Utah to Temporarily Stop Enforcing Law in 'Deadpool' Case

By MICHELLE L. PRICE, ASSOCIATED PRESS
SALT LAKE CITY — May 3, 2016, 5:30 PM ET

A Utah cinema in trouble with state regulators for serving alcohol during a showing of superhero film "Deadpool" will not get slapped with future citations under an obscenity law mostly regulating strip clubs, as long as the theater's lawsuit plays out in court.

The state Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control agreed that officials would not cite Brewvies for any movie screenings with alcohol as long as the films shown are rated "R'' or less, state lawyers said during a federal court hearing Tuesday in Salt Lake City.

Brewvies attorney Rocky Anderson had warned the state that he would file court challenges at every step along the way if the state made any attempt to enforce the law before the a judge rules on whether the law is constitutional.

Utah filed a complaint against the theater under a state law generally used to require strip clubs that serve liquor to keep their dancers wearing G-strings and pasties. But the law also bans serving booze during films with simulated sex or full-frontal nudity.

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