Bernie Ward Pleads “Guilty”

“I engaged in exchanging an image of a minor engaging in sexually explicit activity.”

With those words, Bernie Ward pleaded guilty today to one count, distribution of child pornography in a deal worked out with federal prosecutors. But, the deal only goes so far – it merely allows Ward to drop two of the three counts. He still could face up to 20 years in prison, and the minimum sentence allowed under federal guidelines is 5 years. The maximum fine is $250,000. The judge granted one defense request – he agreed not to accept Ward’s plea until the sentencing date on August 28th. Otherwise, Ward would have been taken into custody today. Defense attorney Doron Weinberg told the judge arrangements had to be made because of Ward’s health – he’s a diabetic who uses a machine at night to combat severe sleep apnea. Weinberg also said Ward wanted to attend the high school graduation of his youngest of four children.

About the crime, Weinberg told the judge, “We believe it resulted from an error of judgment, not sexual proclivities.” All along, Ward claimed he traded child pornography as part of research for a book. Inside court, I thought that Bernie Ward was remarkably composed. He chatted with his friends and supporters. Two monks in brown robes sat in the row with him. Ward appeared to have lost some weight, and sported a well-fitting suit. He answered the judge calmly.

*** NEW INFO: I wanted to give you a passage from the Department of Justice Press Release on the case. "According to the plea documents, Ward admitted that in December 2004, he used an online screen name to engage in an internet chat conversation with an unknown individual also using a screen name. During that conversation, Ward sent an image of child pornography depicting nude children engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Ward also admitted that he used the same e-mail account to distribute 15 to 150 images of child pornography to other individuals. These images involved prepubescent children engaged in sexually explicit conduct, some with sadistic, masochistic or violent conduct." ***

On the way out of the federal court building, I faced a difficult situation – what do you ask someone who just pleaded guilty to this crime? Not just any defendant. He was a fellow investigative reporter who covered the crisis in the Catholic Church, as did I. We worked out of the same building, albeit for different companies for the past year. I appeared on his show a few times to discuss my investigations. What could I ask him? The best I could come up with: “Bernie, any thoughts for us?” I think his answer would surprise many of his former listeners: “No.” I’d bet good money we’ll hear him as a guest on KGO radio, at some point this summer.

About tonight's investigation – I explore the conditions under which Bernie Ward left the priesthood. "Father Bernie" played a central role in his on-air persona, especially on his Sunday morning program "God Talk". I've confirmed two complaints against Ward for sexual misconduct when he was a 27-year-old priest. The two alleged victims were sixteen and seventeen-year-old students at Santa Rosa's Ursuline High School, where Ward taught. His lawyer says he was cleared of all allegations, and left the priesthood on his own.

Comments

[MichaelSF]

I replayed the tape of KGO TV news just now.

They said "Today Ward in court Ward admitted to sending as many as 250 such photographs, for which there is no legal defense."

Interestingly, Ward's lawyer is still advancing the "doing research" defense. I don't think SENDING 250 pics of child porn is research.

Ward, a man of superior intellect, did not know that simply possessing child porn is illegal?

If he did know, then he must have thought he was above the law. Oh well, he thought wrong.

Maybe he was practicing what he preached, that it was easier to ask forgiveness rather than permission. Hmmm.... wrong again.

We all know his defense is BS.

[Bone Machine]

Guilty! Hear that, Ward defenders? Guilty. And yet -- even after he voluntarily declared himself guilty -- how many delusional Ward fans will come in here and continue to proclaim his innocence?

Before you try to go back to the "book research" defense, ask yourself why your First Amendment hero didn't reject a deal and fight the charges all the way to the Supreme Court. If the principle of freedom of the press is so sacred to Ward, why didn't he fight for it?

[GT in Norcal]

Because he knows more light will be shed as he crawls out from under the rock where he resides.

[Jacko]

Ward is a man who hates this country, hates heterosexual males, hates the military and hates God. He is a vile, disgusting perverted individual who should be imprisoned. He spewed poison from the KGO studio.

[brigitt graves]

why isn't he in jail and why isn't he registered as a sex offender? why is he free til august? the judge must be an idiot!

[KLau]

No doubt Giovanni33 will soon be here telling us why Bernie is really, no I mean REALLY, a upright moral guy.

[Wyatt Burp]

Can't wait to hear "The Pillow Fight At The OK Korel" tonite at 10:00. We'll hear how Bernie is innocent and how the Bush administration is responsible for this injustice. Better keep all sharp objects away from Giovanni33.

[sfnative]

For anyone who might have been in court today, some questions:

Quoting 'The Radio Equalizer':

"And there's little doubt he fully expects to return to KGO Radio after his sentence is complete."

Is this for real? Would KGO rehire him after a prison sentence, & after all that has come to light?

Number Two: How could someone "admit to downloading BETWEEN 15 AND 150 images"? That's a huge range. He doesn't remember how many?

Number Three: Who were the Franciscans sitting next to him in Court?

Number Four: Was his immediate family there?

I've read the news recaps, but these questions are not answered.

[Lightning Jack]

Bernie Ward got off easy, and it wouldn't surprise me if two certain congresswomen didn't have something to do with it.

