Judge Rules NYC Liable for Illegal 2004 RNC Arrests

Apparently "guilt by association" is not a recognized crime

The city of New York is legally liable to some anti-war protesters arrested during the 2004 Republican National Convention, a federal judge ruled.

U.S. District Judge Richard Sullivan in Manhattan today granted a request for a judgment before trial by protesters arrested in a march on Manhattan's Fulton Street on Aug. 31, 2004, ruling they were victims of false arrest.

Sullivan said his review of the evidence, including hours of videotapes surrounding the convention protests, made clear that police lacked the necessary probable cause to arrest the protesters. Sullivan rejected the city's arguments that police had "group probable cause," permitting them to arrest members of a large group that appeared to be breaking the law.