Mustang Boards - Barrel monster!!!!

The Charlotte Observer

RALEIGH The Barrel Monster, a statue made of orange and white construction barrels, only had a few hours of life on Hillsborough Street but is basking in exploding popularity as news spreads of its suspected creator's arrest by Raleigh police.

In the week that's passed since the June 10 arrest of N.C. State University student Joseph Carnevale, both he and the Barrel Monster have attracted attention from around the country, and even the world.

The monster's image was broadcast on national television networks Thursday amid coverage of the mass street demonstrations in Iran to protest the disputed election there. An interview with Carnevale aired that afternoon on NPR's “All
Things Considered,” a national news program.

Nearly 3,000 people have joined a page on Facebook, the social network site, urging Wake prosecutors to drop the chargers.

On May 31, the Barrel Monster made its appearance on Hillsborough Street near the school's campus, its hand pointing out to passing motorists and pedestrians next to a construction zone. But the monster also managed to catch the attention of a patrolling Raleigh police officer, who seized the statue and launched a criminal investigation.

Carnevale is now facing misdemeanor charges of larceny and damage to property. He's scheduled to be in court July 21.

At the Climax-based Hamlett Associates, the company that owned the barrels, staff have repeatedly said they didn't want to press charges. Instead, they'd like to have a Barrel Monster of their own to display either at their Guilford County office or at a job site.

Steven Hussey, the company's president, said he's turned down offers from Barrel Monster supporters who have called the company offering to repay him the less than $400 in barrels it took to create the statue. Send the money to charity instead, Hussey tells them.

“For a small amount of money, we got a ton of publicity,” Hussey said.
In an e-mail message, Carnevale said he will repay Hamlett Associates for the three construction barrels he used.

“This is both because it is the right thing to do and also in the hope that the original can be regained and sold to fund other concepts,” he wrote.
While Carnevale appears to be in the midst of his 15 minutes of fame, Raleigh police have expanded their investigation to look at other incidents, said Laura Hourigan, a Raleigh police spokeswoman. She declined to give details.

K.L. Everett, the officer who arrested Carnevale, seized ropes, binoculars, a traffic vest, cameras, a walkie-talkie, several laptops, a cell phone and an iPod from Carnevale's apartment the day of the arrest, according to court records.
“The fact is that this is a larceny,” Hourigan said. “If it were reported that it was taken from a home or vehicle, we would treat it the same way.”

Ultimately, prosecutors at the Wake District Attorney's Office will decide if the charges against Carnevale will stand. Steven Saad, an assistant Wake District attorney, said he is just starting to review the case and may go soon to the Raleigh Police Department's evidence room to see the deconstructed monster.
Hourigan did say the city had more than 5,000 larcenies reported last year. But none attracted the attention like the Barrel Monster has.

Others wonder why police went after Carnevale for a situation that was meant to entertain and not harm.

“Sometimes creativity trumps the law,” said Lee Hansley, a local gallery owner.
Raleigh Mayor Charles Meeker said he was impressed by the statue, as he was with a graffiti painting that Carnevale is being credited with putting on a tower near Boylan Street.

However, the artist has also been linked to graffiti tagging around the city that has cost money to remove.

But, Meeker said: “This guy certainly has talent.”

edit: dammit pee!