Its okay with HISONER that a convicted sex offender attends a high school graduation and a girls rowing team competition while awating sentencing.

And you wonder why the American criminal justice system is a joke!

[Kurt Olney]

Bernie: The Devil in Disguise. Bernie is getting off with a slap. The judge should have made an example of him--but, hey, it is San Fransicko....

[goodtobesober]

What a joke.....I had a couple of DUI's....certainly a dangerous and stupid crime, I admit it...but they sure carted me off to jail in a hurry(I mean immediately, right then and there from the courthouse)....maybe because they knew I wouldn't exhaust the jail kitchen's inventory.
More seriously, why does anybody even listen to this guy's inane defense? If you've got a strong stomach, read the IM transcript between this freak and his internet mistress (thesmokinggun.com and others...)If this is research for a book, then I'm Ronald Reagan.
Oh, his kids must be so proud to have been fictionally sexualized in daddy's little daliance with an internet dominatrix. What a travesty.

[Sadie Green]

My heart goes out to his wife and kids. What a terrible thing he did to them.....

[nofear]

A lot of angry folks out there who cry injustice that father bernie isnt in jail, why he isnt already registered, so and so forth. did you read the judges decision to postpone the sentencing until august. only everyone else wants to second guess the judge, perhaps they should go to law school and render decisions, apparently they are much smarter than the judge, get a life cry babys. people just love to tear down someone to the lowest common denomator,I feel sorry for all of the familys involed, that they should have to hear such vile talk you should all be ashamed of yourselves. hippocrates shut your mouths

[CalGal]

Scares me, too, that he will be out and about with children till August. Do his kids want him to attend? Not sure I would be so forgiving so close to the realization... Maybe time will heal.

I, too, think without some SF/NorCal strings pulled by someone(s) that Bernie would not be getting such kid glove treatment from the court! Sad. We all should be so 'treated equally' under the law. If only poor, unconnected people got the benefit of the doubt, and time to get to family occassions, etc.

Sad commentary on our system this is...

[MichaelSF]

NoFear... I am a lawyer and former prosecutor. You make a good point. There are many behind-the-scene facts and law that are in play in any case, including Bernie's situation.

You are right, the Judge is making decisions based on the papers presented by the lawyers. He no doubt is letting Bernie "run free," so to speak because he is not a threat to the community, was just role playing and has his family supporting him.

But it does cut both ways. Many people were defending Bernie and shouting conspiracies, etc. because they thought there was only one picture, etc. Turns out he sent over 150 pics and was in possession of a lot more.

So the people defending the prosecutor and the indictment process were right, there was more to all this than what Bernie defenders said there was.

Don't come down too hard on anyone calling for his head. Sex crimes, especially pedophilia, pisses people off. Can't blame anyone for getting emotional.

Irrelevant sidenote: you need a spell checker. :)

[Matthew]

I've been listening to Bernie for years. If he did do these things, he needs to pay. But the Bernie Ward I know has done much more good for the bay area community than anyone I can think of. He's raised soooo much money for KGO's Thanksgiving Charities drive. He's donated time and resorces to those of us trying to get back on our feet! He may have sinned. He may be guilty. But we all have. If he pays... I will forgive!

[MichaelSF]

CalGal - actually many sex offenders get bail deals where they get home arrest rather than jail pending trial or sentencing. We just don't hear about them.

Saddest thing about these release deals is the reason the Judges agree to them. The jails are so over crowded that if there is any possible way the Judges are asked to not deny bail and to instead allow home detention.

Jail, judges are told, should be reserved for the really serious felons and those who pose a threat to the community.

Remember the brouhaha over Paris Hilton being released from jail and everyone screaming about preferential treatment? The Sheriff said that it was simply a logistics decision because he did not have room in the jail for minor crimes offenders.

Same goes for Bernie. SF jails and the Santa Rita fed jail are filled to the brim.

So Bernie walking free, for now, is not a sad commentary on our system, it's indicative of jail overcrowding, nothing more, nothing less.

I for one would rather have the rapist or armed robber locked up pending trial rather than Bernie the pervert.

[Giovanni33]

I still think Bernie should have fought it all the way to the Supreme Court. The law as it stands is too inflexible, and the punishment too severe. This causes an injustice. The punishment does not fit the crime, in this case. The spirit of the law it to put away those who are a danger to our children. This does not fit Bernie, and no one denies that fact.

Bernie was not in possession of this "toxic substance" because of the reasons the law was made to be severe in the first place. He was had them for other reasons, legitimate reasons that society does not condemn: research. Researchers are allowed to posses toxic materials that are normally illegal for everyone else to posses.

For instance, let me make an analogy. Consider the biological toxin, Ricin (extracted from the Castor bean). A tiny amount of that the size of a grain of salt is a legal dosage. Its very dangerous. Its illegal to posses, a severe crime. Yet, there is an exception: cancer research. So if your a researcher, you have a legitimate reason to be in possession of this toxic substance. By the same token, Bernie is a professional investigative journalist--and he was doing research. Therefore, he had a legitimate reason to be in possession of this toxic substance (child porn). The law should make an exception the say way it does for these other highly illegal toxic things that are strictly forbidden for good reason.

