A possible gift to L.A.'s television news stations, the Washington Post reported late Sunday that the trial of Tucson massacre suspect Jared Loughner will be moved to San Diego to take negative publicity in Arizona about the 22-year-old out of justice's equation.

We reported recently that both the U.S. District Court judge and the defense team in the case are from San Diego, leading to early speculation about whether or not Loughner's case would be moved.

Our sister publication OC Weekly also notes that San Diego is the closest federal jurisdiction to Tucson.

The Post cites unnamed officials who say the move is set to take place in the next several weeks.

Loughner is charged with killing six people Jan. 8 at a Tucson Safeway. Authorities say he was targeting U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, who was injured along with 15 others.

San Diego U.S. District Court Judge Larry A. Burns was appointed last week to preside over the case because every justice on the Arizona court stepped away for fear of being accused of bias. Killed in the Tucson violence was their boss, Chief Judge John Roll.

Loughner's defense team includes Judy Clarke, a former federal defender who duked it out with Burns when he was a federal prosecutor in San Diego in the late '80s and early '90s.

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