Summary: Baton Rouge attorney Christopher Young faces two charges of child pornography in what he calls a vindictive case brought by federal prosecutors.
A Baton Rouge lawyer and ex-state liquor lobbyist will face trial in October for federal child pornography charges. Christopher Young has been charged with possession of child pornography and distribution of child pornography.
During the trial, a judge has ruled that the jury won’t hear about the potential penalties that Young could face. U.S. District Judge John deGravelles says the penalties are of “no probative value” to the jury’s decision. The penalties include a mandatory minimum five-year prison sentence on one of the charges as well as having to register as a sex offender. Judge deGravelles feared that the jury would reach a verdict on emotion instead of the evidence presented.
Young is accused of sending videos to friends, family, and clients in 2013 and 2015 of boys engaging in sex acts with donkeys. He faces 20 years in prison for each charge with a five year minimum on the distribution charge.
The federal prosecutors were the ones to petition for the exclusion of evidence related to the potential penalties for the charges. His lawyers countered that they should not be restricted in saying the charges against Young are very serious.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cam Le and Rene Salomon argued that Young’s potential punishment should not factor into the jury’s decision. They explained that defense attorneys often pulling at emotions by claiming their client is “on the trial for his life” or their “freedom” relies on their jury’s decision. Le said they have no plan on downplaying the seriousness of the charges against Young during the trial.
One of Young’s defense attorneys, Billy Gibbens said they “will convey to the jury how serious we are taking this.”
Judge deGravelles was satisfied that both sides understood what they were allowed and not allowed to do during the trial. Any reference to Young’s potential “serious consequences” if he is convicted are off limits.
Young has argued that he is innocent and forwarded the videos as a crude joke. He adamantly insists that he is not a child pornographer and is the victim of a federal public corruption probe that he refused to take part in. He claims he is being selectively and vindictively prosecuted because he was a lobbyist at the time when he refused to cooperate in the probe.
He had filed a motion to dismiss the charges last September, with hearing held that month and in October but the judge let the case continue. His attorneys – Gibbens, Taylor Townsend, and Marci Blaize – agree with their client. Prosecutors contend, “Rhetoric aside, Young knows that he is being prosecuted because he engaged in illegal child sexual exploitation by repeatedly distributing, over a two-year period of time, graphic child pornography bestiality videos to his friends, family, clients and colleagues.” They explained that even if Young did not distribute and possess the videos out of a lustful interest, he still participated in the exploitation of children by having the videos. They further explained, “Subsequent forensic analysis revealed that Young … distributed child pornography bestiality videos, on 33 separate occasions, to 38 different individuals.”
Young is the brother of former Jefferson Parish President John Young.
Do you think Young should be prosecuted for forwarding the videos or were his actions so minor that a different punishment could be used? Tell us in the comments below.
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Photo: wwltv.com