Alleged Newsstand Thief On Trial

In April 2006, Fatai King decided he wanted some newsstands. So he hired a crane and moved a handful of newsstands all around town; he took them to locations seemingly chosen at random.

King is finally on trial this week, and admits he hired a crane and took the newsstands. He said, though, he totally thought it was okay to do so.

The defense contends that King, who has pleaded not guilty, believes he had permission from the city’s Department of Licenses and Inspections to move them. He claims the newsstands were abandoned.

But the owners say they weren’t abandoned, and a former L&I employee has testified she met with King many times. She described him as “overbearing but not pesty,” and she denies ever giving him permission to move the newsstands.

L&I often makes me so enraged it makes me want to commit some crimes, so I understand that. Things are about to get even better, though, as King takes the stand in his own defense today.

Phila. Man Stands Trial for Stealing Five Newsstands [KYW 1060]
Image by Ella Marie, Creative Commons license