Choking man found unconscious while child porn scrolled on his computer can't beat jail term

A Cumberland County, PA, man who was found unconscious on the floor as child pornography scrolled across the screen of his home computer can't beat a conviction for possessing those illegal images, a state Superior Court panel has ruled.

According to court filings, a state trooper and an ambulance crew rushed to Smyser's Carlisle-area home on Aug. 27, 2015 in response to a 911 call. The caller could only make choking sounds. The rescuers found Smyser, the home's only occupant, unconscious on the floor in his underwear. Nearby, the screen of his computer sported child porn images and was connected to a chat room where child porn was being discussed, police said.

When he awoke at the hospital, Smyser, now 49, denied knowing anything about the child porn. Police said he claimed "unidentified enemies from his past" might have broken into his home and planted it on his computer.

County Judge Albert H. Masland imposed the prison term after convicting Smyser on 12 counts of child porn possession. Masland ordered Smyser to serve another 3 years on probation after finishing his jail term.

https://www.pennlive.com/news/2018/09/choking_man_found_unconscious.html