Up until a few months ago I had no idea who the CBLDF was. In my defense it wasn’t until then that they were really making a difference. For past month there has been on-going legal motions to defend retailer Gordon Lee of Legends in Rome, Georgia. Lee faces two counts for the felony of “Distribution of Material Depicting Nudity or Sexual Conduct” and five for the misdemeanors of “Distribution of Material Harmful to Minors”. The CBLDF has filed these motions to dismiss one of the felony counts and two misdemeanor counts based on the fact that they are charges claiming grievances on behalf of a John or Jane Doe and this is in effect charging Lee multiple times for the same alleged crime. The second motion seeks to dismiss the felony counts applying the rule of lenity meaning that the lesser charge of the two must stand, the misdemeanors rather than the felonies.

The third and fourth motions make constitutional challenges by stating it violates the free speech rights guaranteed under First Amendment, the liberty and due process rights guaranteed under the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments, and the equal protection rights guaranteed under the Fourteenth Amendment. As direct challenges against the laws used to charge Lee succeeding with the third and fourth motions would protect other comic shops likely to be threatened by the possibility of future prosecution under these Georgia statutes and possibly similar laws in other states.

Up until now the CBLDF has completely funded the costs but recently they have started some auctions to cover costs exceeding $20,000 along with their usual donations.