Gay Porn Admissible in Navy Doctor's Trial

News 2007-10-03 Gay Porn Admissible in Navy Doctor's Trial A military court may consider gay porn found on a Navy physician's home computer during his trial on charges that he secretly vid

A military court may consider gay porn found on a Navy physician's home computer during his trial on charges that he secretly videotaped midshipmen having sex, a military judge ruled Monday.

Cmdr. Kevin J. Ronan faces 11 counts in next month's trial, including three counts of illegal wiretapping and seven of conduct unbecoming an officer, Washington, D.C., station WBC-TV reported.

Admitting the porn into evidence was fiercely opposed by Ronan's lawyer because it brings his sexuality into scrutiny and thus jeopardizes his military career even if he is acquitted, WBC said.

Marine Col. Steven Day, the judge in the case, ruled the porn could be used to establish a motive -- a "possible need on his part" to view "young, athletic males" engaged in sex.

Ronan, like many officers, opened his Annapolis, Md., home to midshipmen over weekends and holidays as part of a U.S. Naval Academy program. He was physician to several Naval Academy sports teams and a medical officer to the midshipmen's dorm.

He got into trouble when one overnight visitor, who later flunked out of the academy, claimed he found a camera hidden in an air ionizer in a guest bedroom in Ronan's home, as well as several DVDs and tapes of the young guests having sex -- the witness with his girlfriend and a second man masturbating.

Ronan's civilian lawyer, William Ferris, claims the witness tried to extort money from his client.

"And I think he was going to try to use this to be persuasive, and that got out of hand," Ferris told WBC.

Among the data the Naval Criminal Investigative Service recovered from Ronan's hard drive was his apparent membership in a Yahoo Group extolling gay porn star Brent Everett, the Baltimore Sun reported.

Ronan testified that he didn't download the porn and that any of his visitors could have done it. (Barbara Wilcox, The Advocate)

Click here to follow The Advocate on Twitter. Page 1 of 1

READ COMMENTS (0) MORE \ EMAIL PRINT

RECOMMEND

More Online Only

Commentary Progress in the Midwest
A city native and strong supporter of Kalamazoo's effort to keep an anti-discrimination law reflects on a hard-won campaign.

Commentary What Marriage in Maine Meant for Me

Dana Hernandez is a straight white married mother of two young children. But in campaigning for No on 1 and reporting Election Night outcomes for Advocate.com, defeat hit her like a ton of bricks.

Marriage Equality Terri White Stages Her Leather Encore

Last year, acclaimed stage performer Terri White was homeless and living in a public park. On Sunday, she and her partner held a leather-themed commitment ceremony onstage following her triumphant Broadway turn in Finian’s Rainbow.

Music Ghost Story

Out singer-songwriter Brandi Carlile discusses working with her childhood mentor, coming out publicly, and joining next year's Lilith Fair.

News View From Washington: GOP Upheaval

Now that the only pro-marriage equality candidate in New York's 23rd Congressional district, Republican Dede Scozzafava, has dropped out of the race, Tuesday's election holds any number of political lessons for both the GOP and the LGBT community.

Books Hot Sheet: Ditto Knocking 'Em Dead

This week might not bring anything to the screen other than a Boondock Saints sequel, but there are plenty of reasons to sit at home on the couch or head to your local concert venue.

News Features Sailor Speaks Out
Sailor Joseph Rocha endured years of hazing until he spoke out — then he was discharged for revealing his homosexuality. Nonetheless, the 23-year-old is itching to suit back up.

Music Rainbow High

Busy Broadway heartthrob, gay rights activist, and former Advocate coverboy Cheyenne Jackson chats about his Finian’s Rainbow revival, his politically charged cabaret CD, and laying around in his underpants (pic on page five).

Marriage Equality For Maine, The Time is Now
Money is on their side and the polls look optimistic, but volunteers fighting to preserve marriage equality in Maine are prepared for a fight to the finish.

Television Another Tough Broad

After being outed by a Nazi and locking lips with a hook-up three times in one episode, Christine Woods's tough-talking FBI agent Janis Hawk on ABC's FlashForward might just be prime time's best gay offering — who isn't in Glee club, that is.

Books In Sickness and in Health

Mary Cappello’s memoir Called Back takes readers on a white-knuckle journey through the experience of cancer treatment in America — especially disorienting to navigate as a woman and a lesbian.

Books An American Crime

Best-selling novelist Patricia Cornwell made headlines last week when she filed suit against a New York investment firm for losing $40 million of her money. But she'd much rather talk about her new book, hate-crimes legislation, and Angelina Jolie.

Comedy Gilded Lily

After conquering Broadway, movies, and television, out funny lady Lily Tomlin prepares for the final frontier — Las Vegas.

Entertainment News Ricky Martin, No Shirt and a Baby
Ricky Martin knows how to get the camera's attention. Take a look at the many pictures of Ricky uploaded to his Twitter account in the past three months, always shirtless, frequently carrying one (or both) of his babies.

Television Fresh Blood
With True Blood a bona-fide cultural phenomenon, producer Alan Ball offers tantalizing hints about what to expect on season 3.