News from Dinosaur Adventure Land!

Posted 7 June 2006 by PZ Myers

The mighty Kent Hovind has struck out.

On June 5th 2006, Hovind pled nolo contendere as charged to three counts: constructing a building without a permit, refusing to sign a citation and violating the county building code. Hovind was ordered to pay $225.00 per count. The plea brings to an end a 5-year battle over a $50.00 building permit. Hovind estimates he spent $40,000 in legal expenses on this case. Meanwhile, the property taxes for Dinosaur Adventure Land are in arrears in an amount of $10,338.36 ($4,955.23 for 2005 and 5,383.13 for 2003 and 2004).

In both criminal and civil trials in the United States, a plea of "nolo contendere" means that the defendant neither admits nor disputes the charge or no contest. It literally means "I do not wish to contend." Spiro Agnew famously approximated it as "I didn't do it, but I'll never do it again." This plea is only recognised in the U.S. No formal plea is required in civil matters where paper pleadings are used.

29 Comments

Gerard Harbison · 7 June 2006

Darn. I was hoping Florida had the death penalty for building permit violations.

I hope, at least, that he has to tear down the building. I've had speeding tickets that caost more than $225.

stevaroni · 8 June 2006

Apparently, Ceasar got that building permit after all...

Todd · 8 June 2006

Well, $225 per count, $40,000 in legal expenses, and lmoast $10,400 in back taxes. That is over $51,000. If he can't pay afford to $10,000 in taxes, where is he supposed to get the $250,000 to pay anyone who wins his challenge? (not that it is possible to win)

Wheels · 8 June 2006

"Mighty?" I know a disproportionate amount of his apologetics YECrap still surfaces from time to time, but I was under the impression that for the most part he was fairly marginalized lately.

Sir_Toejam · 8 June 2006

"Mighty?" I know a disproportionate amount of his apologetics YECrap still surfaces from time to time, but I was under the impression that for the most part he was fairly marginalized lately.

well, he did give a lecture to a packed house on the Dover high school campus the month before last. he's still pretty popular with the kiddies, apparently.

pal_sch · 8 June 2006

Just so you know, I have checked the sources on that article (were not working very well, or specific) and updated the information, including direct links to the court papers. The revision is not major. The amount of the taxes now reads;

As of June 8th, 2006, the property taxes for Dinosaur Adventure Land are in arrears in an amount of $10,402.64 ($5,019.51 for 2005, if payed by 18th June, 2006, and $5,383.13 for 2003 and 2004),[26].

Corkscrew · 8 June 2006

Well, $225 per count, $40,000 in legal expenses, and lmoast $10,400 in back taxes. That is over $51,000. If he can't pay afford to $10,000 in taxes, where is he supposed to get the $250,000 to pay anyone who wins his challenge? (not that it is possible to win)

Hey, now there's a thought. If he pays up, do you think they could get him for perjury as well?

'Rev Dr' Lenny Flank · 8 June 2006

The mighty Kent Hovind has struck out.

I guess God wasn't on his side after all.

ben · 8 June 2006

If he can't pay afford to $10,000 in taxes, where is he supposed to get the $250,000 to pay anyone who wins his challenge?

I don't think we should assume he can't pay the taxes, just that he believes (or wants the world to believe) he shouldn't have to. As to the $250,000 "challenge," anyone who puts out such a challenge without placing the money in escrow, and without specifying the decision-making process for releasing the money when the challenge is met, is an obvious fraud whatever the challenge supposedly is.

Troff · 8 June 2006

... erm, pardon my ignorance regarding matters of U.S. law (well, not being an American, with which to start)... but why is he being fined if he "didn't do it"? Or is it merely that he can plead whatever he likes, but has in fact been found -

- dare I say it -

- guilty as sin?

Bud · 8 June 2006

Just for kicks, why not head over to the "Richard's" website? For those who don't know "Richard" has been Mr. Hovind's most (only?) vocal suporter(s) for a good long while now.

When you open the Word documents and check the File>Properties, the author and/or 'last saved by' name looks very, very familiar.

Kent Hovind bearing false witness. Who would have thunk?

Peter Henderson · 8 June 2006

He could always get a job working for the new AIG museum since he's got plenty of experience. Or he could go back to working for Jack Chick. Apparently he was mainly responsible for the so called scientific ideas in this little gem:
http://www.chick.com/reading/tracts/0055/0055_01.asp

steve s · 8 June 2006

"how many of you believe in evolution?"
"WE DO SIR!!!"

LOL.

Here's Kent Hovind...we've secretly replaced his brain with Folger's crystals...

Tyrannosaurus · 8 June 2006

LOL, please Peter no more Chick stuff. Every time I read something about Chick I go into uncontrollable laughing spasms that last for the rest of the day!!!!! I beg you please..... no... more.....Chick Can barely type anymore ;)

wamba · 8 June 2006

How does that explain PYGMYS AND DWARVES?

Steverion · 8 June 2006

So, I guess it's fair to say...If I don't see things the Creationist way...."I don't know JackChick!!!"

Sorry, that was way to easy to let pass.

