JURIST - Paper Chase: Judge releases hundreds of protesters, 19 more arrested

New York Supreme Court Justice John Cataldo ordered 560 anti-GOP protesters released from jail on Thursday after some had spent more than 38 hours there. Justice Cataldo said that the detainees must be arraigned or brought to the holding pens at the arraignment courts by 5 PM. Civil rights lawyers argue the delays are inexcusable, but city officials claim that there is no ill-intent. On a normal day, said City Corporation Counsel Michael Cardozo, there are 300 arraignments in Manhattan criminal court, but on Tuesday, there were 1200 arrests in just four hours. AP has more.

Despite the release of these 560, more protesters continue to flow into the criminal system. Nineteen were arrested Thursday morning at Grand Central Terminal as AIDS activists chereographed a protest that blocked up traffic during rush hour, bringing the total number of RNC-related arrests to over 1700. AP has more. New York Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly made this statement Thursday responding to allegations about conditions at the NYPD's post-arrest screening site.

UPDATE: When it became apparent that the city could not release all the detainees by the 5 PM deadline, Justice Cataldo issued a blanket order for the release of 470 who had been in custody for anywhere from 36 to 66 hours. AP has more.