The book that I mentioned in one of my earlier posts is pictured at right. It’s a lousy picture – took it with my cell – but you can see what it looks like. This book is the story of the Commonwealth’s Attorney (CA) in Staunton and his prosecution of an obscenity case. Now, highly placed elected officials like myself can’t be bothered to type “Commonwealths Attorney” all the time so we have develeoped a very clever abbreviation: “CA”. Also, since all of you that read this blog are not elected elites like me, let me remind you that the CA in Manassas is not the City Attorney. It’s Paul Ebert.
So, this is his (the CA in Staunton) story of prosecuting an obscenity case. It goes from the initial purchase through jury selection to the trial. The book is his story and you should read it (if you elect to) with that in mind. It’s not some sort of study of the issue but a first-person account of what it is like to prosecute one of these cases. If it happened here in Manassas I would think it would look a lot like what is in the book. I would point out that not everyone in Staunton was wild about this activity. Some felt the CA spent too much money on it.
Now, if you want the book, I have a couple of copies. If you want one let me know. The price is a donation to your favorite charity. I ain’t Amazon.com so you’ll have to come to my office to get your copy. Email me to get yours: andy@harrover.com
UPDATE: I’ve got about 8 copies left. If you want one, please let me know.
October 16, 2010 at 12:14 pm
How much did the obscenity prosecution in Staunton cost taxpayers?
October 16, 2010 at 12:18 pm
Don’t know. I’m sure if you spent a few minutes on google you could find out. I can tell you that the prosecution wasn’t universally popular due to the cost. The book indicates that they did get a fair amount of free help…
October 16, 2010 at 12:50 pm
“Free” help from the Feds? http://www.justice.gov/criminal/optf/
October 16, 2010 at 7:42 pm
Many people in Staunton were fairly disgusted that so much time and energy was spent on one man’s crusade.
The CA did not end up being the darling of the electorate after this episode.
October 16, 2010 at 10:19 pm
Yeah, those folks in Staunton were upset with him for spending that money in March ’09…then turned around the following November and reelected him with 98% of the vote.
But at least what he pursued on his white horse were films clearly against Virgnia Code….and trials cost money. Could be at the time if I lived down there, I might have said a waste a money; but worthy causes of all forms take the bucks to run.
October 17, 2010 at 11:12 pm
Mr. B, you failed to mention that Raymond Robertson ran unopposed. That might account for his overwhelming victory.
People can think you did the wrong thing and still vote for you over the imaginary guy.
I am only quoting what I was told when I called down to inquire. Staunton has rather strange politics, especially as it relates to the courts. It is rather hard to describe.
October 17, 2010 at 11:13 pm
At any rate, thanks Andy for making the book available. I can’t imagine it it good reading. It sounds like watching paint dry.
Where was Lee Irving during all of this? Is he mentioned?
October 17, 2010 at 11:16 pm
Sorry make that Lee Ervin.
October 18, 2010 at 7:55 am
Don’t recall that name…I think the book is very interesting reading. It’s not a particularly entertaining tale but I’m always interested to see how others go about doing these things. Some fault this approach and say local electeds are stupid or lazy or just following the herd. There are certainly some who are all 3 but, by and large, we don’t have the time to cover the same ground twice. Still have to earn a living so if I can learn something the easy way, I do.
October 19, 2010 at 9:03 am
Hey,
I’m getting thirsty! LOL
BTW. I LOVED the N&M (or for us MCity old timers the Journal Messenger)…How they classified Saturday’s opening of “THE SHOP”. THOUGHT I WOULD DIE LAUGHING!
October 19, 2010 at 11:59 am
Nettie, all those terms were made up by men in advertising and in the military. At least they didn’t use the term for when you gain competitors’ customers (part of their market share).
October 19, 2010 at 5:56 pm
Hi, Andy, I’m Andy…ok, that was slightly corny.
Anyway, I’ve been reading the blog for a month or so and have decided to quit lurking. Thanks for the book, the old man picked it up for me earlier. I’ve got a few other books to read right now so I’ll read it “when I get to it” and/or “when I felt like it.” It should make for interesting reading; I don’t know of another case like this and none my courses at GMU have covered this sort of thing.
Oh, and guess what I have to watch in my conflict class tomorrow? That’s right, the little gem of a film called 9500 Liberty. I keep thinking I’m going to be a rebuttal and point out some things like you did in your post on the film…
That’s all for now. See you around on here!
October 20, 2010 at 10:22 am
Andy, thanks for a copy of “After Hours” and taking the time to talk on a busy work day. Looking forward to reading it.
Nice to meet Nettie and see you, Raymond and your daughter (yes, I remember all my former Girl Scouts!) at the ribbon cutting. HMI was very gracious!
October 20, 2010 at 11:57 am
@AndrewB: You’re quite welcome! Good luck in your conflict class. It’s a difficult movie for me to watch for the reasons I pointed out but it certainly is one line of thought….
October 20, 2010 at 1:54 pm
I finished reading the book last night, and it was interesting. Obviously the man’s not a writer, and I found his attempts to make it more folksy distracting. I would have preferred more details on the law, particularly the legal legwork leading up to the trial. The pretrial motions section was the most interesting to me because that’s where most of the legal meat was. I’m curious whether another judge would have allowed a lot of the evidence that this judge did not.
