Extreme Associates
Date: 2003
Region: North America
Subject: Explicit Sexuality, Political/Economic/Social Opinion
Medium: Film Video
Artist: Extreme Associates, and it's executives Robert Zicari, and Janet Romano.
Confronting Bodies: Attorney General Ashcroft, Dept. of Justice for Western Pennsylvania.
Dates of Action: August 8, 2003.
Location: San Fernando Valley.
Description of Artwork: Fictional rape and murder of woman and other videos considered by the government to be obscene.
The Incident: The Justice Department charged Extreme Associates, a North Hollywood wholesaler of adult films, with violating federal obscenity laws. The allegation includes distribution of obscene materials over the Internet and distribution of DVDs across state lines in violation of federal law.
Results of Incident: Extreme Associates continue to sell videos from their website, including those alleged to be obscene by the government. William Lyon, executive director of the Free Speech Coalition, a trade group created to support the adult entertainment industry, vowed to "fight [the charges] all the way." Zicari and Romano face up to 50 years in prison and fines up to $2.5 million.
Source: Los Angeles Times