Municipal Court Grants Acquittal In Coulter Case

James A. Coulter IG, a teaching fellow in Classics arraigned Feb.8 on charges of drunkenness, won acquittal yesterday in Boston Municipal Court. In addition, a Court judge issued a complaint against the arresting officer in a preliminary hearing.

Coulter and his friends, Henry Nathan, instructor in English at Tuffs, were arrested outside a Washington St. night club nine days ago for being "drunk and disorderly." At the time the pair protested their rough handling by police.

The judge in the drunkenness case, George W. Roberts, ruled that "the government failed to prove the guilt" of the two men. Witnesses for the defense told the court that Coulter and Nathan had spent the evening in coffee shops and Counter said, "made it apparent to the judge that the arresting officer made a mistake."

Contrary to radio and newspaper reports, Coulter and Nathan said they are "still considering" whether to press charges against the officer. "It is hard to show the difference between reasonable roughness and outright brutality." Coulter explained. "It's just one allegation against another."

Coulter charged that Judge Roberts tried to "save the police's face" in his summary of the case by pointing out the "unusual circumstances" surrounding the arraignment.