Vandalism a sign Lynn campaign getting ugly

LYNN – The city’s mayoral race took a dirty turn over the past week when 32 campaign signs erected by supporters of candidate Judith Flanagan Kennedy were stolen or destroyed.The first incident occurred on Aug. 21 along Keslar Avenue where police were dispatched shortly after 2 p.m. to take a report of vandalism. Glen Valeri told police officers that the Judith Flanagan Kennedy for Mayor political sign in his front yard at 82 Keslar Ave. had been pulled out by its ground stake and damaged.According to an incident report provided by Lt. William Sharpe, Valeri said the sign had been “pulled apart by an unknown individual.” Valeri also pointed out to police other Kennedy for Mayor signs at 72 and 79 Keslar Ave. that were either destroyed or stolen, as well as others near the corner of Purdon Avenue.”We started putting the signs up last Wednesday and by today 32 had been stolen or torn to pieces. Some were pulled out and tossed into the bushes,” said Dennis Liberge, Kennedy’s co-campaign manager along with Kevin Weeks. “At this point, we’re talking a lot of money when you add up the cost of those signs.”According to Liberge, volunteers for Kennedy erected the first batch of signs on Aug. 20 and by the next morning some were damaged or missing.Kennedy campaign volunteer Phil Brooks said the culprits trespassed on private property to reach the signs. “The reports came in from different wards, particularly Ward 7,” he said, noting that the mischief has occurred in the evening or wee hours of the night. “Nobody has touched any of the signs on Lynnfield Street or others that might be in the public eye.”Brooks said the vandalism is criminal and distressing, noting that Kennedy from the day of announcing her mayoral candidacy has urged supporters to remain respectful of her challengers’ campaign signs and activities.Essex County Assistant District Attorney Charles Grimes said it’s conceivable that destroying a political sign could constitute a civil rights violation since it deprives the candidate of the right to free speech, as well as the person erecting the sign on private property.Destroying or defacing a political sign, which under the law is private property, is also viewed as vandalism, he said, adding that the act of removing a sign could be prosecuted as larceny.”The law does not specifically address political signs, but they are treated as property, and defacing, marring, scratching or otherwise damaging personal property is punishable under Section 266 Chapter 126A of state law,” he said. “Someone who tears or blacks out a sign but leaves it where it is falls under this category, a crime punishable by three years in state prison or two years in the house of correction, and a $1,500 fine or a fine equal to three times the value of the property that was damaged.”Stealing a sign is another matter under the law. According to Grimes, removing or taking a sign is larceny as defined under Chapter 266 Section 30. “It’s plain old larceny,” he said. “If 32 signs are stolen, then it would be 32 misdemeanors, each punishable by a year in the house of correction or a $300 fine or both.”A third provision of state law, Chapter 266 Section 126B, pertains to vandalism and is sometimes referred to as the tagging statute because it is used to prosecute incidents of graffiti. “The vandalism is general – a monument, gravestone, statue, or a political sign,” he said. “As with any case like this, the problem is catching them in the act.”Grant Woodman, a spokesman for state Attorney General Martha Coakley, said Massachusetts law also addresses such acts because they violate election laws.Chapter 56 Section 43 addresses political signs, placards and pictures and defines as a criminal offense any interference with the distribution of political campaign printed matter.The statute states that “no person shall prevent, hinder or interfere with the lawful distribution of any circular, poster, card, handbill, placard, picture or other printed matter intende