Manga man jailed for selling adult comics... to an adult

http://lasvegascitylife.com/display/inn_books_and_lit/books2 comix.txt


gotta love american fundamentalist christians eh?

 

Wow....................................it's like a bad episode of the twilight zone.Poor guy.He was just tryin' to earn some money.Get off his back.I can't believe that they found him guilty.Wow............
Some people,I tell 'ya!

 

Next thing you know, someone will want to cover up all the boobs on statues in Washingt-... oh wait, that already happened!

Damn lamers. Burn the lot of em.

 

The stupid ***** was pissed over some wortless pokemon cards she couldn't afford for her snot nosed brat. The article I read on another board said nothing about the woman seeing the comics and getting pissed. It simply said that she said" You'll regret this" after she found she couldn't afford the pokemon cards for her brat. This only proves that she was angry because he wouldn't let her skate by on the price of the pokemon cards for her kid. Not that she was being a good Christian and watching out for the youth of america, only that she was a stupid pissed parent that decided since I can't afford the cards for my kid I'll make sure he'll never sell to anyone again. Then she manges to get some guy to pose as a buyer and buy the comic. Then the guy gets aressted for selling the comic to an adult when it was ment for an adult. Yes here in Texas we do have some strange laws. The fact that this case even made it to court proves such.

 

where is the story at, i want to read it, i click on the link and the site is blank, well not really, theres nothing there to read from the link

 

Jesus Castillo, 31, is a convicted criminal. He's been sentenced to six months in prison, a $4,000 fine and one year of probation. His crime: Selling an adult comic book to - wait for it - an adult.

It all started in November of 1999, when a woman stormed out of Keith's Comics in Dallas, Texas, upset over the price of Pokemon cards. She threatened store manager Castillo, insisting that she could easily have the place shut down. "I know important people," she said. "All I have to do is tell them what you're selling here."

The next week, a fiery letter appeared in a local newspaper, presumably written by the same woman, alleging that Keith's Comics was part of a vast conspiracy determined to corrupt our children with "unwholesome themes and exceptionally sensually alluring images." Several Bible verses were quoted. Strangely, the letter was reprinted a few days later. When Castillo asked why such a spiteful letter was printed twice in the same week, the paper's editor assured him that it was an honest mistake. Then he printed it again.

The letter soon found its way into the Dallas PTA newsletter, where the editors added a note about Keith's being "under investigation." Fearing the worst, Castillo contacted the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, a nonprofit anti-censorship organization that assists artists and retailers involved in free-speech cases. The CBLDF said they would keep an eye on it.

A few weeks later, an unassuming man walked into Keith's and asked for a copy of Demon Beast Invasion #2, a particularly graphic Japanese horror comic featuring explicit scenes of women being raped by tentacled monsters (something of a theme in Japanese porn). The book was kept behind the counter in a special "Adults Only" section. Castillo checked the man's ID, rang up the sale, and told him to have a nice day. The next morning, three Dallas police officers entered the store and arrested Jesus for promoting obscenity.

The CBLDF agreed to take Castillo's case. During the trial, they produced a string of expert witnesses, including Understanding Comics author Scott McCloud and Dr. Susan Napier, professor of Japanese Literature and Culture at the University of Texas. McCloud and Napier argued that, while the book is certainly graphic, it has literary value and is therefore not legally obscene. They talked at length about the popularity and variety of comics in Japan, and argued that it was unfair to judge Demon Beast Invasion, a multi-part serialized story, by looking at a single chapter, no matter how "offensive" that chapter may be. The defense pointed out that Castillo acted responsibly, and that at no time was the material available to minors.

The state of Texas produced no rebuttal witnesses, their only witness being Craig Reynerson, the undercover cop who purchased the book. Nor did they use the "Miller Test" - a standard process used to determine obscenity - to question the book's artistic merit. Instead, they relied entirely on Reynerson's testimony and the D.A.'s closing argument, which reads like a really hateful episode of "Matlock."

