FULLERTON : Illegal Sign Removal Charge Is Dropped

Citing newly discovered evidence, Orange County prosecutors on Tuesday sought the dismissal of a misdemeanor vandalism charge against a Fullerton activist accused of illegally tearing down political campaign signs.

Prosecutor Thomas A. Glazier said authorities found evidence to support W. Snow Hume’s claims that he was free to remove the signs because the candidates never had permission to post them in the first place.

“We don’t feel like we’d be able to get a guilty verdict proven,” Glazier said. “It’s unfortunate this has lasted as long as it did.”

But Hume, who was stripped of his post as secretary of the Fullerton Recalls Committee over the flap, said the case is far from over. He disputed prosecutors’ claims of finding new evidence and said prosecutors have been wasting taxpayers’ money with the case for nearly a year.

“There’s no new evidence,” Hume said. “They knew that in November of 1994. Nothing has changed. They never bothered to investigate it.”

Hume said he has filed a federal civil rights suit against police and prosecutors alleging a criminal conspiracy.

Glazier said it appears the incident was caused by poor communication during a heated recall campaign and complaints about illegally posted signs being an eyesore. Despite the ongoing controversy, city officials refused to order the removal of illegal signs during the election.

The signs were posted at the intersection of Brea Boulevard and Bastanchury Road and included some posters for candidates that Hume supported, officials said.

Glazier said candidates believed they had permission to post the signs, but the person who gave that permission had no authority to do so. Hume presented prosecutors with phone records proving that he called the property owners and was told the campaign signs were not authorized.