Chalking Vandal Acquitted in San Diego

"Olson theoretically faced jail time of 1 year and a fine of $1,000 for each count if convicted," notes Seibert. "The idea of 13 years in custody was a potential penalty widely mocked in the national media, even though prosecutors said incarceration of any sort is rare in vandalism cases, nevermind anything over a year."

The case may seem extreme, but a Mother Jones article that appeared last year noted that: "Over the past five years, at least 50 people in 17 American cities have run afoul of authorities for coloring things with chalk."