The prosecution urged jurors to use their "common sense" in determining whether the material was in fact intended for children, despite the "Not For Children" label on the book's cover. "I don't care what type of evidence or what type of testimony is out there," said the lead prosecutor, "Comic books ... are for kids. [The material] is put in a medium, in a forum, to directly appeal to kids. ... We're here to get this off the shelf." The D.A. also used the store's location - a quarter mile mile from an elementary school - as further proof that Keith's was attempting to subvert the youth of Dallas. When the defense pointed out that an adult video store was operating even closer to the school, selling material that made Demon Beast look downright tame, the prosecution responded with, "Well, we may have to look at them, too."

It took the jury only four hours to find Castillo guilty.

After two lengthy appeals, both of which were denied via postcard, the CBLDF has decided to appeal the case to the United States Supreme Court, a first for the organization. "It's shameful that Jesus is facing these charges for responsibly selling adult material to an adult," says CBLDF Director Charles Brownstein in a statement on the Fund's website (www.cbldf.org). "While it's anyone's guess whether the high court will hear the case, it is our responsibility to this industry to take this fight as far as we can."

 

Sad really if they let this happen then they should aresset any one who read, watched or made ANYTHING adult even if it's not pronagraphic. We all know everything that's amied at adults screws with our youth.

 

I really hate the ****ing ***** who got him in trouble. He followed all the right procedures. Unless theres an anti-porn law where they are, she has no business doing what she did.

 

That is despicable. Scumy scumy bastards. I don't know how that case won, it was really ridiculous.

 

thanks chi

 

This is got to be the biggest joke ever--this guy needs to fight this as far as he can take it.

I see nothing wrong with what he was doing. Everyone knows prices are higher in comic stores for any kind of kinds.


Please, Grow up!!!!!

 

wow thats possibly the stupidest thing i ever heard

 

This is what did the poor fella in. We Americans have the rather ignorant belief that all animated stories are for children. Channels have in the past found great offense in "The Simpsons" - and obviously adult-oriented show - saying that it was too offensive for kids (though the newest claim is that The Simpsons is the most theologically aware programme on TV )

The only comics / cartoons that survive well in the major US market are child-oriented, so people automatically assume that manga, anime, or things like "King of the Hill", "Futurama", &c. also target kids. Pah! Buncha bull-headed fools. This is why the anime / manga fans are such a sub-culture (but rapidly growing!)

 

These people need to get over it. What about betty Boop I know she wasn't for kids. Also they had porn cartoons in the 30's and the 40's and probly before that. These parents need to get a grip not everything that is cartoonishis should be make for kids. Besides most comics are for made for teen males I see very few comics amied at kids when I go to a comic or book store.

 

Originally animation and all that jazz was intended for adult audiences, although it certainly wouldnt be porn by our definition (given the time).

 

Ohhh Your Gods

The person that bought the comic did show an ID right.

How can they say that comic books are for kids only..... its like sayign that only oldies (ppl over 40) cares about politics or reads newspapers....

so if you are 18 or over then you ain't allowed to read comics???

Well they can bite my no so shiny "Metal*" ***
*(with metal do I mean that I am a Metal fan so its particulary true )

How can they do that???

even the "not for children" sing on the book shows that it AINT FOR CHILDREN so why come with a statement like that???

 

Brah! Anti-liberal shnazz like this pisses me off! It's usually just plain ignorance among masses of people that makes them stick to the same conservative views. And they even disregard "common sense," logic, etc., and just selfishly go with their own morals. They nitpick at the tiniest piece of questionable material and go against it full force. Or worst yet, they get nuts only cuz a few people complain, like that woman who threatened to shut down the comic book store. I wanna bring that stupid woman to Hell with me, and jam her upright onto a fiery stalagmite! Then I'll surround her with big screen tv's that play just the nasty parts of Urotsukidoji. That'll show her...that'll show them!

Quoting Bible verses? What the ?!? Some people take things too far. And you know what, sometimes the Bible does make a difference in a court of law--that's so lame. I laugh at that... Hahaha!

We should be thankful that a big brother like Comic Book Legal Defense Fund exists. Now THAT's defense! I bow down to them! As for the US Supreme Court...#$@% yeah! No even mess with the big boys!

 

thats stupid as hell i can't believe something like that happened ...............wow that lady must of had some serious pms:glazed:

 

you said it...

i know that in the u.s. there is an adult video store and other objects about 4 blocks away from a school~ and they dont i.d. what is this world coming to????