Three years after a child was allegedly given a publication containing nudity in his store, Rome comic book storeowner Gordon Clifford Lee is set to go to trial today.
Lee is charged with distributing harmful materials to a minor, a misdemeanor. The charges stem from a Halloween 2004 giveaway when an employee of Legends Comics in Rome gave a copy of Alternative Comics No. 2 to two 6-and 9-year-old brothers.
In the comic book, a series of drawings with pictures of a naked Pablo Picasso were used to depict the artist’s first meeting with artist Georges Braque. The two artists are considered the founders of Cubism. Picasso is depicted in the nude, which, according to Charles Brownstein, executive director of the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, is historically accurate.
The CBLDF has been representing Lee in this matter.
Click here to read a previous story about the CBLDF helping Lee.
Lee was originally charged with six counts, including two felonies in 2004, but during the course of the case all but two charges have been dismissed. Lee faces two misdemeanor charges and could be sentenced to up to a year in prison and a $1,000 fine for each count if convicted.
Click here to see a 2005 story about some of the charges being dismissed.
Click here to read a 2006 story about Lee being recharged.
This is not Lee’s first go-round in these type proceedings.
In 1994 he was found guilty of distributing obscene material by a Floyd County jury.
In that case, the son of Sandra Allen of Rome received two comics from Lee’s store described as pornographic by Floyd County Judge Larry Salmon. The two adult books were entitled Debbie Does Dallas and Final Taboo.
After being convicted Lee took his case to the Georgia Court of Appeals, but the conviction was unanimously affirmed. The Georgia Supreme Court refused to hear his appeal.
This led to a federal civil suit in which then District Attorney Steve Lanier was ordered to return the materials seized from Lee’s store to him.
Floyd County District Attorney Leigh Patterson declined to comment, as the case is ongoing.
