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Charged actor back on stage
Steve Spiese, opens in play Friday; in real-life role is a defendant in child porn case.
Sunday News
Jun 03, 2007 00:16 EST
By GIL SMART, Editor

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QUOTE(johnq @ Jun 3 2007, 10:16 AM)
Like all of you, I'm no fan of pedophiles. Who is? But this guy is charged at this point, not convicted. Should everyone who is charged with a crime lose their jobs, before they are tried?

Maybe not - I know what you are saying, but:
It will be the first time Spiese has been onstage since being charged in Lebanon County with three felony counts of sexual abuse of children for possessing more than five dozen pictures, and two movies, of underage boys and girls in sexual scenes.

Spiese, of Columbia, was fired from his job as an adjunct professor at Lebanon Valley College after investigators seized his school computer, which they say he used to download the porn. According to a police affidavit, Spiese did not dispute the allegations and told investigators he had been viewing child pornography for "several years."

I think that is enough to hold off on showcasing him until he is tried




Lancaster
But he really fits the role they need him to play. Gary Smith is less concerned about the charges, because Spiese is just so right for the role?!?!

Since when has there been a shortage of actors?

What does the role require, a kiddie porn watcher?

Well maybe he's just looking, not doing. Maybe the children in the porn he's looking at are actors, too. Perhaps at the end of each production there is a disclaimer that no actual children were harmed during the making of this vid.

Are these Smith's whacked or something?!?!?

PS. I'd also like that Eller Prof. from E-town to get a look at susangf2's reply. Do these people not think of others at all? These young innocent lives spoiled for your pleasure? With no thought of the consequences of these children.
BAG-17
QUOTE(PedroHead @ Jun 3 2007, 12:47 AM)
This is just asking for trouble. I will usually give a second chance, but to those who are interested in child porn, not a chance. Rehab all you want. I will do whatever it takes to make sure you are never around my kids.


PedroHead, I heartily agree with your comments.
From the article:

QUOTE
Gary Smith says he isn't trying to downplay the magnitude of the charges. But he also thinks there's a double standard at work here: Other members of the artistic community, whom he declined to name on the record, have been accused of similar crimes, or worse, and have not been ostracized. So why Spiese?


Mr. Smith, I respectfully submit that your assertion is based upon a flawed premise. Just because others closed their eyes to charges of criminal activity does not justify you in doing the exact same thing. While I understand that even those accused of crimes like these often need to earn a living until they are tried and a verdict is reached, I also think that you are giving him a spotlight he does not deserve. His "contributions to the community" should be evaluated with consideration of his deviancy, which harms the community. After such balanced consideration, he comes up short in my book, especially since he admitted to viewing child porn for several years according to police reports cited in this article.

BeingReal
Plus, the children in these videos are not The SIMS like in the convention center video... these are REAL children being forced to perform sexual acts for the self-gratification of people like Spiese.

We are almost immune to so much that we see on TV, knowing that actors are playing parts... but these are real children. Real human beings. Pre-schoolers. It just sends chills down my spine that Smith could hire this man before he was either exonerated or convicted. Does Smith even have kids? And by the way, I just have to say it, the LNP printed an especially creepy-looking photo to accompany the article.

I think this story deserved an editorial rather than a news story. But then again, that would take room away from all the political bashing that the editorial staff is paid to do.
harv1
This guy is just another actor that thinks he is better than anyone else. They all have egos that should be deflated. Put his butt in jail not on the stage.
goundpounder
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