Phonehenge West: So Quirky It's Criminal

Last week a Los Angeles County jury convicted Alan Kimble Fahey of 12 misdemeanors for building Phonehenge West, a quirky series of buildings atop utility poles sunk into his property in the Antelope Valley. The convictions—for maintaining illegal structures, unlawfully installing electrical wiring, and disobeying orders to stop construction—did not include a single real crime. And for a long time, the county's building enforcers did not seem to think Fahey's fanciful project was worth worrying about. Fahey says that after a series of visits and exchanges in the early 1980s, the county ignored him for 20 years before suddenly demanding that he tear it all down.

Fahey's sentencing is scheduled for July 8. The Los Angeles Times reports that each of the 12 counts carries a $500 fine and that Fahey probably will be required to do "community service" as well. He "would only be allowed to remain out of custody if he complies with the judge's orders to immediately vacate the buildings that don't have permits," and he "has been ordered to consult with county officials to determine a plan for demolishing the unlawful structures."

The Times profiled Fahey and his "sprawling, 20,000-square-foot labyrinth of interconnected buildings" last month. The "Save Phonehenge West" Facebook page is here. More pictures here. A video explaining how the thing was built here.

[Thanks to Pat Hartman for the tip.]