Jones beat the obscenity charge by testifying that the work did not arouse jurors

Evidence

Alerted by Hettie, Diane di Prima surrendered at the courthouse where Jones was held. After arraignment, their lawyer, a prominent left-wing attorney named Stanley Faulkner, managed to get them released on their own recognizance and, rather than a trial, secured a grand jury hearing. In late April 1962, Jones spent two days on the witness stand, reading what he called “the filthy parts” from Catullus and Ulysses, as well as Judge Woolsey’s decision on Ulysses, stressing Woolsey’s definition of obscene literature as arousing the normal person. “I gave a John Barrymore–like speech,” Jones told the Voice. With reference to the sadistic acts described in the accused works, he explained that he had assured the grand jury, “I’m sure none of you people were aroused.” It worked. Only six of the necessary 12 voted to indict. — J. Hoberman, Everything Is Now, 345

Categorization

• CANDY: The defense strategy — reading dirty passages aloud then insisting no one was aroused — is a funny dinner-party anecdote.
• XREF: Connects to the Grove Press / Tropic of Cancer censorship battle described in the next paragraph, and to broader book-banning history.