Articles

Obscenity charges dropped against Overland Park Store

By Diane Carroll, The Kansas City Star
October 10, 2007

A grand jury indictment that accused an Overland Park store of promoting obscenity was dismissed this morning in Johnson County District Court.

Attorneys for Spirit Halloween, 6824 W. 119th St., were scheduled to appear in court this afternoon on charges handed down Sept. 26 by a Johnson County grand jury. But defense attorney Tyler Garretson said the district attorney's office signed an order dismissing the case this morning.

The business, owned by the Spencer Corp., had been charged with four counts of promoting obscenity to minors for selling four costumes that allegedly were harmful to minors.

"When we got a copy of the indictment, we were as surprised as anyone," Garretson said. "So we immediately took our own steps...and removed the costumes that were complained of and put them in a separated back portion of the store. We've kind of corrected whatever the perceived problem was through our own actions and once we were able to demonstrate that to the district attorney's office they agreed to dismiss the indictment against us."

The grand jury was convened in mid-July through a citizen's petition to investigate businesses suspected of promoting obscenity. It finished its work on Oct. 2 and disbanded.

Two other businesses that were indicted for promoting obscenity are scheduled to appear in court today to make their first appearances. They are Priscilla's, located in Olathe, and Hollywood at Home in Overland Park.