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.



http://edition.cnn.com/2003/US/Nort...reut/index.html

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whats the world coming to [i think we all know]

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that was last weeks news

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that is so wrong.. damn..

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r u sure he didnt do nething that coulda provoked them to arrest him. . if not thats pretty dumb. well theres upstate ny for u .. jp

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wat the??

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that is so unbelievably messed up...gawd...wut does the govt think it's doing??? wut is america coming to?

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hahaha wth. =X i still dont understand wat was wronga bout wearing a peace shirt in a mall... =X

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there's no way this guy is going to jail and he knows it. not because he was right but because of who he is and who he knows. trust me he'll prolly just get a fine.

on the other hand, if that was me that would be a different story altogether.

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omg! get arrested for a damn peace t-shirt. damn what do they want a war t-shirt?!?! let that person where what he wants unless the stupid cops wants the shirt.

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i don't think the police officers should have told him to take off his shirt of leave because of what was on it, but unfortunately i don't think he should be let off the hook. He ignored officers, and that's an offense. This is court, where you are convicted on your actions, it's by no means a moral court. That's all he has is moral ground too. He disobeyed.

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wait wat the heck ever happened 2 freedom of speech. if that rite was able 2 legalize porn then hell it will legallize anythin u wear.

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actually, malls are considered private property in all states except for the malls in california.

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