After a broken air conditioner caused a bit of delay, the trial of the year is finally under way. According to PR from the CBLDF:

Lee’s case is also being closely watched by the mainstream media for its implications on Free Expression. In the past week, stories have appeared on NPR’s Morning Edition, CourtTV, and New York Magazine, joining profiles from venues including The New York Times, The Book Standard, and Publishers Weekly.

“This case has broad consequences for all retailers of First Amendment protected material,” says CBLDF Executive Director Charles Brownstein. “If Gordon is found guilty, it would establish a precedent that makes the seller of any book, magazine, or film depicting non-sexual nudity vulnerable to a similar prosecution in the State of Georgia.” He adds, ” We’re confident that Gordon is not guilty of the charges he’s accused of, and that the work in question comes nowhere near the threshold the law requires to deem a work harmful to minors.”


“It’s appalling that these charges were brought in the first place,” Brownstein says. “It’s outrageous that it’s taken nearly three years, a complete change of facts by the prosecution midstream, and tens of thousands of dollars for Gordon to get his day in court. Now that we’re here, we have every confidence in our legal team of Alan Begner, Cory Begner, and Paul Cadle to wage the best defense on Gordon’s behalf. We couldn’t have done it without the overwhelming support of the comics community, whose contributions have ensured that we are able to fight back.”

For a detailed summary of the case and its developments, please visit the CBLDF’s website — Gordon Lee: The Road to Trial

To make a tax-deductible contribution to the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, please visit our donations page
The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund was founded in 1986 as a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of First Amendment rights for members of the comics community. For additional information, donations, and other inquiries call 800-99-CBLDF or visit www.cbldf.org

1 COMMENT

  1. I was born and raised in Rome and shopped at Gordon’s store from when he took it over from another owen in the late 70’s (when I was a toddler) to high school, when I moved to go to UGA. It’s sad to see him go through all this, but I have to laugh at the trial delay from a busted air conditioner. Atticus Finch could’ve roughed it out.

  2. “Now what, did a rooster get loose in the courtroom?”

    Make a space chicken lawyer like in Futurama?

  3. we’ve seen the good and the bad with comics peeps. But Gordon is not guilty of anything.

    Hopefully, the people in GA come to their senses and realize when a real first amendment case is in their hands!

  4. Hopefully, the people in GA come to their senses and realize when a real first amendment case is in their hands!

    I really hope they don’t realize that the First Amendment is at stake, because there’s a growing segment of this country – by which I mean, even its citizens – that would love nothing better than to see freedom of speech abolished completely, and I have a sneaking suspicion I know where these folks would stand on that issue …