ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – Two people arrested for chalking a crosswalk outside the Pulse nightclub say they are still waiting for a charging decision months after their arrests, raising concerns about delays in the prosecution process.
The arrests followed protests after the Florida Department of Transportation painted over a rainbow-colored crosswalk near the Pulse memorial.
Advocates later used chalk to redraw the crosswalk, which led to several arrests.
James Houchins, 27, was arrested Nov. 23 on a felony charge accusing him of chalking the sidewalk outside the memorial. He said there has been no movement in his case since the arrest.
“If you chalk a rainbow or anything they don’t like, then in this situation, you are arrested,” Houchins said.
He added that he does not believe similar enforcement is used elsewhere for sidewalk chalking.
Mary Jane East, 25, was also arrested Aug. 31 on a felony charge. She was taken into custody by the Florida Highway Patrol and accused of chalking the crosswalk.
East said the pending case has affected her daily life.
“I don’t go on my social media anymore because my name has now been wrapped into this,” East said.
At the time of the arrests, troopers spent weeks monitoring the area, including a nearby parking lot, watching for anyone attempting to chalk the sidewalk.
Attorney Jordan Holmes, who represents both Houchins and East, said the cases are now past the former rule of a 90-day timeframe without a charging decision from the state attorney’s office.
Holmes said she has sent multiple emails requesting an update.
In a message provided to News 6, the state attorney’s office acknowledged the delay, writing, “I understand your clients’ frustrations in the long pendency in their cases,” and adding that a decision could take “a couple of more weeks.”
Holmes said the uncertainty can have serious consequences. Both Houchins and East said they want a charging decision made soon, regardless of the outcome.
“It was dedicated as part of the memorial, and the state just showed up and painted over it like it meant nothing,” Houchins said.
News 6 has also contacted the state attorney’s office for comment on the two cases and will provide updates once a response is received.