Ohio township to drop case against 'Zombie Nativity'

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Associated Press

Ohio township to drop case against 'Zombie Nativity'

Updated 3:19 pm, Tuesday, February 16, 2016

CINCINNATI (AP) — A suburban township in southwest Ohio is dropping its court case against a man charged with zoning violations for his holiday "Zombie Nativity" scene, an official said Tuesday.

Jasen Dixon's display had ghoulish figures in place of the baby Jesus and others who would be in traditional Christmas Nativities.

Sycamore Township officials said he violated rules about an improper "accessory use" structure housing the nativity scene in his front yard.

Dixon was facing thousands of dollars in fines, but his defense argued the township was trying to suppress his freedoms.

Read more: http://www.chron.com/news/us/article/Ohio-township-to-drop-case-against-Zombie-6834312.php

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[Cassiopeia]

1. He should set up a traditional nativity for Halloween.

[christx30]

2. He wouldn't have faced this kind of trouble

if he had put in a traditional nativity scene with normal looking Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. He would have been celebrated.

And that's pretty darn terrible. Glad the township is dropping this. He just ruffled some feathers that need to be ruffled every now and then.

[ManiacJoe]

3. Step 1 for next time: comply with the zoning laws.

That way they have nothing easy to use against you.

[NutmegYankee]

4. It's quite clear the zoning laws didn't apply to normal nativity scenes.

[ManiacJoe]

5. Sure they do.

Most nativity scenes, normal or not, are smaller than his.

[NutmegYankee]

6. He built this years structure in full compliance with the zoning code on purpose.

The town still went after him. The zoning BS is just a cover story for oppression of someone expressing a religious view they intensely dislike, and they clearly know it too.

Classic small town corruption - this guy did the right thing. Once it was going to court the town knew it was fucked.

[ManiacJoe]

7. The published articles do not support your claim.

It could easily be a case of bad journalism, which is way too common these days.

Yes, the primary reason for the citations were religious and illegal.
The zoning violations gave the town the legal method to oppress him.

[NutmegYankee]

8. Earlier articles on this specifically stated that the structure was built in compliance.

Th town decided to classify it as something else to prevent him from running the display.



On a side note: Hamilton County Municipal Judge Brad Greenberg already was considering whether to dismiss the 27 zoning violations, after Linneman argued the township didn’t follow its own regulations. Greenberg was expected to issue a decision next month.

http://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/2016/02/16/attorney-charges-dropped-zombie-nativity-case/80450920/

[ManiacJoe]

9. Maybe.

I don't recall any such articles, but I also didn't go looking for them at the time.
I am willing to write it off as bad journalism.

[NutmegYankee]

10. I've been following this issue for two years.

The town will never allow him to have his nativity scene without a fight. Every time he built it to code/rules, they changed the rules.

In reality, a nativity scene as a temporary structure is exempt from zoning/building codes by law. And the town was losing that battle in court already.

[beam me up scottie]

11. I have as well.

They're trying to bully him into taking it down and I'm sure they'll try again this year.