'Dolls' Dirty? No Proof, Judge Rules
Salt Lake Tribune, 1 August 1970, page 30
Salt Lake City did not present enough evidence to indicate that the X-rated movie "Beyond the Valley of the Dolls" is obscene and should be seized by the court, city Judge Maurice D. Jones ruled Tuesday.
But Judge Jones emphasized, he was not ruling on the merits of the film, "good, bad or indifferent."
"It is the opinion of this court that the burden (of proof needed to proceed further) has not been met by the city at this time.
"I feel that there is insufficient evidence. This does not preclude the city from proceeding further if it wishes to proceed further," he said at the end of a five-hour hearing on the city's request for search and seizure warrants.
But Assistant City Attorney Roger F. Cutler, who presented the city's position, said he did not know if he will continue action to close the film showing at the Uptown Theatre, 53 S. Main.
Defendents in the case were National General Corp., doing business as Uptown Theatre, and the theater manager, Ted Kirkmeyer.
But Judge Jones emphasized, he was not ruling on the merits of the film, "good, bad or indifferent."
"It is the opinion of this court that the burden (of proof needed to proceed further) has not been met by the city at this time.
"I feel that there is insufficient evidence. This does not preclude the city from proceeding further if it wishes to proceed further," he said at the end of a five-hour hearing on the city's request for search and seizure warrants.
But Assistant City Attorney Roger F. Cutler, who presented the city's position, said he did not know if he will continue action to close the film showing at the Uptown Theatre, 53 S. Main.
Defendents in the case were National General Corp., doing business as Uptown Theatre, and the theater manager, Ted Kirkmeyer.