SKOWHEGAN – One of three Pittsfield women who claimed they were arrested last month for disorderly conduct only because they were black pleaded not guilty Wednesday and requested a trial in Skowhegan District Court.

Dorothy Moss, 24, will stand trial on January 28. The two other women, Andrea Hardy, 32, and Quiana Harvey, 24, “had their cases placed on hold pending more information,” according to Pittsfield police Chief Steven Emery. “They will likely be resummonsed at a later date.”

The women were involved in a neighborhood argument on Aug. 31 that began with children squirting each other with water pistols.

Eventually, the argument spiraled out of control to include parents of the children, drawing a crowd of 15 to 20 spectators in the housing development where two of the women live. The third woman, Moss, was visiting the neighborhood.

After their arrests, the women repeatedly stated they were arrested because they were black. They said others involved in the argument were loud and offensive, but only the three black people were arrested.

In an interview after her arrest, Hardy said she had experienced a pattern of racism since moving to Maine from Kentucky three years ago. She said once their court cases are settled, she and Harvey are planning to move out of the state.

Hardy also has an outstanding shoplifting charge levied by the Newport Police Department after an incident at Ames Department Store on Aug. 26. She is scheduled to appear in Newport District Court Oct. 17.

Police have denied any racial connections to the arrest. Emery said when one of his officers, Jason Emery, arrived at the scene, “The women were basically out of control. It was a clear-cut case of disorderly conduct.”