Two Vicksburg men arrested in a street preaching incident in October were found not guilty Monday of disturbing the peace.

Municipal Court Judge Nancy Thomas ruled there was reasonable doubt that Micah Bishop, 35, 329 Lake-​view Drive and Andrew Clemts, 18, 96 Baptist Drive, were guilty of disorderly conduct or failure to comply with a lawful police order.

The nine-page ruling supported by numerous instances of case law was issued Monday, the decision of a Jan. 25 court hearing.

Bishop and Clemts were arrested during the Old Court House Museum annual flea market Oct. 3 while Bishop preached at Monroe and Jackson streets and Clemts videotaped him. Police, responding to a complaint, ordered the men to stop and arrested them when they refused.

There was no evidence, wrote Thomas, that the men “did anything which could possibly be construed as a violent act or conduct or tending to incite violence in others which must be the basis of law enforcement’s order.”

Assistant city prosecutor Julie Decker said the city has 10 days to file a motion to reconsider and 30 days to file an appeal.

Contact Pamela Hitchins at phitchins@vicksburgpost.com