Man arrested for 'peace' T-shirt

NEW YORK (Reuters) -- A lawyer was arrested late Monday and charged with trespassing at a public mall in the state of New York after refusing to take off a T-shirt advocating peace that he had just purchased at the mall.

According to the criminal complaint filed Monday, Stephen Downs was wearing a T-shirt bearing the words "Give Peace A Chance" that he had just purchased from a vendor inside the Crossgates Mall in Guilderland, New York, near Albany.

"I was in the food court with my son when I was confronted by two security guards and ordered to either take off the T-shirt or leave the mall," said Downs.

When Downs refused the security officers' orders, police from the town of Guilderland were called and he was arrested and taken away in handcuffs, charged with trespassing "in that he knowingly enter(ed) or remain(ed) unlawfully upon premises," the complaint read.

Downs said police tried to convince him he was wrong in his actions by refusing to remove the T-shirt because the mall "was like a private house and that I was acting poorly.

"I told them the analogy was not good and I was then hauled off to night court where I was arraigned after pleading not guilty and released on my own recognizance," Downs told Reuters in a telephone interview.

Downs is the director of the Albany Office of the state Commission on Judicial Conduct, which investigates complaints of misconduct against judges and can admonish, censure or remove judges found to have engaged in misconduct.

Calls to the Guilderland police and district attorney, Anthony Cardona and to officials at the mall were not returned for comment.

Downs is due back in court for a hearing on March 17.

He could face up to a year in prison if convicted.

From: http://www.cnn.com/2003/US/Northeast...eut/index.html
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This is weird. Can they really do this? [img]graemlins/uhoh1.gif[/img]

That's insane, it really is. I'm heading past Albany in two weeks, I'll be sure to buy a 'peace' t-shirt and walk around the local mall, just for the hell of it [img]smile.gif[/img]

Thats great Arledrian!! :D I hope you do it.. i would love to buy the shirt and then do a little window shopping there myself!

No not really. I would say that the case will be dismissed, although after it is all over the security guards, mall, could have a valid law suit on its hands.

Personally I think it was just some security guards on a power trip with nothing better to do. They are suppose to be there to stop catch, shop lifters, remove trouble makers, not pester patrons about their T-shirt unless it is like X-rated with profanity. The guards should be fired.

Depends much on the judge and how senile he could be. It will be an interesting case to follow.

The other thing we should ask is are we getting the whole story. From what is here the guy with the shirt didn't really do anything wrong.

But ya that is a cool idea. People in the area should go out buy peace T-shirts and hang out at that mall when those security guards are on duty just for the hell of it.

[ 03-05-2003, 03:29 PM: Message edited by: pritchke ]

More power to him. I can already smell a lawsuit against the mall and security service.

Unless of course he was actually being rowdy, uncivil, and yelling profanities in a public place.

I've been to Crossgates Mall. But, never again. ;)

Neo-McCarthyism. I wish I could get my hands on the backwards-ass redeneck security guard that started this whole bit and kick him in the balls 20 or 30 times for good measure.

As a side note, in the last few weeks dozens of kids have been suspended from school for wearing anit-War T-Shirts. Of course, none have been suspended for wearing pro-war T-shirts or the bullseye-Saddam T-shirts.

Land of the free. :D

Unless I misheard this story today, the guy either bought the shirt at that mall or a store in that mall sells the shirt in question. [img]graemlins/1ponder.gif[/img]

[quote]Originally posted by Sir Taliesin:

Quote:

As a side note, in the last few weeks dozens of kids have been suspended from school for wearing anit-War T-Shirts. Of course, none have been suspended for wearing pro-war T-shirts or the bullseye-Saddam T-shirts. <font color=orange>Some school systems don't allow any statements on T-shirts. That's the way it is here in the Knox County School system.</font>.

I'll note I'm not in favor of the message, either, Sir T, but I am in favor of the guy's right, or Martin Sheens right, or George Clooney's right, to say whatever intelligent or unintelligent things they please - including via display on tacky t-shirts.

On the school issue -- DING DING -- you get the grand prize rubber ducky. There is no first amendment right in schools. Some school systems in fact dictate the exact color and style of dress. ;)