Just like the medical researcher who is makes Ricin, not to create a deadly biological super weapon, but to do good for society, i.e. looking for a cure for cancer--likewise is the case with Bernie Ward. He was in possession of this toxic substance not because he was using it for sexual titillation, etc--but because he was doing research. So if we accept that premise, while he is technically guilty, he is innocent at the same time. The law should be flexible to distinguish between the two cases.

The problem with what Bernie did was that he did not use good judgment in securing the necessary approval before hand, the way other researchers do. So yes, he should be fined, or punished in some way. However, years in jail is way over kill, and a great injustice. Not for for Bernie, but for everyone who will have to pay for this senseless imprisonment. Why not give him house arrest, instead? He is not a danger to society. He does not need to be locked up. He has learned his lesson. Lastly, Bernie's many good deeds for the benefit of society should be taken into consideration. Society should reward him, not punish him.

[Giovanni33]

Correction: I meant to say, "a tiny amount the size of a grain of sand is a LETHAL dosage." The point is this stuff is very dangerous and its rightly made illegal, even though its pretty easy to make. But even so, one can have it if one has a legitimate reason to have it, and the law recognizes that. Why does the law about child porn not allow a similar distinction. Is there no legitimate reason for someone to have this? I say there is. Its a real thing and thus is open for research by a professional investigator, that Mr. Ward is.

[Dave]

I was a long time fan of Bernie's. From his earliest reporting to all of his talk shows. I really wanted to believe that he was doing research. I emailed him after he was arrested, expressing my support, I joined in to try and help get him re-instated. However, today I was listening to Ronn's first hour, that I discovered their were chat transcripts. Reading those (I couldn't make it past a few pages) and catching up with Dan's reports and blogs, I was speechless.

While it's nothing compared to what the family and his victims, I feel hurt and betrayed. Funny to feel that about a man I'd only met a few times for fleeting moments, but he was part of my life and to see what he really is makes me sad.

I really feel for his family.

[Giovanni33]

Those chat files are role playing. Its just like an actor playing a role in a movie: its not really how they are in real life. Bernie created an online persona, to get into the role, and put himself in the sub-culture of the underworld of internet sex culture. He did not do it in a smart way that would have protected himself should something like this happen. Also, he probably shouldn't have mixed up fiction with fact (his children) with these role paying chats. However, keep in mind that real actors do this all the time: they mix up real things in their life to make their acting more realistic and believable. I don't think Bernie is a bad person. These chats are NOT him. They are him playing a role. Bottom line is the Bernie is not a danger to anyone, and even he prosecutors acknowledge that. So he should simply not be in jail. He does not belong there. That he is going there is an injustice and we should all support him in his time of need, the same way he supported us in our time of need. Bernie was not afraid to tell the truth about Bush and his illegal war at a time when it was unpopular to do so. He was against the jingoistic reaction following 9/11. Bernie stood with the progressives when it counted most. Bernie has given a lot to help the community. He deserves the communities support back.

[Juan]

Giovanni33: your argument is twisted and perverse. Society should reward him, not punish him?? You are sick.

Like the good Doctor says: Liberalism is a mental disorder.

[Giovanni33]

Yes, society should reward him. He has given much to society. Even this "crime"--if in fact part of research--was to give back more to society. So there is nothing perverse or twisted here. Its just a question of believing a benign interpretation of the facts that makes Bernie rather innocent here. Its just as valid, if not more so, then the presumption that he was doing it for negative reasons. Why pick the negative?

[juan]

Why do you downplay the crime? Why do you put the word crime in quotation marks? Are you so much in denial, or is it that you don't think that having child pornography is a big deal? Which is it?

Answer this: What good to any research can it do to possess up to 150 of these pictures (according to him, maybe more)? If you were doing a research on, let's say, murder, would you go out and murder someone?would you go out and murder 150 people? Can't it be said of any crime (or anything, for that matter) that it was committed for research purposes?

[Giovanni33]

The problem I have is that the law in inflexible, and does not distinguish legitimate reasons for possession with illegitimate reasons. For me the former should not be a crime. If Bernie has a good reason for having these pictures that has nothing to do with being into child porn because he likes it, then he should not be prosecuted. I feel that is not a crime. The law does not provide for an exception in this case, so it is a crime, but yes, I downplay it, in this context.

To be clear child porn is a big deal. It should be outlawed. But, merely possession should not be a crime. I believe it depends on context. If your a professional researcher, you can have things that are illegal for anyone else to have. This is commonly accepted in other areas for illegal substance. Why not here?

150 pictures is not a lot. 1500 is a lot. When you download a batch file/zip file, you easily get 150 in one download. Any serious researcher would purview a large cross section of what is available.

What Bernie is guilty of is not being wise, not being smart. He needed to protect himself and make sure that he could prove his research and get some kind of permission being doing it. That was his mistake. He does not belong in jail as he is not a danger to anyone.

[TJ]

Ahhhhh, if only Bernie was living in Medieval Europe, and able to "buy" induglences.... Yesss.... Those were the Days !!!

