There is a strange case out of Altamonte Springs, Florida this week. Alan Davis was reportedly mad at the city and his neighbors, so he expressed himself by decorating his house and yard with junk from toilets on his roof to airplane parts to a statue of buttockes. He was convicted in 2003 for felony littering and ended up serving four years.
Davis stated his protest in 1999 and was originally given one year that was then extended to three more years for various parole violations. It is not clear if he argued free speech at the time of his original conviction.
It was his buttocks statute that led to the first call to the police and his first charge: of disordering conduct and resisting an officer. The was hit with $300,000 in fines.
He filed a lawsuit against the court and police and insists that they hounded him, here.
He may want to try a simple garden gnome next time.
Florida has a history of criminally enforced lawn policies, here.
For the story, click here
Gyges,
Not if you have truly rehabilitated yourself. If not, it’s the ‘Group W’ bench for you 🙂
I have always thought “The Group W Bench” would be a great name for a blog.
Lotta,
Did you think I was going to hang myself for littering?
‘Alice’s Restaurant’ anyone? 🙂
How about about a YardCheney? Or YardBush? That should do it.
There is currently discussion in the Florida Legislature as to whether to raise the detention time for malicious littering to 25 years to life. It is aimed at those who would paint their house trim in unapproved colors at retirement villages, but encompasses littering in order to capture those whose garbage collection receptacles at some point might be seen as eyesores for longer than one hour.
Florida doesn’t support the arts. This is Redneck memorabilia at its finest.