Prelim to continue Sept. 1 for graffiti artist Shepard Fairey's case

The artist was in Detroit for commission work but is being charged for the work he painted illegally around the city.

DETROIT – The preliminary hearing for graffiti artist Shepard Fairey will continue Sept. 1.

A brief hearing was held Thursday.

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Fairey was brought to Detroit earlier this year to paint a mural at 1 Campus Martius, but some of the other street art he put up landed him an arrest warrant.

Fairey turned himself in to Detroit police on July 14 after a malicious destruction of property warrant was filed.

Video: Fairey arraigned after turning himself in

The city wants to be clear that it's not going after Fairey because he's well-known. In fact, 30 people have been arrested since July for graffiti in Detroit, 21 of which don't even live in the city.

"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."

The judge entered a not guilty plea for Fairey and set his bond at $75,000.