Christopher Handley Pleads Guilty

According to this Department of Justice release, Christopher Handley pleaded guilty yesterday to "possessing obscene visual representations of the sexual abuse of children and mailing obscene material." The pleas were the result of an outcome negotiated by his lawyers. Handley had been indicted in 2007 after his mail was opened by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement and subsequently his residence was subject to search and seizure by the US Postal Service.

If I'm understanding the release correctly, he still faces a maximum of 15 years in prison, a potential fine of up to a quarter million dollars, and subsequent term of supervised release. He has already agreed to a small fee and to forfeit to the government the computer with the depictions in question.

The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund had served as a special consultant to Handley since October 2008, and expressed disappointment with the outcome. While no doubt Handley's lawyers believe they're acting in the best interest of their client, the case now become precedent when dealing with comics imagery of a kind much, much, much more widespread and even mainstream than most folks want to believe when confronted with an individual being pursued by legal authorities. Dirk Deppey points out a couple in his opening rant here.

I thought the round-up at the ICv2.com site succinct and to the point. Neil Gaiman's summary statement on the matter as encapsulated in the last sentence of his early-morning Thursday post is also to the point and I think accurate.
 
posted 8:20 am PST | Permalink
 

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