The trial of former Fresno City College instructor Brian Calhoun began on Oct. 1 after it was officially assigned a judge and courtroom.

Judge Denise Whitehead is now presiding over the misdemeanor battery charge against Calhoun.

The case was moved from its original date of Sept. 25 to Sept. 30 at the request of the defense attorney.

“We didn’t want to waste time on this trial when the process is finalizing motions … which are extensive,” said Roger Nuttall, Calhoun’s attorney.

The trial was again delayed one day because there was no courtroom available at the time set by Judge Dennis Peterson last week.

Most of the time spent yesterday was used to hear motions from both the defense and prosecuting attorneys.

Nuttall objected to allowing the media to use cameras, but Judge Whitehead overruled his objection and upheld Judge Peterson’s Sept. 25 ruling to allow cameras in the courtroom.

“When was that decided?” Nuttall asked the judge. Judge Whitehead quoted him the date and Nuttall withdrew his objection.

Calhoun is accused of assaulting Kevynn Gomez, a 19-year-old female student, on March 22 in the Old Administration Building of FCC. Calhoun was placed on leave and then fired on May 8 because of the incident.

Several eyewitness statements in the SCCCD police report claim Calhoun was the aggressor in the altercation.

In his statement to reporters, Nuttall said that his client was the victim in the altercation with the student.

“I’m just [going to] make it real clear and short,” Nuttall said. “Brian Calhoun isn’t guilty in this case, and as far as I’m concerned he’s the one who was victimized, period.”

The first day of the trial ended early yesterday because of all of the motions that were being heard by the judge in closed chambers, so the case was continued until today.

Gomez, the alleged victim, was not present in the courtroom yesterday. She is on the list of people tesifying in the case, but there is no word on which day that will be.

It is expected that jury selection will begin today, and the trial is expected to last about one week.