I also appreciated Chapter 5 on the harm. I think that’s the most important from the sociological standpoint. It went to why we as a society should care about this and why it’s not just a matter of tolerance. I would love to see a more expanded discussion about it. There’s often a knee-jerk reaction that any objection to porn is just a religious sex is bad reaction. I think it’s very important for a town’s citizenry to have open conversations about porn and its effects on viewers, their loved ones, and employees of the porn industry. I understand it can be a difficult topic, though, particularly for a mixed audience.
October 20, 2010 at 5:02 pm
Raymond & Megan on WTOP:
http://www.wtop.com/?nid=730&sid=2086453
October 20, 2010 at 9:18 pm
@Cindy B.
Hi there! Ive decided to join the party!
re:Cindys link
Mom thinks its fanastic that Dad and Megan just quoted. Of course, the old man thinks his best quotes didnt make the cut. But he did make the NBC 4 News report too so hes happy. I wasnt quoted since I was at home asleep at the time, like most normal college students.
On another note, too bad the rumored protest didnt happen. OK, I hear there was one guy on a street corner protesting but still… Maybe a store by women for women is not so bad after all?
October 21, 2010 at 7:22 am
Hi Andy B. Yes, I have a college student who keeps vampire hours, too.
Andy H, I contacted a former boss who lived in Manassas and then moved to Staunton and lived there during the obscenity trial (he’s now in FL). Here’s what he had to say:
“I don’t recall the costs to the city … but it was front page news in the Staunton News-Leader nearly every day. When push came to shove, the interesting thing was ‘surveillance’ showing many more women than men frequenting the place … and the shop was/is one of the cleanest, neatest, most law-abiding business establishments in Staunton!”
I would like to see more open conversations about many sexual health issues. A shop like this starts those healthy conversations, and in the historic districts of Alexandria and Portland, have been providing a safe place for those conversations.
Still reading the book.
Everyone, if you can take some time today, come to the Freedom Aquatic & Fitness Center between 4 and 7 today for the Connections Etc 2010 Trade Show that the Prince William Chamber puts on. Its FREE and your chance to see exhibits, taste great food, network and connect with local businesses. Every year I come away with at least one great lead or connection. Visit http://www.pwchamber.org for a list of exhibitors. If I’m not mistake, Andy will be there with Matrix Consulting.
October 21, 2010 at 7:53 am
Ray and Nettie at the ribbon cutting, News4:
http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local-beat/You-Know-Where-You-Can-Put-Your-Sex-Toys-105333813.html
October 21, 2010 at 9:06 am
@Patty –
I had to chuckle at your wanting to see more of the legal legwork in it. As I learned from pullng a case file at Prince William Courthouse for my son Andy in one of his Criminal Justice degree classes, Counties like you coming in, asking for copies of the legwork papers, and then accepting the check for the copy fee.
Cindy, ya know, I really need to copyright that phrase I use if I am going to keep using it! 🙂
October 21, 2010 at 10:19 am
You are a man of many phrases, Ray. You need to do your own self-published book of “Ray-isms.”
October 21, 2010 at 12:32 pm
Raymond, you’re right about that! They sure don’t mind taking your money, but they can get a little huffy if all you want to do is look at the file. With the case at hand, I would love to see the pretrial motion legal arguments. I was surprised at how some of them turned out and I wonder if it was lazy lawyering or a cautious judiciary. It did seem to me that the CA was used to playing by the unspoken “gentleman’s” rules of his small town and wasn’t prepared for the aggressiveness of 1st Amendment attorneys. He caught on though.
Oh, and you can’t get a copyright on a phrase. A trademark maybe?
October 22, 2010 at 2:02 pm
It’s kinda funny to see this conflict over KK’s going in here in Manassas when I can open up my weekly, GMU student newspaper, issued on 10/18/10, and see an ad for a similar type of store. It reads: “Because everyone deserves an adventure in the bedroom…(line) T&T (line) Tasteful Treasures By Meghan (line) Bedroom Accessories for all your romantic needs. Specializing in Adult Novelties, Lingerie, Laughter, and FUN! Present this coupon fir 15% Off One Item! (line) Contact me to book a party today! (contact info)”
Not too different from KK’s if you ask me, but I doubt I’ll see any angry letters to the Broadside next week or any outrage on campus about the store. Oh, and anyone can pick up at the stands where it is distributed for free regardless of age or student status so anyone of any age could see the ad at most of GMU’s campuses (Fairfax, Prince William, and Arlington). Yet there appears to be no problem with the ad or T&T. Makes me wonder why people are upset here in the City; I guess me and the young, and not so young, college people at GMU aren’t bothered by these types of stores like KK’s and T&T.
October 25, 2010 at 12:36 pm
Finished reading the book, thanks, Andy. On page 32 he describes the cost of the trial as being the cost of the 12 DVDs the undercover police officer bought at the store, a partial reimbursement for one of their expert witness’ hotel bill and what the city of Staunton paid for the grand jurors. He didn’t say what it cost for the federal government to assist him http://www.justice.gov/criminal/optf/