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Decision suggests that sexting by minors would violate federal child porn laws

Clark v. Roccanova, 2011 WL 665621 (E.D. Ky. February 14, 2011)

Is there a violation of the federal laws against child pornography when the accused himself is a minor? A Kentucky federal court says yes.

Three 14-year-old boys allegedly “coerced, enticed and persuaded” a 14-year-old girl to make a sexually explicit video. Later the three boys transmitted the video over the internet. The girl filed a civil suit against the boys for violations of 18 USC §§2251 and 2252.

The defendants moved to dismiss, arguing that the statutes covered only the conduct of adults. The court rejected that argument. It found that nothing in the plain language of the statutes, nor in the legislative history, supported such an interpretation.

Both statutes prohibit creation, possession and transmission of child pornography by any “person.” While “person” is not defined in 18 U.S.C. §2256, the statute’s definition of “identifiable minor” begins by stating that a minor is a “person.” 18 U.S.C. § 2256(9)(A). The court found that indicates that “person” is meant to refer to an individual of any age, not just an adult.

Full post as published by InternetCases.com on March 01, 2011 (boomark / email).