CBLDF: Gordon Lee Trial Begins Today

Word from an in-transit Comic Book Legal Defense Fund Executive Director Charles Brownstein received yesterday by various comics press luminaries announced that retailer Gordon Lee would appear in court in Rome, Georgia this morning to begin his trial. Lee faces two remaining misdemeanor counts of "Distribution of Harmful to Minors Material." Lee originally faced multiple charges including two felonies for an incident whereby a copy of Alternative Comics #2, featuring an excerpt from Nick Bertozzi's upcoming The Salon that included non-sexualized male nudity, accidentally made its way into the hands of a minor during a 2004 Halloween-related giveaway in conjunction with a civic promotion at Lee's store.

The case was brought to the attention of the CBLDF through writer Peter David in early 2005. Both felony counts and two misdemeanor counts were dismissed in December. In January the Judge agreed with the dismissal of the charges and further reduced remaining charges from three to two.

The Fund has thus far spent $40,000 on Lee's defense, which, in part I would guess because it involved retailer error, has suffered from a mixed reaction in certain corners of the comics community. Thus the case has not only been an important one for the legal issues involved but for how Brownstein has skillfully negotiated and rallied support on the matter.
 
posted 1:44 am PST | Permalink
 

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