DETROIT – The case against artist Shepard Fairey, who was charged with malicious destruction of property after he allegedly tagged more than a dozen buildings in Detroit without permission, has been dropped.
A judge granted the motion last week.
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During Fairey's preliminary exam, a YouTube video was shown of Fairey demonstrating how to mix and apply paste that could be used to stick flyers.
"The defendant has pretty much given us a lesson on how to tag a property, a property that he readily admits he has no permission to tag," said King.
Detroit Police Sgt. Rebecca McKay testified that she found more than a dozen buildings with Fairey's signature "Obey the Giant" image on it, and that they were posted without permission.
Defense attorney Bradley Friedman said there's no proof the tagging was done by Fairey.
An attorney for the city has said three of nine properties that were damaged are city-owned. The damage has been estimated at around $30,000.
Fairey was in Detroit in May to complete a mural on a downtown building. He turned himself in to Detroit police on July 14 after the warrant was issued.
"We get people coming into the city that view it as a free fire zone, that view it as a place where no one cares," said Detroit attorney Doug Baker, who's prosecuting the case on behalf of the prosecutor's office. "And that's what we're changing, we're changing that culture and belief that's out among certain people."
In the past, he was in a legal dispute with The Associated Press after using an AP photo in his famous Barack Obama "HOPE" poster. He agreed in 2011 to pay $1.6 million.