A federal judge has dismissed all charges against adult film producer John Stagliano, granting a defense motion for judgment of acquittal in the closely watched First Amendment case. Stagliano and two of his companies were charged with producing two movies and a trailer that federal prosecutors said were criminally obscene. “It’s a great day for the First Amendment

Jury selection is under way and opening arguments are expected to begin this week in a rare adult pornography obscenity case in federal district court in Washington, D.C. Adult film producer John Stagliano and two of his companies were indicted on seven counts of distributing obscene, sexually graphic videos that Justice Department prosecutors allege have no artistic or scientific value and cut against the community standard of what is acceptable. Stagliano faces up to 32 years behind bars if convicted.

A federal judge Tuesday refused to dismiss the DOJ’s case against the owner of a major pornography studio, Evil Angel Productions, shooting down the defense’s argument that federal obscenity statutes are unconstitutional. Prosecutors indicted John Stagliano and his company in 2008 on charges they illegally sold and transferred obscene material across state lines, including two DVDs and a film trailer on the studio’s Web site for “Fetish Fanatic Chapter 5.”