Court Opinion

ID: 9696286
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-25 18:43:44.152293+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:20:20.717230
License: Public Domain

Horney, J.,
filed the following dissenting opinion.
There is no disagreement between the members of this Court that only material which is obscene under the Roth-Alberts test can be censored or suppressed by the Maryland Board of Censors and that the Legislature may not by statute substitute its definition of what is obscene for the Roth-Alberts rule. Nor is there any disagreement between us that the Board, which has the burden of producing evidence to show obscenity, ordinarily will not have met its burden by merely exhibiting a motion *258picture to the courts (including this Court) as the trier of facts. But we do not agree as to the result to be reached in this case.
Since there was no evidence one way or the other (aside from the showing of the film) with respect to its obscenity or the lack of it or as to the relevant community standards, it is apparent to me that “Dorna,” which is utterly devoid of any artistic, social, cultural or scientific value, and in which the predominantly pornographic theme was deliberately accentuated, is one of those motion pictures as to which no proof, other than the viewing of it, is required to determine that it is in fact obscene under the Roth-Alberts test.
I would affirm, or at least, remand the case for the production of other evidence if that be deemed desirable or necessary instead of releasing it because the Board failed to take additional evidence as the statute required.