Albany County district attorney declines to prosecute occupiers | News

ALBANY - Recent history repeated itself in Albany City Court Monday morning. The Albany County district attorney "declined to prosecute" 20 members of Occupy Albany arrested last week.

This was not at all surprising. The district attorney has said all along that he would not pursue charges against any occupiers who are peacefully protesting.

One after another, the arrestees were called in front of the judge. Once the prosecutor said the county was declining to prosecute the judge responded that the case was dismissed.

The charges were disorderly conduct and trespassing and stem from the movement's May Day demonstrations last Tuesday.

It was almost an identical scene after the December arrests though this time there was a significantly smaller number of people.

Monday the occupiers signed a petition to consider a class action lawsuit against the New York State police.