Mich. court reverses conviction of mural artist

LANSING, Mich. (AP) - The Michigan Court of Appeals has reversed the conviction of a Detroit-area artist who got into trouble over a mural on the exterior wall of his studio.

Roseville artist Ed Stross' mural was a take on Michelangelo's "Creation of Man." It depicted Eve with a bare breast and had the word "love" written on it.

Roseville officials who protested the mural said Stross wasn't supposed to use lettering, and an ordinance prohibits depicting genitalia.

The appeals court released an opinion Wednesday saying a breast doesn't fall under the definition of genitalia. The court ordered a new trial because it was unclear whether the jury convicted Stross of writing the word "love" or painting the breast.

Stross' 30-day jail sentence is void for now.