By Chad Bray
The artist behind the “Hope” poster that became a symbol of President Barack Obama’s 2008 campaign was sentenced on Friday to two years probation and 300 hours of community service for lying during a copyright dispute involving the iconic image.
Shepard Fairey, who was also ordered by the judge to pay a $ 25,000 fine to the government, in February admitted to fabricating documents and lying in a civil lawsuit he had brought against the Associated Press.
Mr. Fairey had faced as much as six months in prison after pleading guilty in February to a single misdemeanor count of criminal contempt. Prosecutors, who sought jail time in the case, said anything less would send “a terrible message” to people who might commit similar conduct in the future.
But Daniel Gitner, Mr. Fairey’s lawyer, said his client shouldn’t serve any jail time because he had admitted his misconduct as soon as it was discovered and well before the government’s investigation began.