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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.
7 Comments
MoonStorm on May 20, 2009
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.
Rathany on May 20, 2009
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.  
HeeroYuy on May 20, 2009
I really have no faith in our government when it comes to upholding people's rights... first the whole net neutrality thing, now this...
ganchan on May 20, 2009
http://www.truecrypt.org/
Kuro on May 20, 2009
So much for rights.
Sigue on May 20, 2009
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.
lordhaseo on May 21, 2009
isent this consitered an ecchi show?
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