tuesday by the Santa Monica Police Department as Blair Rodrick Moore, is charged on suspicion of two counts of threatening a school official, one count of possession of a box cutter on school grounds, one count of possession of less than 28.5 grams of marijuana on school grounds, and one count of force or violence against a school employee in retaliation for an act performed in the course of his or her duties
Moore was released on his own recognizance with an order not to harass, strike, threaten, or assault the victims named in the case.
He will face a pretrial hearing on April 22; a trial date has been set for May 6, 2014.
A second student, aged 16, who was also arrested in relation to the incident is charged with battery against a school employee. Police have not identified this male as he is a minor.
SMPD Sgt. Jay Moroso said the 16 year old’s court date will not be until 60 days after his arrest date.
Moroso said there has been no specific date at this time.
On Friday, Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District superintendent Sandra Lyon wrote to parents via email at 3:30 pm saying that a teacher had been placed on leave after a physical altercation with a student inside a classroom earlier in the day.
That teacher, Mark Black, is a long-time science teacher and wrestling coach at the school.
