20 Years in Prison for Buying Manga?

[DBZNarutoWarrior]

I just came across this on ANN and I had to share.


In less than two months, starting on February 2, 2009, a court case (http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2008-10-10/iowa-collector-charged-for-allegedly-obscene-manga) will begin in Iowa. The defendant, Christopher Handley, is facing as much as 20 years in prison for the charge against him. This is, as we say on the intarwebs: serious business. Twenty years? They must claim he did something really bad. Something really bad to someone, right? Actually, he just ordered some manga from Japan. And...that's all he did.



Read the entire article here:
http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/editorial/2008-12-11/christopher-handley/carl-horn


I'm REALLY hoping that he doesn't lose this case. I wonder what the official charges are for though, maybe he could be underage for part of it? If this case is successful in anyway it could lead to editing for more manga regaurdless of their genres (last paragraph pointed that out). While I'm not a manga reader, I think that this is absurd.

[Zeonic Freak]

Wait what? A guy is getting 20 years for reading manga or buying one? Thats all the detail im reading at ANN right now.

Wait, he bought manga that had a young anime girl in an "obscene image?" Isnt that like, all anime/manga (ok not all, but a good portion of japanese entertainment).

Ok heres the link with more description: http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2008-10-10/iowa-collector-charged-for-allegedly-obscene-manga

Geez, i thought he pirated this stuff on his PC or sold it. Dude, to him, its probably laughible material to read, i personally dont care what he does.

Well, i dont have anything/read anything that has a "minor" having sex with something. They might as well bring the "comic code" back then...

[veemonjosh]

...What is with the sudden obsession of throwing people in jail for having pictures of cartoon children having sex?

As ChibiGoku said in the thread about that Australian man being arrested for having Simpsons hentai, these are the kinds of people who need HELP, and being thrown in jail and forgotten about is the farthest away from help they can possibly get.

I mean, if they were actually having sex with minors or taking naked pictures of minors, then I wouldn't argue about their prison sentence, but possessing hentai involving minors doesn't necessarily mean you're a sexual predator (and if you're a collector like Paul Rubens, the same applies to possessing vintage photos).

[SSJPabs]

Southern District of Iowa, that's mine and that means.... Whitaker. Well couple of points: the case got pushed back into February and so the guy that runs the office will be gone by then because that's what happens when a new administration comes in, standard procedure, so perhaps the next one will re-evaluate and reallocate resources in to something else.

To Whitaker: is this what you are going to allow your office to spend time on during your last few weeks in office? Really?
To Handley: Ease up on the moe okay? I know the meganekkos can be tempting but slow your roll.

[TomorrowPerfume]

I hope the poor guy gets freed. I mean, come on, I lived close by a pedo when I was little, and I doubt that this sicko even needed any porn to get him in the mood for hurting his kids.

[Zeonic Freak]

Dude, im not sure if this guy collects manga that has just these images in it. I mean, most of the manga people read have a sexual ref in it, because thats japan for you. Its just fanservice, even if you dont care about it, its still there.

Then again, i mean, it couldnt hurt to help this guy, i know of some people who say they go with girls who are the state age of concent, when there like 21 and the girl is like 16. Thats just down right creepy there...

[chdr]

So, thousands of people are losing their jobs and homes, and all these people can think about is "ooh naked girl cartoons what a pedophile".

Way to go, Iowa. Way to go.

[The Wolverine]

So, thousands of people are losing their jobs and homes, and all these people can think about is "ooh naked girl cartoons what a pedophile".

Way to go, Iowa. Way to go.

Exactly... and fact is, having images like these doesn't automatically make you a pedo -.-

[DarthGonzo]

There has to be more to this than that. There just has to.

[Rolling Cloud]

There has to be more to this than that. There just has to.

&, what if there isn't? D=

[Fool's Gil]

...So buying manga of young girls in obscene situations equal twenty years? With people who actually deserve to be away from the rest of natural citizens? I can't liken the idea that you're on par with a rapist, or murderer because of pictures

[Ishtar]

This really seems far too severe, so I hope he wins his case. 30 years for importing hentai? Come on.

[Light Lucario]

Yeah, this case sounds really weird. Facing twenty years in jail for having a manga with some young girls in obscene situations? That's just nuts, if there's nothing else to the case that is. That does sound really too harsh so hopefully he'll win his case.

[Master Moron]

Dude, im not sure if this guy collects manga that has just these images in it. I mean, most of the manga people read have a sexual ref in it, because thats japan for you. Its just fanservice, even if you dont care about it, its still there.

Then again, i mean, it couldnt hurt to help this guy, i know of some people who say they go with girls who are the state age of concent, when there like 21 and the girl is like 16. Thats just down right creepy there...

What's creepy about that? Girls I knew in high school dated college guys all the time and guys I knew in college dated high school girls all the time. Hmmm...why is it always the older guy who dates the younger girl? You never hear of college girls dating high school guys...

So, thousands of people are losing their jobs and homes, and all these people can think about is "ooh naked girl cartoons what a pedophile".

Way to go, Iowa. Way to go.

Maybe this is actually an effort to stimulate the economy. After all, this guy will need a lawyer. Hey, someone should come to Illinois and read pedo manga and then hire me as their lawyer. I really need a job.

[DarthGonzo]

You never hear of college girls dating high school guys...

Yes you do. My co-worker's 17 year old son (who is still in high school) is dating a 20 year-old college student. And although the high school/college thing doesn't come into play here, my first girlfriend was actually several years older than I was. You just hear more about older guys dating younger girls because it upset's more people to think that a young girl is being abused, used, raped or whathaveyou by a nasty, creepy, older man.

Maybe this is actually an effort to stimulate the economy.I doubt it, Master Moron.

[veemonjosh]

Exactly... and fact is, having images like these doesn't automatically make you a pedo -.-

Exactly. I've met plenty of people who look at this kind of stuff, and they would never even think about pedophilically touching a child.

What would annoy me more than this is if they start arresting people for possessing anthro hentai.

[Wounded_Dragon]

Well, couldn't the translators have just lied and just adjusted the age upwards?

[Zeonic Freak]

Well, couldn't the translators have just lied and just adjusted the age upwards?

Thats like what half the companies do when they publish in america. In Gunsmith Cats, Minnie May is like 15 or something, and Rally is about 18, but to avoid this stuff, they bump the age up to 18 or 19.

What's creepy about that? Girls I knew in high school dated college guys all the time and guys I knew in college dated high school girls all the time. Hmmm...why is it always the older guy who dates the younger girl? You never hear of college girls dating high school guys...


I knew some girl who did date a HS guys, but they were like a year apart, thats not as bad as like a 5 or 6+ year difference. When it comes to that, no matter what the law is, there has to be a moral consent and a persons individual boundries when it comes to dating someone younger than you.
Plus, to me it just sounds like the younger girls who say yes to older guys are still immature.

To me, i dont care how attractive you are, if your not 18, your not getting with me. I have my standards, and thats something it seems alot of people lack today. I dont care what the goverment or law says, ill judge it my own way...

[Baby Naruto]

I am appalled at the american justice system for doing this to him, and I hope that all charges are dropped against this guy and his record wiped of "previous wrongdoings" as well for (extra and well-deserved) compensation.

[J'onn J'onzz]

There has to be more to this than that. There just has to.
Well, the case IS being misrepresented here. It's not actually young girls. It's young guys. (http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2008-11-24/lawyer-indicates-manga-in-iowa-obscenity-case-are-yaoi) So I'm willing to bet that this guy being charged may also stem from homophobia.

[Speedy Boris]

From what I understand, he was actually arrested not for looking at child porn (which was dismissed because they're drawings), but for sending so-called obscene material through the mail, which is a crime. Of course, the problem stems from how you define "obscene", as it varies from individual to individual and is such a vague law. And that's where the whole case lies.

EDIT: And yes, apparently the titles in question were yaoi.

[The New Titans]

What the BLASPHEMOUS WORD? This is stupid and a half. Absolutely EXPLETIVE WORD stupid.

[purplehairedwonder]

From what I understand, he was actually arrested not for looking at child porn (which was dismissed because they're drawings), but for sending so-called obscene material through the mail, which is a crime. Of course, the problem stems from how you define "obscene", as it varies from individual to individual and is such a vague law. And that's where the whole case lies.

EDIT: And yes, apparently the titles in question were yaoi.Yes, and since there is an actual test to determine what is obscene, that is what the jury is going to have to deliberate. The Miller test says something is obscene if:

1) The average person, taking the work as a whole appeals to the prurient interest;

2) The average person, applying contemporary community standards (aka state law) determines that the work depicts in a patently offensive way sexual conduct; and

3) The work, taken as a whole, lacks serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value.

For something to be obscene, it has to meet all three criteria of the Miller test, and I don't think manga could pass #3, having artistic value.

[strawberryjuice]

I have a feeling theres alot more to the story.

But if not, then my guess would be it's underage girls in sexual situations manga.

edit:
http://otakureview.today.com/2008/12/11/the-case-against-christopher-handley/

this has more info about the case

[Zeonic Freak]

Since when do postal workers care what go through?

I dont think all the anime and manga in the US will vanish after this case is over with. And i didnt know a PROTECT act could go over the first amendment either. That really screws things up right there for this guy.

Im not that worried about it really, i just read Gunsmith Cats and Initial D, so i think im good on my end...

[The Wolverine]

And i didnt know a PROTECT act could go over the first amendment either. That really screws things up right there for this guy.
It can't, which is why the Supreme Court ruled parts of it unconstitutional.

[Jtaylor1]

http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2008-12-19/virginia-man-20-year-sentence-for-anime-child-porn-upheld

I don't think The Court is going to accept the Virginia Man's appeal.

[The Wolverine]

http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2008-12-19/virginia-man-20-year-sentence-for-anime-child-porn-upheld

I don't think The Court is going to accept the Virginia Man's appeal.

This is a different case entirely, and this one involves real kids too, so I hope he gets put away for good.

[defunctzombie]

These came from Japan, right? Import? That's the only reason this is problematic. Customs guys probably thought "this guy is sick, let's go report him". I work in the legal business, and I'm going to school for a crim. justice degree. We talk about these vague laws all the time, and they are why our system is so backwards. Playboy magazine suffered from this same "obscenity through the mail" problem, but they have a big backing. Manga and other arts just don't have what it takes to get through the system (read: political influence).

[Jtaylor1]

Art Print Raises Funds for Iowan Accused of Obscene Manga (http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2009-01-22/art-print-raises-funds-for-iowan-accused-of-obscene-manga)

[defunctzombie]

I wonder what size that print is...

[Zeonic Freak]

Huh, i forgot about this.

I didnt even know it was still going on...

[SuperMegaHyper]

Hmmm I guess I'm going five for life then.:p

[Dirty Dawg]

This guy had better walk otherwise,I'm moving up to Minnesota:mad:

[Jtaylor1]

Iowa Trial Over Allegedly Obscene Manga Delayed (http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2009-02-02/iowa-trial-over-allegedly-obscene-manga-delayed)