Another reason not to live in Virginia

[drscott]

Two Northside High School girls who took nude pictures of themselves and e-mailed them to their boyfriends last year said they only did it to be flirtatious. It wasn't long before they realized the consequences: loss of friends, no more school activities, seeing themselves on Internet sites and felony charges. Both 16-year-olds were charged with production and dissemination of child pornography.

The law appears to be... flawed.

Link: http://www.roanoke.com/news/roanoke/8201.html

Comments

[dr-scott.livejournal.com]

The charge was "production and dissemination," so I assume the taking and storage of the pictures alone was sufficient to be considered a felony.

The fact that this judge and these prosecutors were merciful in punishment does not make the law any less silly.

Note also that the girls have already been punished far more than the act deserved by being isolated by their school and probably damaged for life by the publicity. No involvement of the legal system at all was required. In more reasonable jurisdictions this case would never have been brought -- prosecutors do not have to conduct show trials if they don't want to.