Grand Jury Deems Controversial OP Statute is Art and Not Obscene - fox4kc.com

Posted on: 6:43 pm, October 26, 2012, by Sarah Clark, updated on: 10:05pm, October 26, 2012

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. –  A grand jury on Friday determined the semi-nude statue at the Overland Park, Kan., arboretum is not obscene and is considered art.

The piece is called "Accept or Reject." The bronze statue depicts a woman taking a picture of herself, partially nude. The American Family Association, or AFA, said it violates community standards for obscenity and encourages "sexting".

"For sure it is not something that you want a child to run upon, and wonder, at the celebration of something that if they were to emulate it would be an illegal act," Phillip Cosby said.

The AFA had hoped the grand jury would side with them. However, on Friday, the grand jury released a written report on its decision. It stated, "We sat for one day and viewed the photographs of the statue. We reviewed the Kansas law and found that the sculpture in question did not meet the legal definition of obscenity set forth in K.S.A. 21-6401(f)(1)(B)(ii)."

Following Friday's verdict, the statue will remain in the arboretum.

Some of FOX 4?s Facebook fans voiced their opinions about the issue Friday night. See some of their comments below. If you'd like to add your own, join the Facebook conversation here.