Estis Charged

District attorneys in Albany, N.Y., have decided to press charges against a University employee arrested four weeks ago, shortly before the start of an anti-apartheid demonstration he helped organize.

John Dorfman, one of Albany's two chief prosecutors, said yesterday results of a police investigation convinced him to press charges of possession of marijuana and firecrackers against Aaron A. Estis '80, a computer programmer in the registrar's office.

The investigation showed the two items were probably visible in the apartment in which Estis was sleeping when he was arrested the morning of September 22.

But Estis said yesterday he was unaware of any marijuana of firecrackers in the apartment, and reiterated his charges that police arrested him and three other rally organizers in a deliberate attempt to detain them from the protest against the South African rugby team, the Springboks.

"They didn't indicate where they found [the marijuana], which seems to be the crucial question," Estis said, adding that police "want to punish me for hanging out with radicals.

Dorfman denied Estis' allegations, saying, "Everybody that's been arrested has claimed it's a political arrest, [but] possession of marijuana in the state of New York is a violation."

Estis will appear in district court tomorrow for a hearing on the misdemeanors--but said he expects the trial to be postponed.

He added that he has considered plea bargaining in an effort to insure that he will only be given a $ 100 fine, but said he will probably go to Albany and fight the charges.