United States of America v. United States District Court for the Central District of California (Kantor)
United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
858 F.2d 534 (1988)
Relevant factsFree
Film producers Kantor and McNee were prosecuted under a strict-liability statute for making a sexually explicit film featuring a 16-year-old who, they claimed, deceived them into believing she was an adult, and the trial court denied both the government's motion to exclude that mistake evidence and the producers' motion to dismiss on First Amendment grounds.
IssueFree
Whether a defendant can be held strictly liable for an offense that subjects the defendant to a penalty that seriously chills free speech or expression.