Oregon – The owner of a nude bar in Oregon has been ordered to pay nearly $20,000 in attorneys’ fees to the American Family Association Center for Law & Policy over a meritless lawsuit he brought against citizens who objected to the presence of the sexually-oriented business in their community.

Larry Lacey, owner of the nude bar “Club 71” in Sunny Valley, Oregon, sued 12 peaceful demonstrators, claiming their actions interfered with his business. The bar’s proprietor sought $800,000 in damages in connection with his lawsuit, but now a court has ruled that it is he who will have to pay.

Michael DePrimo is an attorney with the AFA Law Center, which defended the demonstrators. He says the $19,620.61 judgment against Lacey sends a strong message, “In our mind,” the attorney explains, “what’s significant about this case is that we need to show people who are going to try to suppress speech that they’re going to be held accountable.”

The legal action filed against the peaceful community members who demonstrated in protest of the nude bar was thrown out by an Oregon circuit court judge. DePrimo says he does not believe there is any question that the lawsuit was frivolous. “The court found right on a motion to dismiss that there was no merit to the case,” the pro-family attorney notes, “so we’re very pleased.”

While unusual, DePrimo observes, the outcome of this case is “a great result that can be touted against other purveyors of pornography who seek to shut down the protests of peaceful citizens in their community.” Often, he notes, pornographers and sexually-oriented businesses rake in the profits; but in this case, the porn profiteer is being forced to give up some of his profits to an organization that fights for family values.