MI- Discipline on sex pic in review

Remember the case of the Ohio girl who sent nude pics of herself from her cellphone to friends? Well, this is the other end of that story, the guys who received those pics on their cellphones. Notice how this has compounded into some of the guys sending those pics on to their friends.

10-17-2008 Michigan:

Pinckney Community High School leaders expect to decide next week whether any students will be disciplined for possessing and/or transmitting a sexually explicit cell phone photograph of a classmate, the principal said.

Principal Jim Darga said Thursday that a school investigation has identified 20 students "directly involved" with the incident that has captured national attention. He defined "directly involved" as the 14-year-old female student who took the naked photograph of herself as well as 19 others identified as those who received and/or transmitted the image.

"None of these students poses a threat to the student body," he said. "We're hoping next week to sit down and begin discussions on what, if any, consequences there will be. ... I think, for the most part, they thought it was funny; they are teenagers."

The picture depicted the photographer, identified only as a 14-year-old girl, showing her genitalia as well as her face. She sent the photograph to a couple of friends, reportedly including a boyfriend, in the summer as a prank, officials said. When school started, however, the photo was shared from one student to another.

Darga said an unknown number of students have come forward to admit that they received the picture, but those students said they have since deleted it.

Prosecutor David Morse said anyone who deleted the picture upon receipt has done "nothing illegal."

"We're not the least bit interested in those people," he said. "The ones we're concerned about are the people passing it on. They are increasing the risk of danger.

"Whether we charge those people, I don't know, because I don't know any of the facts or circumstances, because" the police report has not been submitted to his office, he noted.

Morse said his office is not interested in getting people convicted or placed on the sex offender registry for the incident. However, he does hope to educate those students of the potential dangers of their actions.

"Once you forward it to one person, you lose control of that image," he said. "Someone can post it on the Web, (post) your name, address and phone number. For predators, that's an invitation to appear. Certainly kids don't think through the consequences of what they do, so they wind up with these unintended — but very dangerous — consequences."

Sheriff Bob Bezotte said police have not been able to determine if the picture has made it to the Web, but their investigation has indicated that it has been shared with more than 200 people. They base their information on interviews with students, including one who admitted that she alone sent the photograph to at least 30 of her friends in the community.

Darga said the photograph was discovered Oct. 7 when he found a sealed envelope on his desk. Inside that envelope, was a printout of the image and an anonymous note identifying the girl and indicating it was being spread to the student body via cell phones. That package is now in police hands.

Officers eventually confiscated at least a dozen student cell phones depicting the photograph.

That action has caused ire among area residents, who have questioned whether police had the right to take the phones.

"They can take it when they see it," Morse said. "The law permits, if something is in plain view and it's illegal, (police) can take it. If you delete it, then you have nothing illegal."

Morse said the phones confiscated will not be returned unless the owners pay for a computer forensics expert to verify the photo has been permanently erased.

"We can't lawfully give it back if it contains illegal material," Morse said, noting that he has been told the photograph may remain deep inside the phone, much like a deleted picture from a computer.

"We don't know what else is on there. I'm not going to inadvertently give back a phone with inappropriate images on it," he said. "I'm not going to assume it's not there." ..News Source.. by Lisa Roose-Church