[juan]

Now you are going to tell me that he is guilty of getting caught? Isn't that what you guys said about Clinton too? You are delusional.

Btw if you believe this guy's argument, I'm the heir to the throne of a small African nation and need you bank account number to transfer my fortune to it.

[Bone Machine]

Giovanni33, your continued attempts to defend the indefensible Bernie Ward just keep growing more laughable. Most of the other rats have already fled Ward's sinking ship, but you just keep soldiering on.

You want to know why there is no "research" exemption for trading child porn? The answer has been stated over and over, but apparently it hasn't sunk in with you, yet. If Ward is able to claim he is just doing "research" with kiddie porn, then every single person arrested for the same thing will cry, "research!" You see, we don't license journalists in this country. Anyone can start a blog and call themselves a journalist or a writer. That means anyone could simply label himself a journalist and claim he was just researching the subject. That's why there are no exemptions to the kiddie porn law, other than a law enforcement officer investigating a case.

You know, your attempts to mitigate Ward's behavior are predicated on one thing: you take everything Ward says as the absolute truth. You say he was just doing "research" when he traded up to 150 child porn pictures. Why? Because he said so. You say he was just "role-playing" when he went into graphic detail about his own children and their friends. Why? Because he said so. You are a defense attorney's dream juror. You buy every single piece of garbage Ward throws out just because, as you said, "He was against the jingoistic reaction following 9/11." Pathetic.

By the way, when a researcher tests ricin in a laboratory, he is not furthering the sexual exploitation of children. That's where your analogy falls apart. If Ward was trading 150 pictures of your children, I doubt you'd be grasping at straws like your little ricin analogy. And hopefully, you wouldn't try to minimize it by saying, "150 pictures is not a lot."

[Giovanni33]

He is guilty of conduct that is reckless and unwise, and availed himself to legal risk, which unfortunately occurred. The way this law is being applied in this case is stupid. It needs to be changed to allow for intent.

[Giovanni33]

Bone,

You would be right except for one important fact. Bernie was not pretending to be a professional investigative journalist. He did not simply create a blog, as an amateur, and claim to be a journalist. He was a professional, employed as one, and that was his career. This is the exception, and this is the evidence to support his claim of research. Some Joe with a blog claiming to be the same does not stand up, and would not be a valid defense. Bernie clearly does not fall in this category. He is a genuine professional investigative journalist, and no one questions that. So this is a legitimate defense in his case, pending details of his defense supporting this claim. Unfortunately the law makes no room for intent. So even if what I say and what Bernie say is 100% true--the law says "Guilty" nonetheless, and gives him 5 years in prison. This is wrong.

[juan]

Hey I have an idea!! why aren't we all journalists??? That way we can do anything and get away with it by saying we were doing it in the name of reeeeeeesearch...

[Giovanni33]

No, we are not all professional journalists. Bernie was a one, though. That doesn't give him an excuse given the present state of the laws, but it does give credence to his story. He WAS a REAL professional investigative journalist. This is fact that has weight to it.

[Bone Machine]

Giovanni33,
Being employed by a media outlet makes you no more of a journalist than a kid starting his own paper for no pay. Both are covered by the same First Amendment. It all goes back to the fact that we don't license journalists. Anyone, and I mean anyone, and be a journalist. You don't have to go to school for it; that's why you'll find English, poli sci, and communications majors in news rooms all over the country. You also don't have to be licensed or paid to be a journalist. You may recognize a difference between a published professional talk show host and Joe Nobody with a blog no one reads, but the law makes no such distinction. You can keep wishing for a research exemption, but it's not going to happen. Ward got caught trading child porn, and now he's going to pay for it.

[Giovanni33]

Ward has received the Scripps Howard Award for Excellence in Journalism for his investigative journalism in a ten-part series, Heaven Help Us, which explored allegations of financial and sexual misconduct of the Archdiocese of San Francisco. He has also won numerous national awards, such as an Associated Press award for coverage of the Los Angeles riots of 1992. I say this gives him some standing as a recognized professional in the field. Its a case by case basis, but the evidence here supports Bernie, and thus an exception should be a possibility for real researchers. Not everyone is the same, so should not be treated under one broad, sweeping legal brush.

[Iam God]

so Bernie was let go because he isn't a "threat to the community"? This from someone who claims to be a lawyer? Let me see-if the only thing a man wanted to do was kill his wife and children, after he kills them-he's not a threat to the community either..

Bernie Ward needs to get raped in jail for 20 years....Piece of shit...

[KLau]

Giovanni 3:3, Good to see you finally made it to this forum. I was worried about you for a while.
Thought perhaps the events of the day had taken a toll on you.
But not so......your keen thinking and rapier like justifications are as shape as ever.
BTW, loved the tie.

[Giovanni33]

Iam God,

Your inhumanity and your advocacy of violent crime against another human being is far worse than anything Bernie ever did. So think he should go to jail for this digital/virtual crime, yet you are embracing a far worse crime: multiple raping. And, you have the nerve to pass moral judgment on Bernie? Please.

