Posted on behalf of Rachel Courtland:

Art professor Steven Kurtz was cleared of criminal charges Monday by the U.S District Court in Buffalo, NY. The decision comes four years after Kurtz discovered his wife had died of a heart attack, and police responding to the call discovered lab equipment and bacterial cultures in their home.

Kurtz, an art professor at the University at Buffalo, was using the cultures for art projects like these, which involve using biological materials to create politically-charged art, on topics like government policies on GM crops.

Initially investigated on charges of bioterrorism, Kurtz was indicted by the Department of Justice in 2004 for mail and wire fraud. The charges were hailed in some circles as an attack on civil liberties.

The Buffalo News broke the story yesterday , and other coverage has added few details. But the Chronicle of Higher Education notes the saga may not yet be over, as the justice department can appeal the ruling.

Those who want to relive some of the drama may want to rent last year’s documentary, Strange Culture, which features a cameo by Tilda Swinton as Kurtz’s wife.

Image: the international sign for biohazardous materials; via Wikimedia