Priscilla’s, a South Carolina adult-oriented business that was raided last month, is suing the Spartanburg County Sheriff's Office to get its sex toys back.
Priscilla's legal representation, including attorney Paul Cambria, told the press that deputies violated the company's constitutional rights when they seized more than two dozen movies and 500 novelty items, mostly sex toys.
Spartanburg Sheriff Chuck Wright told the press that last month's raid was legal, and that no items will be returned.
"They're not getting anything until the lawsuit's through and we go through the courts," Wright said. "They can demand all they want."
A University of South Carolina law professor Andrew Siegel told the Associated Press Wednesday that he was unaware of any specific law in South Carolina prohibiting the sale of sex toys.
"General obscenity laws used to be used many a generation ago to prosecute for sexual aids and sex toys as well as pictures," Siegel said. But, he said, that's "an archaic interpretation of the law that doesn't stand up to the modern obscenity definition."
Sheriff's Maj. Daniel Johnson said he couldn't recall his office ever raiding a store based solely on the sale of novelties.
The lawsuit filed February 9 in federal court alleges officers ignored Priscilla's freedom of speech, protection against unreasonable search and seizure and right to due process.
