North Carolina Comic Retailer Arrest Leads to Indictment

In November, a comic retailer was arrested, over a comic handed out during a Trunk-or-Treat event in Sunset Beach, NC. Kathleen Hinds Lincoln, co-owner of Marvelous Issues was charged and arrested by the Sunset Beach Police Department on October 31st for some of the material in the comics provided to attendees. A copy Grendel Tales: Devil’s Hammer #1 by Matt Wagner published in 1994 by Dark Horse is at the center of it all. The comic features nudity.

The case has been active since and kicked up in mid-February when an indictment was returned in the case by grand jurors. That does not mean that Lincoln is guilty, just that there’s enough evidence for the case to proceed.

The jurors for the State upon above the defendant named above their oath present that on or about the unlawfully, willfully and feloniously date(s) of offense shown and in the county did KNOWINGLY DISSEMINATETO E.H., A MINOR, WHOSE AGE WAS 6 AND THUS UNDER THE AGE OF 13 YEARS, MATERIAL TO WIT: A COMIC BOOK CONTAINING IMAGES OF MEN AND WOMAN ENGAGED IN SEXUALCONDUCT, WHICH THE DEFENDANT KNEW AND REASONABLY SHOULD HAVE KNOWNTO BE OBSCENE WITHIN THE MEANING OF NCGS SEC 14-190.. THE DEFENDANT WAS 59 YEARS OLD ON THE DAY OF OFFENSE AND THUS WAS 18 YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER AT THE TIME.

With that news, an assertion for a speedy trial has been submitted by Lincoln’s attorney, an assistant public defender. Also submitted was request for a recording of all phases of the proceeding by the Court Recorder as well as a request of discovery by the defense, and a motion to sequester witnesses.

Based on the voting registration of Brunswick County where this trial is set to take place, it is rather conservative with a 2-to-1 Republican to Democrat registration which could make this a tough fight.

We’ll of course follow the case and update as it progresses.

Source: Graphic Policy