A MESSAGE FROM CHRIS STAROS
"I've been a member of the CBLDF since the mid-90s, and I remember writing Denis Kitchen in '97 to tell him that 'one day, when I've earned my place in comics, I'd love to serve on the CBLDF Board of Directors.' I was elected to the Board on August 3rd, 2002, and then on July 23rd, 2004, was named President of the CBLDF Board of Directors (to replace founder Denis Kitchen, who retired after eighteen years of amazing service to the organization). I'm honored to now serve in this capacity.
"Comics is the last truly free artistic medium. Yet the fact that the industry is relatively small makes it extremely vulnerable to politicians and prosecutors trying to make names for themselves on the often overzealous moral ground of 'protecting the children.' It is here that the First Amendment battle lines are drawn and precedent setting cases are determined. That's why it's critical that we all support the CBLDF in any way we can." -- Chris Staros
SUPPORT THE CBLDF
The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund was founded in 1986 as a 501(c) 3 non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of First Amendment rights for members of the comics community. The CBLDF pays for that defense through money raised in contributions and memberships. It's your donations that enable the Fund to keep the medium of comics a safe place to exercise the rights afforded by the First Amendment. Please keep the Fund strong by making a donation, becoming a member, or buying a piece of merchandise from the Fund website. Protecting free speech is an expensive endeavor and every dollar counts, so please help the CBLDF stay strong and make a donation today by joining today:
CBLDF 1 yr Membership (Member) -- $25.00 (US)
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CBLDF 1 yr Membership (Supporter) -- $50.00 (US)
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CBLDF 1 yr Membership (Advocate) -- $99.99 (US)
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CBLDF 1 yr Membership (Patron) -- $99.99 (US)
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CBLDF 1 yr Membership (Guardian) -- $99.99 (US)
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CBLDF 1 yr Membership (Angel) -- $99.99 (US)
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OR JOIN DIRECTLY AT THE CBLDF WEBSITE:
By Mail:
COMIC BOOK LEGAL DEFENSE FUND
271 MADISON AVE, SUITE 1400
NEW YORK, NY 10016
USA
By Phone:
(800) 99-CBLDF
(212) 679-7151
ON THE WEB:
WWW.CBLDF.ORG
THROUGH MEMBERSHIPS:
BECOME A CBLDF MEMBER
THROUGH DONATIONS:
MAKE A DONATION TO THE CBLDF
THROUGH AUCTIONS:
CHECK OUT THE CBLDF AUCTIONS
THROUGH ART DONATIONS:
MAKE AN ART DONATION TO THE CBLDF
OR SEND INQUIRIES TO:
info@cbldf.org
FOR ALL CBLDF NEWS -- VISIT "BUSTED" ON-LINE:
BUSTED
| Executive Director:
Charles Brownstein
(800) 99-CBLDF
(212) 679-7151
director@cbldf.org
Deputy Director:
Greg Thompson
(800) 99-CBLDF
(212) 679-7151
info@cbldf.org
Board of Directors:
Chris Staros, President
Joe Ferrara, Vice President
Milton Griepp, Treasurer
Louise Nemschoff, Secretary
Peter David
Neil Gaiman
Steve Geppi
Paul Levitz
Chris Powell
CBLDF Founder:
Denis Kitchen
Defender of Liberty Award Winners:
2006: (no recipient)
2005: Denis Kitchen
2004: Jim Lee
2003: Chuck Rozanski
2002: (no recipient)
2001: Frank Miller
2000: George Pérez
1999: Brian Pulido
1998: Harlan Ellison
1997: Neil Gaiman
1996: Dave Sim & Paul Mavrides (first year)
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 A Special Message From Jeff Smith06 November 2007I'm writing you this letter while the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund's legal team is in court in Rome, GA defending Gordon Lee. For the last 3 years, Gordon has been put through a legal wringer by Rome's prosecutors, who are trying to send him to jail for two years because of a comic book about Picasso. Thank goodness for the CBLDF, who got Gordon the best lawyers in the state and picked up the bill ”“ which is likely to reach $100,000 by the time this is all done.
Win or lose, his case shows why it's important that we support the CBLDF. For 20 years, the Fund has been going to court to defend retailers and creators who are singled out by prosecutors because of comics. They arrange and pay for the best counsel, an expense that would bankrupt most small retailers and cartoonists. Because of the Fund, we don't need to back down when faced with bullying prosecutions like the one against Gordon. Because of the support of people like you and me, the Fund is able to stand up and fight for comics. [ MORE ] |
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Gordon Lee Case Declared A Mistrial05 November 2007 The case against Gordon Lee took another in an ongoing series of bizarre turns this afternoon when statements made by State prosecutor John Tully during opening arguments led to a mistrial.
