Story published: Friday, Mar. 14, 2008
Obscenity case businesses make appearance
Two area businesses indicted by a Johnson County grand jury for promoting obscenity appeared Friday in Johnson County District Court.
The cases against Priscilla's, 1848 E. Santa Fe St., and Hollyood at Home, an Overland Park video rental store, were consolidated to try the cases at the same time.
The district attorney's office previously argued that consolidating the cases would make logistical sense. Attorneys for the businesses didn't disagree.
Both businesses were indicted Sept. 25. Priscilla's was indicted on six counts for the sale of sex toys and a DVD, and Hollywood at Home was indicted on four counts for renting obscene DVDs.
Both businesses pleaded not guilty at an earlier hearing.
District Court Judge Peter Ruddick asked the attorneys Friday if they wanted to schedule a motions hearing, but Richard Bryant, the attorney for Hollywood at Home, said there were "some preliminary issues still lurking."
One of those issues includes getting Assistant District Attorney Mike McElhinney up to speed. He was assigned the case after Tim Keck, who was handling the case, left the office last month.
Two other businesses were indicted for promoting obscenity, but the charges against them were dismissed.
Spirit Halloween, an Overland Park costume store, was indicted on four counts for displaying inappropriate costumes where children could see them. After the store agreed to keep "adult-oriented" costumes out of a child's view, the district attorney's office dismissed the charges.
Gringo Loco, 905 S. Parker St., was indicted on one count for selling an obscene DVD. That charge was dismissed after the business agreed to remove the movie from its shelf.
The grand jury — the first convened in the county since 1989 — was seated in mid-July after residents petitioned a grand jury to investigate area strip clubs, sex shops and video rental stores. It ended its service shortly after indicting Gringo Loco on Oct. 2.
A second resident-petitioned grand jury was convened in early October to investigate whether Planned Parenthood in Overland Park complies with the state's abortion laws.
That grand jury concluded its service last week without issuing any indictments. Priscilla's and Hollywood at Home were ordered to appear next at 11 a.m. May 16.