Update on the Overland Park Arboretum Statue Grand Jury Hearing

Petition Signatures to be delivered to the Johnson County Court Clerk

Overland Park, KS - August 31, 2012- The American Family Association of Kansas & Missouri announced the gathering of 4,700 petition signatures to seat a Johnson County, KS. Grand Jury.

The purpose of the independent Grand Jury hearing is to examine the laws, evidence and testimonies relative to the headless, totally nude, aroused female "sexting" statue on display at the Overland Park Arboretum.

Petitioners consider the "sexting" statue beyond inappropriate , but promoting obscenity to minors (K.S.A. 21-6401), promotion to minors of materials harmful to minors (K.S.A. 21-6402), Contributing to a child's misconduct or deprivation (K.S.A. 21-5603), Obscenity as a common nuisance (K.S.A. 22-3901).

A window to pause and reflect on what AFA-KsMo and the petitioners consider an obscene and inappropriate sculpture for minors has passed. During this window the Johnson County DA's office met separately with both AFA-KsMo and representatives of the Overland Park City Council but no resolve was realized and to date the sculpture remains in a child's venue.

Since May 2012 multiple requests for a hearing before the Overland Park City Council remain denied, thus citizens have no recourse but to turn to the citizens independent grand jury process. The check and balance of the grand jury system is a Kansas right when indifference to the law, disregarding community standards and collusion are suspected.

Concerns of children exposing and sexting themselves along side the sculpture and implying to children that sexting is a sanctioned behavior by city officials remains an unanswered and serious legal question.

On Tuesday, September 4th AFA-KsMo representatives will deliver the 4,700 signatures to the Johnson County Court Clerk to begin the process of validating the state's requirement of 3,798 valid Johnson County registered voters signatures.

A statement will be released to the media at 2:00 pm immediately following the filing on September 4th. The media statement will take place near the South Steps / Gazebo of the Johnson County Kansas Courthouse , 100 N. Kansas, Olathe, KS.

Once the signatures have been filed, the county has 60 days to impanel the Grand Jury.

In the spirit of a fair and impartial hearing, the American Family Association of KS & MO will submit to the grand jury process a list of witnesses / victims and subject matter experts in the areas of early childhood development and obscenity law.