Don Baccus · 8 June 2006

... erm, pardon my ignorance regarding matters of U.S. law (well, not being an American, with which to start)... but why is he being fined if he "didn't do it"?
— Troff

When one pleads nolo contendre in a US court, one is accepting the penalties associated with a guilty plea or conviction without actually admitting to the offense. Here's a decent definition: "A plea made by the defendant in a criminal action that is substantially but not technically an admission of guilt and subjects the defendant to punishment but permits denial of the alleged facts in other proceedings." In this case I'm sure Hovind will continue to insist that he did nothing wrong by refusing to get the permits, but just pled nolo contendere in order to put an end to his legal misery.

Elf Eye · 8 June 2006

Speaking of Jack Chick: When I was a teenager, I ran into a Christian comic book that catalogued the signs that would warn humanity of the approach of the 'end times'. One frame showed a man being loaded into an ambulance above the quotation "Their hearts shall fail." Apparently an increase in the incidence of heart disease is a sign of the Second Coming. Now, I was a long way from being an English professor at that point, but it was still obvious to me that the creator of that comic book had no grasp of a simple (and common!) metaphor that signifies a lack of courage rather than a myocardial infarction. Set me on the road to atheism, that comic book did. (Actually, I was nearing my destination, but it gave me a giggle along the way.)

Arden Chatfield · 8 June 2006

well, he did give a lecture to a packed house on the Dover high school campus the month before last. he's still pretty popular with the kiddies, apparently.

Yes, as Kent always says, "kids love dinosaurs!"

How does that explain PYGMYS AND DWARVES?

There is no explanation for PYGMYS AND DWARVES, Wamba. :-)

Wheels · 8 June 2006

He could always get a job working for the new AIG museum since he's got plenty of experience.
— Peter Henderson

No he couldn't. :D This is what I was talking about. Ever since AIG dissed Hovind's integrity (took them long enough), I was under the impression that he'd been on the decline. Especially since ID started eating up all the press. However, with the demise of ID I think there may be a slight resurgence in old-fashioned young-earthisms. I know a lot of other "ministries" have put out materials, like that Way of the Master stuff. With the collapse of ID as a workable PR front we might get a lot more "honest" Creationism in the popular eye. On another note, I didn't notice AiG had changed its name. Maybe they kept getting confused with the AIG insurance group? *_{Yes, that Kirk Cameron.}

'Rev Dr' Lenny Flank · 8 June 2006

erm, pardon my ignorance regarding matters of U.S. law (well, not being an American, with which to start)... but why is he being fined if he "didn't do it"? Or is it merely that he can plead whatever he likes, but has in fact been found - - dare I say it - - guilty as sin?

He pleaded "no contest", which basically means he isn't going to oppose the charges. It's a way of pleading guilty without actually saying "yes, I did it". For a fundie, admitting that one is wrong is a fate far worse than Hell. (shrug) So now Hovind can get his ass out of trouble (on this count, anyway) while still being able to tell all his brainless minions that he was right.

'Rev Dr' Lenny Flank · 8 June 2006

On another note, I didn't notice AiG had changed its name. Maybe they kept getting confused with the AIG insurance group?

I'm sure it's to do with the schism between the Americans and the Aussies.

Troff · 8 June 2006

Thanks to Don Baccus and the Rev Dr Lenny for the enlightenment.

There IS, I now see, something almost as confusing as Creationist arguments: the Law.

Rev: As an Australian, I have to ask - to which schism are you referring?

'Rev Dr' Lenny Flank · 8 June 2006

A couple of months ago, the American (and UK) section of AiG, led by Ken Ham, split from the Australian section, led by Carl Weiland. The Australian section is now known as Creation Ministries. The American section has been still using the AiG name. Perhaps that is in the process of changing.

I'm still not entirely sure what led to the split. There was apparently some grumbling from the Australian section concerning the amount of money AiG was sinking into Ham's "creation museum" in Kentucky. There was apparently also some friction regarding publishing practices --- as I hear it, the Australian section seems to have been charging authors for "pre-publication review" of their manuscripts, then giving their books bad "reviews" if they didn't cough up the cash.

It may also be simply another in the long string of personality conflicts between arrogant self-righteous fundies -- all of whom want to be The One Who Beats Evolutionism, and all of whom would gladly slit each other's throat for the honor.

But the Americans and Australians are definitely splitsville.

The Brits followed the money, and stuck with the Americans.

Peter Henderson · 9 June 2006

Here are a couple of articles from John Stear's site which cover some of the history of AIG, from it's origins in the 1980's up until the present day and the recent split:

http://home.austarnet.com.au/stear/AiG_cow.htm

http://home.austarnet.com.au/stear/aig_inherit_windbags.htm

Questor · 9 June 2006

The Mighty Kent Hovind has struck out
I guess God wasn't on his side after all.

But alas, He was. It's simply that his enemies had chariots of iron. (Judges 1:19)

Stevaroni · 9 June 2006

But alas, He was. It's simply that his enemies had chariots of iron.

But chariots of iron would rust pretty badly in Florida, wouldn't they?

Steviepinhead · 9 June 2006

And the cigarette boats would run rings around them.

Heck, probably even Pizza Woman's delivery tricycle would run rings around them...

Extant Dodo · 16 June 2006

New video about Hovind here.