[KLau]

Giovanni 3:3, You know, I do have one real concern about Bernie.
Sure, he deserves to do some time although I'm not a fan of 4.3 more years after August (9 months for his house arrest credit)
I'd feel 9 months house arrest plus another 15 in custody max would be adequate for a total of 24 months.

But seriously, that man looks ill.
He must be well over 300 to 325 and only about 5'10" tall. Already has diabetes, probably Type-2.....and serious sleep apnea. Uses a CPAP machine to keep breathing.
There must be serious concern as to whether he could even last the potential 9 years. He'll probably get 5 to 6 total with time served at home counted. In custody, no exercise and poor food.

I hate to say this, but I have some fear he may not last past the August sentencing. All the weight, the diabetes, and apnea, along with the huge stress of going to prison. Well even if guilty I don't want it to be a life sentence due to illness.

Oh the other hand, your position is one of complete denial.
Tell me Giovanni 3:3, what about those high school girls.
Do you doubt they're telling the truth? Why would they come forth and lie. NO, they are truthful but Bernie's lawyer issued a statement saying it was completely untrue.
I think he had to do that in light of the sentencing to come. Prior conduct counts.

Oh well, Take care, I read your reply in the morning.

[Wyatt Burp]

Gio33, Remember poor Dan White, that selfless community organizer (just like Obama) and public servant who got railroaded into jail in SF back in the 70's? He was doing reserch for a book about the effect of 38 caliber slugs on liberals. And they threw the book at him!
Think he got 5 years or so. Don't you think Bernie's mandatory sentence is fair since he committed a far worse crime than Dan White?

[MichaelSF]

I am in a hurry so I will paste my post from the other blogs. Pardon for the copy/paste.

_______________

I guess some get perverse deviant pleasure from posting on all these blogs and watching people react.

Sorry, your 15 minutes of "blog regionalette" fame is over.

Maybe Bernie's lawyers are the posters on here, doing some jury or sentencing research on the cheap, checking to see what defenses or excuses fan the flames, which excuses or explanations a judge might buy.

I have to admit it has been amusing to watch all the defenses shift from "Hey, it was only one picture" to "Hey, it was only 150 pics, probably in zip file, so that has to be taken into account."

[Brian]

So obvious that Giovanni 33 is Bernie Ward, that pathetic arrogant pervert. All those years of his pompous bullying of anyone who had a different opinion than him...it finally caught up to him. Even KGO radio & tv personalities are speaking out against him. Now we wait and see what strings his buddy Barbara Boxer will pull.

[scott]

Giovanna33-How do you rationalize the fantisizing of having sex with his children? This is normal behavior to you? These are the thoughts of a healthy mind? I have no doubt you are a pedophile also.

[Mark Dias]

I wrote on my Blog about Bernie.
What amazed me is how many people thought it was a conspiracy from the Bush administration.

It starts like this

Bernie Ward, a corpulent obese and obstreperous blowhard especially enjoyed his strident diatribes against the Bush administration, the conservative and especially the fundamental Christian. He even started his own church on his show "God Talk" thinking it droll and called it, "the Church of the Holy Donut"

You can continue reading it by checking here

http://mark24609.blogspot.com/2008/05/bernie-ward-blowhard-of-left.html

[Professor Pat]

The reason Bernie looked so "composed" in the courtroom is that he has finally come to accept that the only way he can be redeemed is to heed the call of the bridge....jump jabba....jump...

[weinernation101]

I think that this Giovanni33 should probably be investigated just from the remarks that he or she has made. Obvously there is some type of mental disorder there. Perhaps he or she is an extreme liberal.

[jim]

GUILTY
You cant BS "talk" your way out of this one. Maybe the SF libs can hold a candlelight vigil for this pervert. Failed priest, radio host, family man.

[Charlie]

"Hanging judge" my A$$!!! 'Bout the only thing the so-called "judge" DIDN'T do is come down from his bench and give Bernie a BLOW JOB!

[Giovanni33]

How do you know what Bernie was really thinking when he wrote that? You don't. Again, in the context of a role play, of acting, of playing a part, we accept that what one says in terms of a performance is not attributable to their own real mental state. If we did that then many actors would be in jail. This is a free speech issue. Bernie has a right to put himself into the shoes of a sick person and act out the role on the internet. That is not crime. It makes sense he would do that to be convincing. Also, actors frequently interject real people from their real life into their acting as it makes them more effective. Even when we make up stuff its based in some reality and experience we've had. This goes back to Locke and "impressions."

Bernie should be given the benefit of the doubt, as he has evidence with supports this interpretation of the facts. The law should take into account intent, and its sentencing should be adjusted accordingly.

[Giovanni33]

We need to organize a FREE BERNIE NOW movement. Bernie does need some help, esp. for his health--and this hanging over his head for years does take its toll too. We should all help Bernie. Jail is not going to do that.

[Charlie]

Yeah Bern...er...Giovanni! You go right ahead. You only got a prime time job at KGO because Duane Garrett jumped off the bridge! Being the fat load you are, why don't you "go green"...do something for the environment AND the gene pool and FOLLOW him!
Meanwhile, how about the two high school girls you diddled!?
******************
SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- As expected, former KGO Radio talk show host Bernie Ward pleaded guilty Thursday to a charge of distributing child pornography. Ward did not comment as he left the federal courthouse in San Francisco Thursday afternoon, but he did, though, admit to a judge that he sent a sexually-explicit image of a child over the Internet. After his arrest in December, Ward claimed he was researching a book.

