Iowa Adult Bookstore Trial Put On Hold

On Monday, a federal judge put an indefinite hold on the U.S. District court case involving a zoning dispute between Doctor John's Love Boutique and Sioux City officials. The trial is expected to resume later this year.

According to a KTIV report, Federal Judge Mark Bennett found that "the City has violated case law by intentionally, irresponsibly, destroying an audio tape recording of a closed session city council meeting relevant to the case." Bennett is considering sanctions against Sioux City for destroying records of the closed-door meeting.

Doctor John's Love Boutique has been fighting Sioux City on zoning issues for over three years. Store owner John Haltom originally filed suit against the city in December 2003, claiming that the wording of local zoning laws was unconstitutional. In response to Haltom's initial complaint, a federal judge granted an injunction allowing Doctor John's to open despite a moratorium on adult businesses.

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