In this March 13, 2018 photo, a sheet with the words "censored" on it covers an anti-trump mural along the 3500 block of S. Liberty Street in New Orleans, La. Landowner Neal Morris sued after being ordered to remove the mural, which transcribes part of then-presidential candidate Trump's recorded "Access Hollywood" conversation, including a boast about groping women's genitals (Max Becherer/The Advocate via AP)
The Associated Press
NEW ORLEANS (AP) - A federal judge says New Orleans cannot make a landowner take down a mural of infamous quotes recorded when Donald Trump was on "Access Hollywood" in 2005.
Judge Martin Feldman ruled Tuesday that the city's mural ordinance violates the First Amendment's guarantee of freedom of speech and may not be enforced. He says the zoning ordinance uses "indistinct, shapeless and obscure" phrases to define murals, so that people could not understand when a permit is required. He also rejected arguments that the city wants an advance look at murals only to tell whether they should be regulated as commercial signs or not.
Feldman ruled one day after hearing arguments on landowner Neal Morris' assertion that the regulations are clearly unconstitutional and the city should be barred from enforcing them.
This mural of musician Dr. John, seen in a Feb. 22, 2019 photo, is among nearly two dozen created through Neal Morris's NOLA Murals Project after Morris sued New Orleans to overturn its murals regulation. The lawsuit was scheduled for a hearing Tuesday, July 8, on Morris' request to decide it without a full trial. (AP Photo/Janet McConnaughey)
The Associated Press
This mural celebrating New Orleans' tricentennial is among nearly two dozen created through Neal Morris's NOLA Murals Project after Morris sued New Orleans to overturn its murals regulations. A federal judge has scheduled a hearing for Tuesday, July 8, 2019 on whether New Orleansâ regulations for murals violate the free speech of a landowner whose wall painting features infamous Donald Trump quotes from a 2005 âAccess Hollywoodâ recording.
The Associated Press
This mural of musician Dr. John, seen in a Feb. 22, 2019 photo, is among nearly two dozen created through Neal Morris's NOLA Murals Project after Morris sued New Orleans to overturn its murals regulation. The lawsuit was scheduled for a hearing Tuesday, July 8, on Morris' request to decide it without a full trial. (AP Photo/Janet McConnaughey)
The Associated Press