Johnson County officials review petitions that could send controversial statue to grand jury

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. - Johnson County Court officials will start to comb through more than 4,000 resident signatures, all to get a grand jury to investigate a statue and whether it should stay at the Overland Park Arboretum.

"We're not saying destroy the piece, we're saying move it to a place where little kids aren't going to be at," Joanne Hughes said.

Hughes is the mother leading the charge to get the signatures. Ten weeks ago, she and other volunteers started collecting these signatures when the city of Overland Park made no plans to move the statue and the city council made no plans to hear their case.

"Obviously, 4,700 people agreed with this, there's something basically wrong with this 'sexting' sculpture," said Philip Cosby with the American Family Association of Kansas and Missouri.

A grand jury will decide on the future of the statue, but the Johnson County district attorney will be directing them.

"Just like any criminal case, prosecutors have the discretion to do what they think is in the best interest of the community," District Attorney Steve Howe said.

He'll help a grand jury sift through possible charges that could be misdemeanors or even felonies if obscenity statutes have been violated.

"Ultimately, the grand jury should make an objective and informed decision," Howe said.

Howe stated that is what his office will help them do.

The Johnson County Election Office will have to certify there are enough valid signatures. Then the county has 60 days to assemble a grand jury.