Michael Rohana's decision to break the thumb off an ancient terra-cotta statue sparked an international incident with China, exposed Pennsylvania’s most popular museum to questions about its security failures and eventually landed him in court. But that's only the beginning of his story.
. The director of the Shaanxi Cultural Heritage Promotion Center demanded “severe punishment for the perpetrator.”a unanimous resolution of apologyThree months after the incident, a federal grand jury indicted Rohana on counts of theft and concealment of an object of cultural heritage — crimes each punishable by up to a decade in prison.The law under which Rohana was charged, known as the federal art theft statute, emerged from a 1994 bill sponsored by Sens.
But in each of those cases, the motive had been financial gain. Rohana’s proceedings marked the first time the law was applied to a theft with no apparent motive besides the thrill of vandalism. “Being a drunk kid doing an act of vandalism was never meant to fit into the federal art theft statute,” Henry would later argue in court. “That just doesn’t belong here.”
The U.N. valued them at $350,000 each when they were first displayed in 1985. Lloyd’s of London insuredBut those sums were for the whole statue. Rohana’s case concerned only the value of the thumb he stole. He justified that determination with a sweeping analysis that touched on everything from the importance of opposable thumbs in human evolution to the role fingers have played throughout art history, starting with the first ancient cave paintings and running through to Michelangelo’s masterworkDefense lawyers dismissed Cohn’s reasoning as “preposterous, circular logic.”
Canada Latest News, Canada Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Franklin Institute partygoer who stole a finger from an ancient Chinese terra-cotta warrior statue gets probationThe sentencing of Michael Rohana, 29, ends a six-year saga over a drunken act of vandalism that sparked an international incident with China.
Read more »
The Always Sunny Podcast Confirms Philly, NYC Live Shows Are Back OnGood news for IASIP fans! The Always Sunny Podcast confirmed that this month's live show in Philly & October's live shows in NYC are back on.
Read more »
Philly’s nightlife can coexist with new residential developmentNoise complaints from newcomers have forced a few music venues to close and events to be canceled. Compromise and leadership from the city can help.
Read more »
Meet the couple serving authentic Philly cheesesteaks in HuntsvilleCap’s Philly Cheesesteaks owner says, '“Never in a million years would I have thought I would be running my own deli.”
Read more »
For 113,000 Philly district students, it’s back to schoolSchools without adequate air-conditioning will dismiss early because of excessive heat. Those 74 schools will also close early Wednesday
Read more »
Escaped inmate caught on trail cam at Philly-area botanical garden; schools closed amid manhuntAuthorities say there have been additional sightings of the escaped inmate who has been the center of a six-day manhunt in Chester County, Pennsylvania.
Read more »