The judge agreed to hold off on accepting Ward's plea until his sentencing in August. That's so Ward can attend his son's high school graduation. He faces a minimum of five-years in federal prison.
The ABC7 I-Team has been following this case and exploring Ward's time as a Catholic priest.
Story continues belowAdvertisement
It's the same old story -- Catholic priest gets in trouble for complaints of sexual activity with minors. Only this time, it's Bernie Ward.
Ward often discussed his time as a Catholic priest during his weeknight KGO Radio show and his Sunday morning program, "God Talk." However, he never told the complete story of what happened when he was Father Bernie.
The I-Team's been able to piece it together by interviewing people who lived with him, his superiors in the church and his former students.
"Drinking was, that was the thing you did, you got ripped," said Tom Finn who lived at Cardinal Newman High School.
"He appeared to be a good priest at the time and all of a sudden, it kind of went downhill," said Father Tony Latorre, former vice principal at Cardinal Newman High School.
Dan Noyes: "You told me that you believe he's a predator. you believe that?"
Rosanne Schwab (former student): "Yes, definitely."
Rosanne Schwab was the junior class president at Santa Rosa's Ursuline High, the sister school to Cardinal Newman, right next door.
She remembers when a young, hip priest arrived -- Father Bernie Ward.
"He was very funny and fun-loving and probably the most popular priest on campus," says Schwab.
Ward taught religion at both schools, coached the JV football team, and gained a reputation for flirting with teenage girls, even though he was 27 and a priest. In the spring of 1978, it apparently went beyond flirtation.
Father Tony Latorre was Cardinal Newman's vice principal at the time.
"There was some concern Bernie possibly being involved with some female students from Ursuline High School next door," says Latorre.
The I-Team has been able to confirm two sexual misconduct complaints against Ward when he was a priest. First, Rosanne Schwab. Father Bernie got her parents' approval to take her to the beach for a day when she was 17.
"This was a different time and place where priests really were trusted, and so Bernie and I headed out to Bodega," says Schwab.
On the way, Schwab says Ward stopped at a liquor store, bought a bottle of 151 rum. When they got to the beach, he parked on a cliff.
"He produced a joint out of his pocket," says Schwab.
Schwab says they smoked marijuana and drank. Then, Father Bernie began pressing her for intimate details of the sex life with her boyfriend.
"Every time I tried to bring the conversation around to something that made me feel safer, Bernie would bring it back to the sex," says Schwab.
Schwab says she grew very uncomfortable and when Ward put his hand on her shoulder, she froze with fear.
"And he took that same hand and grabbed the back of my head and pulled me to him and stuck his tongue in my mouth and held me very tightly with the one hand behind my head and the other hand up against my breasts," says Schwab.
Schwab says it went on for several minutes before she could push Father Bernie away, and that he scolded her.
"He said, 'I am really disappointed in you. I thought that you were mature, I thought that you were special,'" says Schwab.
The second complaint comes from another former student who tells us that when she was 16, Ward drove her to San Francisco for a prayer meeting. On the way back, they stopped at the Golden Gate Bridge and he pulled out a six-pack of Heineken. She says when Father Bernie tried to kiss her, she punched him in the stomach.
When that girl told her parents they demanded a meeting with the principal of Cardinal Newman at the time, Father Bill Finn. Rosanne Schwab and her parents also came.
"With Bernie and parents and Principal Father Finn, I do recall such a meeting," says Schwab.
The girls' account of what happened angered Father Finn. After all, he was Bernie Ward's mentor.
Finn's brother also lived in Cardinal Newman's faculty house and he clearly recalls their conversation.
"'That damn Bernie.' I said, 'What, what with Bernie?' He says, 'He got caught in a sex thing with this girl from Ursuline,'" recalls Tom Finn, the principal's brother.
Father Bill Finn died eight years ago, but the I-Team knew him well. After his tenure at Cardinal Newman, Finn became a vocal critic of the church's handling of priests who sexually abuse children.
"I think that it could have perhaps addressed it in a much more expeditious fashion and I wish it had. Perhaps we'd have a lot fewer victims out there today," said Father Bill Finn in an interview with ABC7 back in November of 1994.
Father Finn helped with several of our investigations, including one in 1995 that ended with a prison sentence for Santa Rosa priest Gary Timmons.
Now, Father Finn's brother says he has to speak out about Bernie Ward.
"Bill is -- one of the reasons I'm talking to you is Bill was so not a hypocrite, that if I kept this to myself, he'd be bothering me, no matter who it is. Bill was that way," says Tom Finn.
We don't know for sure if Ward left the priesthood on his own or was forced out. He served under the Society of the Precious Blood and officials at the headquarters in Ohio tell us they checked Ward's file and found no information about sexual misconduct.
Through his lawyer, Ward declined to be interviewed for this report. But after speaking with Ward, attorney Doron Weinberg sent the I-Team a letter on Monday saying, "the allegations are completely false" ... that they "could have a negative impact on the federal prosecution currently pending against Mr. Ward."
Former prosecutor and ABC7 legal analyst, Dean Johnson, agrees.
"The existence of this prior conduct becomes a huge deterrent to the defendant getting on the stand and completely hamstrings his defense attorneys," says Johnson.
Ward's guilty plea brings some comfort to Schwab. She says it's important for people to know that someone who criticized the Catholic church for so long on the radio had his own complaints of misconduct when he was a priest.
"Too many people have gotten away with this stuff. I am trying to heal and I think that this is good for me because I know that I am a strong person and I know that I have a lot of courage," says Schwab.
Ward is due back in court for sentencing in August. We'll keep track of what happens and get back to you.

