|
Read News
|
Pocono News Section
Former Bucknell Professor Guilty
Former Bucknell Professor Guilty - Monday, December 1, 2008 at 5:47PM EST
Lewisburg, Union County-
Former Bucknell University professor Jack Harclerode has been found guilty of possessing child pornography.
It took only one day for the Union County judge to render her decision. Harclerode had nothing to say as he walked into court Monday afternoon.
Investigators found nearly 250 sexually explicit pictures of boys on Harclerode's personal computer at his Lewisburg home in May of 2007.
Union County Judge Louise Knight found the former Bucknell biology professor guilty on 20 counts of knowingly possessing child pornography.
Harclerode's lawyer says he was surprised by the decision.
Defense Attorney Peter Campana said, "He didn't take the pictures, he didn't distribute the pictures. If you look at magazines and see what you think is a human being, do you know for sure?"
This hasn't been Harclerode's only run-in with the law. He's awaiting sentencing in Columbia County in two weeks, after pleading guilty in January to sexually assaulting a boy- a plea he later tried to revoke.
Campana explained, "Well, he pled guilty on the advice of an attorney that didn't give him the right advice."
Each of the child pornography counts carries a maximum sentence of 7 years in prison and thousands of dollars in fines. Harclerode's lawyer says he will file an appeal.
Campana added, "It seems to me that when it comes to child pornography cases, the citizenry reacts viscerally, and so do the judges. So that's all. I just think that this man's getting a raw deal."
Harclerode is also awaiting trial in February for sexual assault in Union County. | | |
|
|
|