Bernie Ward Indicted

[russ]

From SF Gate:

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/12/06/BAFHTPMQD.DTL&tsp=1

 

[newsperson]

This is really an unfortunate situation becasue even if the charges are dropped his program still remains off the air until it is resolved. His attorney just commented on KGO that the next time they will appear in court is late January. So regardless of what happens his air time is suspended for the interim time.

The charges are out of Washington D. C. Does anyone know if the goverment has any other motivations?

I look forward to everyone's insight on this.

Newsperson

 

[silkpony]

[EDIT]

[Bernie Ward]: A humorous promotional introduction for his entertainment show bills him as “the Lion of the Left”. Ward used to describe himself as “unabashedly liberal,” prior to sometime in 2006, when he opted for the new self-description “progressive”

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernie_Ward


[EDIT-off topic baiting]

 

[Joey Riggs]

It's really not neccesary to turn this into a political argument, guys.

If a father of four was caught knowingly downloading kiddie porn, this is a pretty tragic story, both for his children and for the exploited children who were in the photographs. If it's true, he's a sick S.O.B. In 2007, with as many examples of how it's not a good idea to access that kind of stuff for "research" (Pete Townshend, anyone?) as we've had in the media, I find it hard to believe Bernie's excuse. And I don't understand that excuse, even if it *is* true - why would you need to view child porn in order to write a book about it?

 

[newsperson]

Is there anyone in the Bay Area or Northern California who listens or has listen to Bernie Ward that can comment on this?

Can we look beyond the surface in some comments?

From a newspersons point of view it does not clearly state that he downloaded anything. Today on KGO his attorney stated that when they (the goverment) sized his computer that there was not porn on it.

So what is the rest of the story here?

What is the real story?

I will look for your responses.

Newsperson

 

[ABQTom]

The charges are out of Washington D. C. Does anyone know if the goverment has any other motivations?
I look forward to everyone's insight on this.
Newsperson

I don't know if the government has any motivations, but it is ALSO worth asking if the new ultra-conservative owners of KGO - Citadel - have any motivations for Bernie's exit. Indeed, you say in a post below that KGO reported today on-air that the government found no porn on Bernie's computer!

 

[coppersmom]

As of this moment the indictment is sealed. It comes out of Washington...not the San Francisco U.S. attorney's office. Mythoughts are with Bernie and his family....I'll be filling in for him tomorrow night.

 

[1069_KIFR]

Just like the Barry Bonds indictment. Let's just wait and see first hand exactly what the gov't has. Innocent until proven Guilty is still part of the justice system in this country.

 

[DavidKaye]

Just like the Barry Bonds indictment. Let's just wait and see first hand exactly what the gov't has. Innocent until proven Guilty is still part of the justice system in this country.

Getting back to the matter of broadcasting for a moment, do people here think it was right for KGO to suspend him in the interim? After all, he has only been indicted by a grand jury -- that means he was charged. He has not negotiated a plea bargain or gone to trial. It appears that he is free until January when he returns to court. Thus, the prosecutors don't feel the charges are serious enough to take him into custody.

If you were running KGO would you take him off the air under such circumstances?

 

[DavidKaye]

Fascinating sidelight: Bernie Ward's longtime lawyer is Jeanette Boudreau, the former KGO program director who first put Dr. Dean Edell on the air and later was married to him.

KGO reads like a soap opera....

 

[Bongwater]

Well, if you're going to research a topic as red hot as child pornography on the internet, you'd be best to first talk to the people who investigate actual online pedophiles and get their statements on the record. Especially if you're a major radio personality. The more you have to cover your butt, the better.

I don't believe for one single nanosecond Bernie Ward is guilty of ANYTHING but honest research. But he should have the manuscript and/or copies of the book for this. ANYBODY can unknowingly download porn, child or otherwise just by accidentally connecting to certain sites without even clicking on any images or any intention of visiting any site like that whatsoever on your part. You could be innocently Googling up radio ratings and get sent to a smut site (these freaks will stop at NOTHING to get your attention.) And the thumbnails and/or pop-ups alone are enough. Cyber-laws are still extremely vague and vague enough to ruin innocent people. There needs to be clear lines drawn.

I have always supported the idea of a mandatory .xxx domain for ALL pornographic images on the internet (I think most of us are intelligent enough to tell the difference between an artistic nude and hardcore sexual imagery.) I think it is the only way we can keep porn in it's place online and innocent people protected.

It should be dismissed as simple journalism. Freedom of the press is still freedom of the press and Bernie Ward is a respected and honest talk show host and an innocent man. My thoughts and prayers are with him.....

 

[SalesWeasel]

I have always supported the idea of a mandatory .xxx domain for ALL pornographic images on the internet (I think most of us are intelligent enough to tell the difference between an artistic nude and hardcore sexual imagery.) I think it is the only way we can keep porn in it's place online and innocent people protected.

It should be dismissed as simple journalism. Freedom of the press is still freedom of the press and Bernie Ward is a respected and honest talk show host and an innocent man. My thoughts and prayers are with him.....

And that would work about as well as rating a movie "X" -- in other words, not at all. But I agree with you; innocent until proven guilty. These are the Salem Witch Hunts of the '00s.

 

[Bongwater]

I have always supported the idea of a mandatory .xxx domain for ALL pornographic images on the internet (I think most of us are intelligent enough to tell the difference between an artistic nude and hardcore sexual imagery.) I think it is the only way we can keep porn in it's place online and innocent people protected.

And that would work about as well as rating a movie "X" -- in other words, not at all......

X Ratings only worked in public theaters (back when the only place you could watch porn movies was in icky X rated theaters) Today, you still have to be 18 to buy or rent them from your local adult bookstore and you pretty much know what you're getting. With cyber porn as it is, anything goes. I believe in the people's right to (adult) porn on their computers, I just don't want to deal with it on mine.

I'm not sure about the exact details in Bernie Ward's case. The sites he visited could have been META-TAGGED "child pornography" or something and maybe thinking it had some relevant information for his research, gave him these images instead. That can happen-easily.

It's tragic such a thing could happen to a beloved radio host like Bernie Ward. But it can happen to anybody. I do believe there should be stories written about child pornography to better educate the public about what is going on because with that can come better ideas and ways of stopping it. But you should plan such research carefully and not go it alone.

The worst tragedy of all is even if he IS proven innocent-even if all charge are dropped, his career has been tainted. There are a lot of hateful people out there who will never let this rest and will harass and publicly berate him and his reputation and with said vague cyber laws-this includes cyber-bullying, he's going to have a rough time-even if PROVEN innocent. Anything involving child sex is a scarlet accusation and since he is a public figure, they will stop at nothing to ruin him. Even if the charges are DROPPED.

That's what is so sad.....

 

[DavidKaye]

And that would work about as well as rating a movie "X" -- in other words, not at all. But I agree with you; innocent until proven guilty. These are the Salem Witch Hunts of the '00s.

Actually, the .xxx domain would work very well. Porn sites would be happy to use it because it would establish their legitimacy and serve as a warning of what the sites contain, thus relieving them of responsibility. It would also work well for sysadmins because it would be a simple matter to ban .xxx domains in places where sensitive readers might see them. It's a win-win.

 

[DavidKaye]

The worst tragedy of all is even if he IS proven innocent-even if all charge are dropped, his career has been tainted.

But, let's get back to broadcasting for a moment if we may. Do you think KGO should have suspended him from his job when he has not been tried and he has not even been taken into custody, as people usually are who are accused of child porn?

 

[LKellerIII]

"And that would work about as well as rating a movie "X" -- in other words, not at all."

The point of an .xxx domain, as Bongwater suggests, is not to prevent people from accessing porn, but to make if more difficult for them to access porn accidentally. Everything else Bongwater says about this sad situation sums up my feelings much better than I could say it.

I think KGO should not have suspended Ward. Looking at it from their viewpoint, they were probably afraid that KGO would become all about Ward and child porn in coming months, and wanted to distance themselves from the fallout - nevertheless, I think they should have taken the stand, and let him remain on-air. Presumption of innocence, and all athat.

 

[fandango]

As of this moment the indictment is sealed. It comes out of Washington...not the San Francisco U.S. attorney's office. Mythoughts are with Bernie and his family....I'll be filling in for him tomorrow night.

Has anyone started a defense fund for Bernie? If you hear something; please post a link. I know you probably can't discuss this issue on the show, but it would be nice if I were mistaken and you choose to, briefly.

---

Also; I would really, really like to read a brief, simple review from a Lawyer, that explains how any District Attorney goes about investigating charges like this, what kinds of evidence is considered admissible, how warrants are written and examined, how the police need to behave, and what the pretrial legal processes are that Bernie faces. I would also like to know what specific rights a Journalist has (and doesn't have) when pursuing a story (Bernie was following a story), and in general; what the overall legal issues are.

---

Someone needs to explain on a board like this; exactly who Bernie Ward *IS.* It's important for readers outside the Bay Area to know that Bernie was a real Journalist; not just a happy-talk broadcaster. Specifically; that Bernie wrote the original stories that reported on pediphilia and financial imisconduct within the Catholic Church, and that he was working on a book about hypocracy that delt with sexual impropriety as an issue.

This is not just a case of a semi-sociopathic nut with a good voice getting arrested for doing something stupid when not on the radio. We have to consider the possibility that someone very powerful wanted to remove Bernie's politically troublesome voice from radio.

fandango

 

[DaleGriffin]

The worst tragedy of all is even if he IS proven innocent-even if all charge are dropped, his career has been tainted.

But, let's get back to broadcasting for a moment if we may. Do you think KGO should have suspended him from his job when he has not been tried and he has not even been taken into custody, as people usually are who are accused of child porn?

You have to get him off the air till this is over.

 

[DyingMedium]

Whether Bernie is guilty or innocent, KGO has no choice but to remove him from the air until this is over. It's too much of a distraction to leave him on the air AND advertisters would depart in a hurry. I'm sure Bernie Ward understands that.

As to the charges filed against him...Interesting to note that this has been going on under the radar for the last 3 years, with the material in question downloaded in 2004, according to his attorney.

While I'm no big fan of Bernie's show, he is innocent until PROVEN guilty. That said, even if he was doing research for a book, etc, downloading that kind of stuff without working with law enforcement is just asking for this kind of trouble.

 

[Raymond]

The guy had child pornography on his computer. He should be in jail. period.

To the early poster who said that's unfortunate because his show won't be on...well, too bad. He should be fired. If he were my employee that's what would happend to him.