Porn shop case in Abilene moves along to SCOTUS

THE FOUR YEAR LONG ABILENE KANSAS vs. THE “LIONS DEN” PORN SHOP COURT BATTLE IS MOVING TOWARDS A DECISION BY THE UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT! All of small town Americas ability to regulate porn shops and strip clubs especially along the US interstate system is at stake.

More on Wyandotte County

Grand jury indicts three businesses

Kansas City Star Wed. Aug. 29th

A Wyandotte County grand jury investigating obscenity handed down indictments against three Kansas City, Kan. shops, the district attorney’s office announced Wednesday.

M&M Inc., a convenience store at 8535 State Ave.; Krishna U.S.A., doing business as Smoke Easy Cigarette Outlet, 6000 Leavenworth Road; and Lakhani Commercial Corp., doing business as the Stop ’n’ Go, 954 State Ave., were named in the indictments.

M&M Inc. is charged with a single misdemeanor count of promoting obscenity. Smoke Easy is charged with two misdemeanor counts of promoting obscenity and one felony and one misdemeanor count of possession with intent to deliver drug paraphernalia. The Stop ’n’ Go was charged with a single count of possession with intent to deliver drug paraphernalia.

The indictments came as the result of a citizen petition drive that called for grand jury investigations into promotion of obscenity by 32 businesses, including strip clubs, sex shops and video rental stores throughout six metropolitan area counties.

None of the businesses included in the charges announced Wednesday was among the 32 targeted by the petitions.

The Kansas City Chapter of National Coalition for the Protection of Children & Families, an anti-pornography group, led the petition effort, backed by a legion of churches and religious groups.

A grand jury also was convened in Johnson County to address the issue. It has not handed down indictments on obscenity cases yet but has weighed in on other cases.

The grand jury in Wyandotte County is thought to be the first in 40 years. The one in Johnson County is the first since 1989. Although Missouri law does not require a grand jury to be convened because of citizen petitions, Clay County also has consented to bring the cases to a grand jury.

Jurors in the three counties will make judgments that will essentially set the standards for obscenity for their Kansas communities, legal observers say.

The use of a grand jury is seen as controversial to those who say that judges are better qualified to decide who should stand trial and that defendants should have the right to hear the evidence against them. Grand juries listen to cases in confidence.

Others say that the grand jury is a helpful prosecutorial tool that should be used more often.

All three indicted businesses are scheduled to appear on Sept. 14 at 10 a.m. in District Court for a pretrial conference.

To reach Joyce Tsai, call 816-234-4415 or send e-mail to jtsai@kcstar.com.

Wyandotte update

Coalition Friends,

Wyandotte County's Grand Jury announced today that they did not indict three of the stores but they did indict two others for "promotion of obscenity." It is a strange mix as to what they did. It is not a home run for Wyandotte County...but they got on base. Wyandotte County is on it way to a "community standard" trial, baring any out of court plea bargin. This brings to sixteen the number of pornography outlets in Kansas facing trials for the crime of promoting obscenity. The porn shops that escaped this investigation should not rest too easy, we can always have another grand jury take another look on another day.

One satisfying statement from a reporter today was, "good job, don't give up". There are friends in many places if we look for them.

In the KC area we are still waiting to hear what Johnson County KS. and Clay County MO. Grand juries will do. Jackson County MO. is moving slowing to a decision point and the Cass County Prosecutor has tossed the ball to the Belton Police Chief who in turn is waiting to hear from his citizens before moving. STAY STRONG, Phillip Cosby

Battle won in war against Topeka porn outlet

Significant breaking news out of the Shawnee County “Promotion of Obscenity” case (Topeka)! The pornography outlet “Priscilla’s” boasted that the Topeka grand jury indictments and charges would not make it through the pre-trial motions and claimed the case would be tossed by a judge for various reasons, including Priscilla’s attorneys objections that the Kansas “Promotion of Obscenity” law was unconstitutional.

Now the good part…the Shawnee County judge upheld the case on ALL points and it has survived the pre-trial objections! Now “Priscilla’s” will be scheduled to face criminal charges in an open trial with no more delays.

Here are the written words of the Shawnee County District Attorney, Robert Hecht in a letter to the citizens of Topeka dated August 21^st…

“ I believe this ruling will be controlling and adhered to by all other judges in all other similar cases pending within this judicial district.” (There are five more pornography outlets facing the same criminal charges in Shawnee County) “It may well also be persuasive in other judicial districts in Kansas where similar cases may be pending”…”I trust you agree with the efforts of this office in these regards and will remain involved in the effort to improve our community and the safety of our citizens.”

GOOD JOB TOPEKA CITIZENS, YOU ARE IN THE LEAD!!! Priscilla’s is the biggest pornography chain we face.

When ”Priscilla’s” in Wichita was indicted by Wichita’s grand jury the owner of the Priscilla’s chain called and threatened the Mayor of Wichita that he would remove all of their pornography outlets from Wichita and possibly Kansas to punish the Kansas economy. The mayor offered to help him pack and laughed.

Pray for the cases and grand juries in Wichita, Kansas City metro (MO & KS) and other communities that have the salt to take a stand against this moral cancer, this wicked stronghold, to prevail in earthly and heavenly places. “On earth as it is in heaven”. Silence is consent.

STAY STRONG!

Phillip Cosby

Executive Director, Kansas City Office

National Coalition For the Protection of Children & Families