UH Coed Sentenced To Prison For Child Porn
Woman Kept Porn On Computer To Increase Music Sharing
POSTED: 4:49 pm HST May 27, 2004
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HONOLULU -- A University of Hawaii coed who traded child porn for music on the Internet must spend at least two years in federal prison, a judge ruled Thursday.
Lani Hansen (pictured, right) faced a much longer sentence, but a judge decided she should not be treated like a sexual predator.People involved in child pornography usually get the book thrown at them at federal court, but on Thursday, the defendant got leniency because her motivation was neither financial, nor sexual, according to authorities.During a tearful apology in court, Hansen said someone else put some child porn on her computer. She said she was shocked and knew it was wrong, but then she learned it was in demand on the Kazaa file-sharing network and as more people got porn from her, it got easier for her to get music."It would increase her status in the Kazaa program so that she could get the obscure recordings that she wanted," defense attorney Brook Hart said.To keep her illicit collection fresh for online collectors, Hansen added more child porn files until she had about 120 pictures and videos.
"Regardless of her motivation, she supported the industry just as surely as any child pornographer does," federal prosecutor Larry Tong said.Because Hansen's file sharing helped distribute child porn, she faced nearly six years in prison, but Judge David Ezra said the law was designed for sexual predators and profiteers, not someone trading for music."No one in their wildest dreams could imagine someone doing something so stupid," Ezra said.He gave Hansen 27 months in federal prison, the lowest possible under the law."He showed great wisdom and fairness and kindness in the sentence that he awarded," Hart said.The prosecutor agreed that the sentence was plenty."A sentence of 27 months is a severe sanction for someone with no prior criminal history," Tong said.Ezra said he's not concerned about setting a precedent with the sentence because he doubts neither he nor any other judge will every see a case just like this one again.
Lani Hansen (pictured, right) faced a much longer sentence, but a judge decided she should not be treated like a sexual predator.People involved in child pornography usually get the book thrown at them at federal court, but on Thursday, the defendant got leniency because her motivation was neither financial, nor sexual, according to authorities.During a tearful apology in court, Hansen said someone else put some child porn on her computer. She said she was shocked and knew it was wrong, but then she learned it was in demand on the Kazaa file-sharing network and as more people got porn from her, it got easier for her to get music."It would increase her status in the Kazaa program so that she could get the obscure recordings that she wanted," defense attorney Brook Hart said.To keep her illicit collection fresh for online collectors, Hansen added more child porn files until she had about 120 pictures and videos. | Video |
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