Roseville muralist won’t be jailed over painting ‘love’ on studio

[Bozita]

Source: Detroit Free Press

POSTED: 1:54 P.M. NOV. 11, 2009
Roseville muralist won’t be jailed over painting ‘love’ on studio
BY STEVE NEAVLING
FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER


An embattled Roseville muralist won’t spend 30 days in jail for painting the word “love” on the outside wall of his studio – at least not yet.

The Michigan Court of Appeals reversed on Tuesday the 2005 guilty verdict of Ed (Gonzo) Stross and demanded a new trial.

The city claimed Stross violated a city sign ordinance that prohibits wording in some locations.

The appellate court said prosecutors improperly lumped two accusations against Stross in one charge. The second accusation — that Stross violated a city ordinance by painting a biblical Eve’s breast on the studio — was rejected by several courts.

Stross said today that he plans to celebrate the ruling by repainting “love” on his studio at Gratiot and Utica if it’s OK with his attorneys from the American Civil Liberties Union.

Read more: http://www.freep.com/article/20091111/NEWS04/91111041/1318/Roseville-muralist-wont-be-jailed-over-painting-‘love-on-studio

[Arctic Dave]

1. No pictures?

What kind of studio was this painted on?

[noamnety]

2. Here's part of his mural:

And the full building: http://cmsimg.detnews.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=C3&Date=20071201&Category=METRO03&ArtNo=712010358&Ref=V2

It's his painting studio, and he wasn't allowed to have the word LOVE on it because city ordnance says that words on the sides of buildings are "signs" and it didn't meet the restrictions for business signs. (Dumbest ruling ever)

[NWHarkness]

3. I actually lived in that building back in the early 80s

Up above Bionde's Pizza.



Mmmmmmmm pizza.

[PassingFair]

4. Did you know the strange guy in the witch-craft store next door?

He once told me that he had psychically sent
"turkey-sized stinging insects" after his
ex-wife for messing with him over child custody.

:eyes: