State v. YoungState v. Young
The question certified to this court in the two cases before us today is whether the state, consistent with the First Amendment to the United States Constitution, may outlaw the private possession of child pornography. This question has since been answered in the affirmative in State v. Meadows (1986),
“R.C. 2907.322(A)(5) , which prohibits the knowing possession or control of material which shows a minor participating or engaging in sexual activity, masturbation, or bestiality, does not violate the First Amendment to the United States Constitution, as made applicable to the states by reason of the Fourteenth Amendment. (Stanley v. Georgia [1969],394 U.S. 557 , and New York v. Ferber [1982],458 U.S. 747 , construed, harmonized and followed.)”
Our ruling in Meadows concerned the constitutionality of
However, it is well-established that “[c]ertification of the record of a case to the Supreme Court because of conflict between judgments of Courts of Appeals upon any question, brings the
In addition to the First Amendment issues resolved in Meadows, supra, appellants herein raise additional challenges to the constitutionality of
Appellants first argue that
“(A) No person shall do any of the following:
"* * *
‘ ‘(3) Possess or view any material or performance that shows a minor who is not the person’s child or ward in a state of nudity, unless one of the following applies:
“(a) The material or performance is sold, disseminated, displayed, possessed, controlled, brought or caused to be brought into this state, or presented for a bona fide artistic, medical, scientific, educational, religious, governmental, judicial, or other proper purpose, by or to a physician, psychologist, sociologist, scientist, teacher, person pursuing bona fide studies or research, librarian, clergyman, prosecutor, judge, or other person having a proper interest in the material or performance.
“(b) The person knows that the parents, guardian, or custodian has consented in writing to the photographing or use of the minor in a state of nudity and to the manner in which the material or performance is used or transferred.”
Appellants contend that the statute is overbroad because it sweeps within its ambit other activities that constitute an exercise of constitutionally protected expression. For example, the use of the term “nudity” is challenged as overly broad, since that term encompasses morally innocent states of nudity as well as lewd exhibitions. Thus, it is argued, the statute fails to define in a sufficiently narrow manner the criminal conduct it prohibits. See, e.g., N.A.A.C.P. v. Button (1963),
We do not agree with this analysis. The First Amendment doctrine of overbreadth is limited in its application to laws in which the deterrence of protected activities is substantial. Where, as here, a statute regulates conduct rather than pure speech, its over-breadth “* * * must not only be real, but substantial as well, judged in relation to the statute’s plainly legitimate sweep.” Broadrick v. Oklahoma (1973),
It is true that
In the area of child pornography, the United States Supreme Court has directed that “[a]s with all legislation in this sensitive area, the conduct to be prohibited must be adequately defined by the applicable state law, as written or authoritatively construed.” (Emphasis added.) Ferber, supra, at 764. As we construe it today,
Appellants further argue that
A criminal statute is impermissibly vague only where it is so imprecise and indefinite that persons of ordinary intelligence “* * * must necessarily guess at its meaning and differ as to its application.” Columbus v. Thompson (1971),
Appellants next argue that
Our review of
“When the section defining an offense does not specify any degree of culpability, and plainly indicates a purpose to impose strict criminal liability for the conduct described in such section, then culpability is not required for a person to be guilty of the offense.When the section neither specifies culpability nor plainly indicates a purpose to impose strict liability, recklessness is sufficient culpability to commit the offense. ” (Emphasis added.)
As noted above,
The term “recklessness” is defined in
“A person acts recklessly when, with heedless indifference to the consequénces, he perversely disregards a known risk that his conduct is likely to cause a certain result or is to be of a certain nature. A person is reckless with respect to circumstances when, with heedless indifference to the consequences, he perversely disregards a known risk that such circumstances are likely to exist.”
This standard of recklessness is sufficient, in our view, to satisfy the requirement in Ferber of “some element of scienter.” Id. at 765. Scienter is the equivalent of guilty knowledge. State v. Jacobellis (1962),
We note that
The state may prove the required notice by demonstrating, for example, the defendant’s attempts to conceal the material or to disguise his ownership, his possession of a massive amount of such material, or the ob
Appellant Osborne contends that the trial court erred in overruling his motion for acquittal since the essential element of scienter was not proven at trial. However, our review of the record reveals that appellant never objected to the omission of this element from the charge to the jury. Appellant’s own proposed jury instructions were completely silent on the element of scienter. Where a party complaining of error could have called, but did not call, the error to the trial court’s attention at a timely juncture, the error is waived. State v. Williams (1977),
In concluding that the omission of the element of recklessness herein does not constitute plain error, we find support in Adams, supra. There, the essential element of recklessness was also omitted from the jury charge without a defense objection. This court held that this omission did not per se constitute plain error. Id. at paragraph two of the syllabus. A case-by-case approach was adopted, in which the record of the case is reviewed to determine whether a manifest miscarriage of justice will result if the conviction is permitted to stand. Id. at paragraph three of the syllabus. Our review of the record reveals that appellant himself testified that he gathered the photographs that were the basis of the charge and mounted them in an album, that he had last looked at the album about six months before, and that he had been told that the subject of the photographs was fourteen years old. The photographs themselves depict a nude boy, obviously a minor, in various lewd poses. Given this state of the record, we have no difficulty finding that the jury would have believed, beyond a reasonable doubt, that appellant was aware of the nature of the photographs in his possession. Accordingly, appellant would still have been convicted if a proper instruction on recklessness had been given, and his conviction must stand. State v. Underwood (1983),
Appellant Young contends that the indictment in his case is fatally defective, in that no mention is made therein of any element of scienter. The indictment in question states in pertinent part that Young “did possess material that shows a minor * * * in a state of nudity * * * in violation of O.
Appellants next argue that
“(1) A defense expressly designated as affirmative;
“(2) A defense involving an excuse or justification peculiarly within the knowledge of the accused, on which he can fairly be required to adduce supporting evidence.”
Neither
Appellant Young’s final argument regarding the constitutionality of
“A punishment does not violate the constitutional prohibition against cruel and unusual punishments, if it be not so greatly disproportionate to the offense as to shock the sense of justice of the community.” State v. Chaffin (1972),30 Ohio St. 2d 13 , 59 O.O. 2d 51,282 N.E. 2d 46 , paragraph three of the syllabus.
The First Amendment must re
Appellant Young next argues that the trial court erred in overruling his motion to suppress the photographs seized pursuant to the search warrant, alleging that the information in the underlying affidavit was stale and failed to establish probable cause for the issuance of a warrant. Specifically, appellant alleges that the information in the affidavit was based on statements from two witnesses, one of whom did not give dates for his observation of alleged child pornography in appellant’s home, and another whose observations occurred approximately three months before execution of the warrant. We do not agree that this information was so “stale” that the issuing magistrate had no reasonable basis for believing that the materials observed by the two witnesses would still be found at Young’s residence. The affidavit recites in detail the circumstances surrounding the observations of the witnesses. It recites that both informants had been “picked up” by Young, who paid them to perform sex acts and to pose in the nude for photographs; that the area specified is known to the affiant as a “pick up spot” for young male prostitutes; that the witnesses had both observed similar material depicting nude minors in Young’s home; and that psychological profiles of pedophiles reveal that they do not destroy their child pornography, but rather re-live their sexual experiences through photographs of previous partners.
The alleged staleness of the witnesses’ information does not, in our view, affect the validity of the warrant. We note that the affidavit was sworn to within one week after the first witness was interviewed. Given the facts detailed in the affidavit, the issuing magistrate had probable cause for believing the materials described could still be found where they had been observed. In so finding, we are mindful that affidavits for search warrants “must be tested and interpreted by magistrates and courts in a commonsense and realistic fashion. * * * A grudging or negative attitude by reviewing courts toward warrants will tend to discourage police officers from submitting their evidence to a judicial officer before acting.” United States v. Ventresca (1965),
Appellant Osborne also attacks the sufficiency of the affidavit underlying the warrant issued in his case. Osborne contends that the affidavit failed to establish probable cause since the information therein was based on unreliable hearsay, and that the affidavit did not specify the time during which the alleged criminal activity took place. As to the time aspect, appellant’s contentions are utterly baseless. In a detailed description of the circumstances giving rise to the affiant’s belief that Osborne possessed child pornography, it is stated that a few days before the affidavit was sworn, two witnesses stated that the material in question was at that time in the possession of appellant. As to the hearsay element, we note that the use of information based on hearsay is permissible as long as the issuing magistrate is informed of some of the
Appellant Osborne next contends that the photographs seized in the search were improperly admitted into evidence. He seems to argue that the photographs had to be identified and authenticated by the photographer before they could properly be deemed admissible. This argument borders on the frivolous. The relevance of the photographs is not dependent on whether they accurately depict the subject matter portrayed, but on whether appellant possessed the photographs and whether they are the sort of material outlawed by
Appellant Osborne further argues that no proof was offered that the subject in the photographs was a minor. We cannot agree with appellant’s contention that the minority of the person depicted was not demonstrated in the evidence. The majority of the photographs speak for themselves. The person depicted is obviously under the age of eighteen by a substantial margin, and a jury would have been clearly justified in finding, beyond a reasonable doubt, that the subject was a minor. As possession of these photographs alone would support appellant’s conviction, we need not consider whether the state proved the minority of the subject in the sole remaining photograph.
Appellant Osborne argues that the trial court erred in failing to instruct the jury that the term “nudity” as used in
Accordingly, based upon the foregoing, the judgments of the court of appeals are hereby affirmed.
Judgments affirmed.
Notes
Appellant Young contends that the court of appeals erroneously considered these photographs since they were not properly admitted into evidence. The photographs were not marked as state exhibits or formally introduced and admitted. However, we agree with the state’s argument that it is not necessary to formally mark, introduce and admit items of evidence when a no contest plea is entered under
“(B) Effect of guilty and no contest pleas. * * *
"* * *
“(2) The plea of no contest is not an admission of defendant’s guilt, but is an admission of the truth of the facts alleged in the indictment, information or complaint * * * )}
“If the plea be ‘no contest’ or words of similar import in pleading to a misdemeanor, it shall constitute a stipulation that the judge or magistrate may make finding of guilty or not guilty from the explanation of circumstances, and if guilt be found, impose or continue for sentence accordingly. * * *”
Our review of the record reveals that the photographs were discussed by the parties at the hearing. They were properly considered by the trial court as part of the explanation of the circumstances of the no contest plea. See Cuyahoga Falls v. Bowers (1984),
“(A) No person, with knowledge of the character of the material or performance involved, shall do any of the following:
"l* * *
“(5) Possess or control any obscene material, that has a minor as one of its participants * *
“(A) No person, with knowledge of the character of the material or performance involved, shall do any of the following:
“(5) Possess or control any material that shows a minor participating or engaging in sexual activity, masturbation, or bestiality * *