Lee and his legal team, paid for by the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, appeared in court this morning for jury selection and returned in the afternoon to begin the actual trial. Before the jury was brought in to begin the trial, lead counsel Alan Begner argued an oral motion in limine asking the judge to instruct prosecutors that they could not admit statements from their witnesses alluding to Lee's character and previous legal actions Lee has been party to. Prosecutors assured the court that they had instructed their witnesses not to address Lee's previous conviction for selling adult comics to an adult. Then during opening statements in front of the jury, prosecutor Tully said witnesses will testify that Gordon was defensive and that Gordon had told police, "I've been through this before," a clear reversal of his earlier statement to the judge that prosecutors would not be entering such statements into the record. [ MORE ] |
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Retailers On The Rise At CBLDF12 October 2007As the comics retail community departs for Diamond's Fort Wayne Retailer Summit this weekend, the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund (CBLDF) is proud to announce the election of Joe Ferrara of Atlantis Fantasyworld to the office of Vice President of the organization, and to welcome Chris Powell of Lone Star Comics & MyComicShop.com as the newest member of its Board of Directors. Ferrara & Powell join President Chris Staros, Treasurer Milton Griepp, Secretary Louise Nemschoff, Peter David, Neil Gaiman, Paul Levitz, and Steve Geppi on the Board. [ MORE ] |
CBLDF PODCAST WITH CHARLES BROWNSTEIN!04 January 2007At the "Ready For My Closeup" Blog (www.readyformycloseup.blogspot.com), Alex Fitch and Duncan Nott talked to Charles Brownstein about the mission and status of the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund.
Click here to check it out:
CBLDF Podcast.
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Gordon Lee Faces New Indictment15 June 2006Marking another bizarre turn in the saga of Georgia retailer Gordon Lee, Rome prosecutors have drawn up a new indictment that replaces the accusation CBLDF lawyers filed motions against earlier this month. The indictment was procured at a special grand jury session earlier this month, and restates the charges from the previous accusation filed in May. This new development marks the third time charges have been brought against Lee for the accidental distribution of "Alternative Comics #2" in October of 2004. The previously announced June 15 motions hearing is cancelled. Lee now must stand before a new arraignment on July 7, after which his lawyers must re-file their motions.
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CBLDF Launches Corporate Membership Fund24 May 2006As first reported in Publishers Weekly:
As The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund enters its 20th year monitoring the First Amendment Rights of comics retailers and artists, the organization has launched a corporate membership program to fund CBLDF's much expanded scope of services and legal challenges.
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New Arraignment Scheduled for Gordon Lee17 May 2006The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund has learned that a date of May 19 has been set for a new arraignment in the long-running case of Georgia v. Gordon Lee. The new arraignment restarts the road to trial for Mr. Lee, who has been defended through the efforts of the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund since early 2005.
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DARK HORSE DONATES ADIDAS ROYALTIES TO CBLDF!05 May 2006Dark Horse Comics, an industry leader in publishing and entertainment, has announced that they will be donating the proceeds from the upcoming limited edition adidas adicolor apparel to the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund. The donation to the Fund will total $18,000, creating a substantial boon for the organization’s casework in defense of the industry’s First Amendment rights.
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Gordon Lee: Case Dismissed--But Back To Square One04 April 2006The long-running case of Georgia v. Gordon Lee took yet another strange turn of events yesterday when the prosecution dismissed all charges against the Rome, Georgia retailer only to bring a new accusation arising from the Halloween 2004 incident that resulted in his arrest.
When Judge Larry Salmon entered the courtroom shortly after 9 AM, prosecutors declared the case nolle prosse, meaning that the charges that were to go to trial this week have been dismissed. Prosecutors are re-filing under a new accusation alleging that Lee handed “Alternative Comics #2” to a six-year-old minor and his nine-year-old brother, instead of solely to the nine-year-old, as has been previously, and repeatedly, declared.
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Gordon Lee Trial Begins Monday02 April 2006On April 3, CBLDF defendant Gordon Lee will appear before the court in Rome, Georgia to begin his trial on two remaining misdemeanor counts of "Distribution of Harmful to Minors Material." Monday morning's calendar call will be followed by a full jury trial during the week.
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