A hearing for a Homewood teen who claims three Pittsburgh police officers beat him during his arrest last month was postponed for a second time Thursday while the FBI and the city investigate the officers' actions.

Attorney Kerry Lewis, who argued against the delay, said his client Jordan Miles is entitled to a timely hearing and asked District Judge Oscar Petite Jr. to dismiss his charges.

Mr. Miles, 18, is due in court March 4. He was charged with aggravated assault and resisting arrest in a Jan. 12 incident in which police said he was "sneaking around" a house on Tioga Street in Homewood with a heavy object in his coat that they thought was a gun.

Mr. Miles criminal complaint says he ran from plainclothes officers Richard Ewing, Michael Saldutte and David Sisak when they ordered him to stop and assaulted two of them. Police said object in his coat turned out to be a bottle of Mountain Dew, which Mr. Lewis denied Thursday.

Mr. Miles, however, has said the officers did not identify themselves and attacked him without cause, allegations that have stirred racial tensions and outraged community groups, which called for the officers' firings. Mr. Miles is black; the officers are white. The trio was suspended with pay earlier this month.

Prosecutors requested the postponement Thursday, but Mr. Lewis said it was unnecessary because investigations into the officers' conduct have nothing to do with charges against his client.

"The real victim in this case is standing before you," Mr. Lewis told the judge.

The officers were in the courtroom Thursday but did not speak. A Jan. 21 preliminary hearing was delayed because they did not appear.

The city's Office of Municipal Investigations has agreed to close its investigation by the end of this month. Special Agent Jeffrey B. Killeen said the FBI is investigating whether his rights were violated independently of court proceedings, and he was unsure when its probe would wrap up.

The FBI uses a "tiered approach" in its inquiries, which begin with an assessment phase, then if warranted proceeds to a preliminary inquiry and finally a full investigation. Agents are fully investigating this case, he said.

"We have to follow the facts and follow them where they lead," he said. "That could be a short amount of time or it could be much longer."

Gathered outside the courtroom with Mr. Miles and his mother, Terez, members of the Black Political Empowerment Project said Mr. Miles should be exonerated.

"These accusations are outrageous, that one person can assault three police officers," B-PEP member William Anderson said. "Unless you're Bruce Lee or [Jean-Claude] Van Damme or are skilled in martial arts, it's basically impossible."

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