[Mary]

I can't believe people rationalizing this crime. I share many of Bernie's political beliefs. That does not matter. A crime was commited and one's political beliefs are irrelevant. Do you not charge a Charles Manson because you shared his feelings on the war? I don't think so. If research was being done, why did he not approach the FBI to ask how one goes about this type of research? What about an outline, notes, etc? It is one thing to view such images for "research" but to engage in internet chat or "role playing". Both are and should be illegal but engaging in both activities clearly reveal illicit intent and the mind of a very sick individual.

[Pam]

"Vengence is Mine" sayeth the Lord! Ha Ha. You spewed enough hatred over the airwaves about everything most Americans hold sacred. Have fun in prison!

[jpat]

research, ha. As the Chron pointed out today, the chat transcripts don't reveal a hint of a reference to any of the things Bernie was supposedly "researching". I hope the judge tacks on a few more years for Wards failing to come clean and take responsibility. Lyin' of the left indeed.

As for a movement to Free the Whale, didn't they already do a movie about that?

[Bone Machine]

Giovanni33--
Regarding your belief that Ward should be allowed to trade child porn because he's won journalism awards... You can go ahead and post his entire resume if you want. Nothing will change the fact that you're just attempting to reinforce a defense that doesn't exist. It doesn't matter how many Pulitzers, Peabodys, etc. that Ward wins. It is still illegal for him to trade child porn. And showing a judge his award case isn't going to change that fact. Having a bunch of journalism awards might be enough to get Ward off in the court of Giovanni, but it doesn't work that way out in the real world.

And just what is this "evidence" you keep referring to that supports Ward's version of events? That is, aside from his own words -- which you clearly take as the unequivocal truth. What tangible evidence is there to prove that he was just engaged in an elaborate ruse to gather information for his "book"? It's going to take a lot more than, "I believe everything Bernie says," to outweigh 150 pictures of child porn.

[Tom]

Bernie should have known better. His defense is full of holes, thus the plea bargain. He's out because there's no place to put him. He will have to be protected from the rest of the prison population. I would think that his presence at his child's graduation would be an embarassment. If he had been held accountable years ago for his actions while a priest, then maybe he would have received treatment and this would not have happened. Obviously Bernie has a problem and his campaign against church child abusers was a cry for help. I hope he participates in a program while in prison and gets well.

[Giovanni33]

To be clear, I don't think trading child porn should be legal. It is properly illegal. I don't think journalists should have an exception, either. But what I do say is that there is a qualitative difference when a journalists breaks the letter of the law in going underground for investigative purposes, and someone who is doing it just because they do have the mental disorder known as Pedophilia. The spirit of the law is to protect children against such individuals, and thus they need isolation from the rest of society--and treatment.

For the sake of argument, lets suppose Bernie is telling the truth about WHY he broke the law. If so, then shouldn't the law take that quite significant fact into account? Mental state/intentions should matter. My problem with this is that according to the law this does not matter and anyone, even a journalist doing research is treated just like he were a danger to society. The evidence (which I won't repeat here now) suggests Bernie is not in this camp, he is not a danger, but did something very stupid. He should be punished, but 5 years in prison? That is why overkill. If the law would differencitate different classes of crimes based on circumstance and context (the way its done for other crimes), Bernie would have a more just sentence than the one he currently faces. And, that is an injustice.

[Giovanni33]

Btw, what if any of you are found to have child porn on your computer--and you didn't even know it?! It happens all the time. There are pop-ups that cause your computer to download images that go into temporary internet files. Guess what? If the police knock down your door, they take your computer, and find this--you are guilty of a serious crime with years in prison. Yes, EVEN IF you had no idea, and even if you had no interest in children, etc. Is that just? Is that fair? Well that is THE LAW, and that is a reality faced by many people. There are police agents who make their living doing this. So those who argue the letter of the law, and that Bernie still did commit the crime, etc, should think about this possibility for themselves. A rigid law that does not take into consideration context and circumstances will invariably result in great injustices. Bernie falls into this category in that intentions are not relevant, and his is given 5 years in prison for doing something that did not directly hurt anyone. Compare that with other crimes such as drunk driving? Do the crimes fit the punishment?

[U NO HOO]

Jeremiah Wright comes to mind, did good but the bad is very very bad.

