Here's an update to the post above featuring Prosecutor Tony Tague and YouTube prankster (and all-around jerk) Evan Daniel Emory. You may recall that Mr. Emory edited a video to amke it appear he sang a song filled with suggestive lyrics to a bunch of first graders and posted it on YouTube. Prosecutor Tague then had Emory arrested and charged with producing child pornography, a charge which could have netted him 20 years. Never mind that the video contained no "sexual intercourse, erotic fondling, sadomasochistic abuse, masturbation, passive sexual involvement, sexual excitement, or erotic nudity," which means it wasn't pornography to begin with. Even if Mr. Emory had sung that song to a bunch of first graders, he couldn't be charged under that statute.

Well now prosecutor Tague is apparently ready to cut a deal with Emory. But, incredibly, he still defends the original charge :

Quote
Mr. Tague defends his original charge but says he wants to resolve the case in a way "that will send a message that this is wrong but will not ruin the young man's life."

One path under discussion, Mr. Nolan [Emory's lawyer] said, would be for Mr. Emory to plead to a lesser charge, receiving some jail time, probation and community service. He would not have to register as a sex offender. But any deal would need approval from a judge. A hearing is set for next Monday.
He certainly committed a tort, using fraud to gain access to the students and classroom. And he used the images of the six-year-olds in a way that neither the parents or school administrators had approved. He could--and should, in my opinion--be sued for damages. There may even be a misdemeanor fraud charge in there somewhere. But I don't think that Prosecutor Tony Tague is quite able to grasp that.

Onward and upward,
airforce