yet more stupidity

[GoodChris]

Anyone else read this?



Calif. couple, firm indicted on obscenity charges in Pa.

Thursday, August 07, 2003

By Dan Nephin, The Associated Press







A California couple and their company have been indicted by a federal grand jury for allegedly distributing obscene materials in what federal authorities said would be a series of prosecutions after nearly a decade of lax enforcement.

Robert Zicari and Janet Romano, both of Northridge, and their company, Extreme Associates, were indicted for allegedly distributing three videos to the Pittsburgh area through the mail and over the Internet, U.S. Attorney Mary Beth Buchanan said today.

Buchanan said lack of enforcement has led to the proliferation of violent and degrading images such as distributed by Extreme Associates. One of the videos depicts rape and murder, she said.

Obscenity is not protected speech under the First Amendment, she said.

Authorities raided Extreme Associates in April and took videos and financial records, she said.

Zicari and Romano, who also go by the names Rob Black and Lizzie Borden, have not been incarcerated but have surrendered their passports and must appear at an arraignment hearing in Pittsburgh on Aug. 27.

Court documents did not name an attorney for Zicari and Romano and they could not immediately be reached for comment. Home phone listings could not be found for them and a telephone call by The Associated Press to Extreme Associates and an e-mail were not immediately answered.

The charges carry a maximum penalty of 50 years in prison and a $2.5 million fine for Zicari and Romano and probation and a $5 million fine for the company, Buchanan said.