Anime Vice News

Handley Pleads Guilty to Lolicon Charge



We've had a few more discussions lately about Christopher Handley, an Iowa man whose possession of lolicon manga wound up with his being arrested on an obscenity charge. Handley's case has been followed with great interest by many, and even the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund offered some consultation on the matter, most recently offering that the law Handley is accused of breaking is unconstitutional at its core.

Today, Handley pled guilty to one charge of "possessing obscene visual representations of the sexual abuse of children."

While this may have wound up the best choice for Handley, who could see up to 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine (but who, by virtue of pleading guilty, will hopefully earn some leniency in sentencing), I'm disappointed because in the long run, it means that this law, which bans the possession of any visual depiction of minors engaging in sexual conduct and which I also feel is unconstitutional, will remain on the books for the time being. and the longer it's there, the more precedence it builds.

Again-- this could be the best choice for Handley, who may not have the resources to continue this trial up the levels of the court system necessary to get the law overturned, especially since it's unclear which direction our current Supreme Court would decide should it reach them.

Sigh.

Via MangaBlog.
MoonStormon May 20, 2009 at 3:51 p.m.
I thought of that when I read the first article about it. By pleading guilty he may just get a slap on the wrist and a smaller fine. It's hard to be in court for long time.
Rathanyon May 20, 2009 at 4:07 p.m.
I still want to know what the titles were.  Any word on that?  I want to know if it's stuff not that different from things that have been licensed or if we are talking characters that looked like toddlers.  
HeeroYuyon May 20, 2009 at 6:19 p.m.
I really have no faith in our government when it comes to upholding people's rights... first the whole net neutrality thing, now this...
ganchanon May 20, 2009 at 6:31 p.m.
http://www.truecrypt.org/
Kuroon May 20, 2009 at 6:53 p.m.
So much for rights.
Sigueon May 20, 2009 at 9:44 p.m.
I'm not entirely surprised. While Americans are quick to turn to the Constitution when they feel they've been wronged, they seem just as quick to disregard it when it's convenient to them. It happens with the gay marriage stuff, it happened here, and it would happen again. Not that any other countries are much better - politicians in general don't hesitate to disregard laws and the rights afforded by them to further their own agendas.
lordhaseoon May 21, 2009 at 5:54 a.m.
isent this consitered an ecchi show?
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