[Charlie]

Is there a way to filter out Berniovanni's verbal diarrhea? Talk about "Johnny ONE NOTE!" What part of "IT'S OVER" doesn't he understand? Don't worry about the fat perv serving five years; the so-called "hanging judge" (which idiot here called him that anyway?) turned out to be a PANSY! He'll probably give Bernie probation...and another blow job.

[Charlie]

Here's a suggestion:
Berniovanni in a room, duct taped to a chair. Roseanne Schwab also in the room, with a baseball bat. Tell HER how harmless you are Berniovanni!

[Giovanni33]

And what bad did Jeremiah Wright do other than tell the truth?

"In addition to damning America, he told his congregation on the Sunday after Sept. 11, 2001 that the United States had brought on al Qaeda's attacks because of its own terrorism. "We bombed Hiroshima, we bombed Nagasaki, and we nuked far more than the thousands in New York and the Pentagon, and we never batted an eye," Rev. Wright said in a sermon on Sept. 16, 2001. "We have supported state terrorism against the Palestinians and black South Africans, and now we are indignant because the stuff we have done overseas is now brought right back to our own front yards. America's chickens are coming home to roost," he told his congregation."

[Iken]

OK this guy plead guilty to a crime of distributing child pornography. He admits to having distributed up to 150 images. If he was doing "research" why is he distributing the images? In doing so he is participating in behaviour that criminally exploits children.

What about the children? I don't see anyone concerned here about the children who lives are being ruined forever to satisfy the lusts of perverted adults. It's all about poor Bernie. If Mr. Ward was concerned about the plight of these children, why on earth would he participate in the redistribution of these sickening images to multiple individuals? That is the crime right there. These kids are continuing to be exploited by having their images proliferated over the Internet to more sicko pedophiles. I think the evidence is clear that this guy sought gratification in the collection and redistribution of child pornography. Guilty as charged. Let the punishment fit the crime.

[Giovanni33]

Where does it say he distributed 150 images? I think that is just possession, not distribution. I believe he only distributed 1-3 pictures.

[Iken]

According to the DOJ press release on the plea bargain, Mr. Ward admitted to having 15 to 150 images to other individuals. It's in the article you are posting comments on man, cmon.

[Iken]

Let me re-post that:

According to the DOJ press release on the plea bargain, Mr. Ward admitted to having distributed 15 to 150 images to other individuals. It's in the article you are posting comments on man, cmon.

[TDG]

Please tell me people are rallying to get this guy in jail NOW. I wonder if the same judge would let, say, a Christian out of prison until August if that Christian had just been convicted of the same crime? Don't bother answering the question...I already know the answer.

[T Barr]

B Ward is as guilty a crime equal to death, he is a Wolf in sheeps clothing!!! Spiritually forgive him,then take your nose out of it,for the others remember all those he struck down on the way up,he is having to deal with on his demise down.A sexual preditor cannot be near or around children thus place this man in jail and let him get his thrills from the Men who would love his company and a chance to role play all he want,they can even play a movie and give him some comfort!

[windex66]

Juan and other Apologists: if we didn't have people like him receiving and sending child porn photos (some including S&M photos of the children), child exploitation would be far less. And per the "he was doing research (aka the 'Pete Townsend' defense), how many books has Bernie written in his life? That's right, zero (0), from what I know. Please, wake up.

[Meetoo]

Come on. Bernie learned the Catechism very well. Besides that, the Constitution guarantees Freedom of Expression. Go easy on him, liberals, have pity. Such a person tried to have sex with my 8 year old; he/it is now in a real prison.

[Wyatt Burp]

Re: Meetoo, What are you complaining about? You're child Was a victim. But the kids Bernie abused weren't. They were just houerdouervs (sic) that were fed to the fat, sweaty beast while he sat in his throne in the KGO studio spewing hate against the the very soldiers that gave him the ability to vent his anti- american hate. These kids Bernie abused were just collateral damage in his effort to help the terrorists win.

[pjd4900]

"The judge agreed to hold off on accepting Ward's plea until his sentencing in August. That's so Ward can attend his son's high school graduation. He faces a minimum of five-years in federal prison."
Most schools graduate in May or June. In any case this nasty creature should not be on the loose at all. Give him Italian justice. And impeach the judge - five years is inane.

[juan]

windex66: hey i'm definitively not apologizing for anyone here. read the posts as they are supposed to be and you'll find out that its that giovanni guy defending this monster... your name comes at the end of your post.

btw giovanni your arguments became ridiculous a long time ago. Liberalism is indeed a mental disorder.

[sfnative]

It's clear to me that BW has somehow convinced his own family that he was "doing research" and should have been beyond prosecution. In my family, we do not tolerate such crossing of boundaries as fantasizing sexually about other family members. It's repugnant, disrespectful, and UN-loving. (No, BW, you do NOT "love" your family. Or, to put it another way, like other people with untreated pathologies, you are not yet capable of selfless love.)

#2: I.m.o., KGO somewhat dropped the ball when they saw many years ago evidence of his disturbance, in his on-air rageful personality. They found him troubled *then*. They offered to pay for therapy *then*. What they should have done is to say, "Your contract is only renewable upon condition of your getting long-term treatment." That would have spared BW, the station, the public, & BW's family.

[Quacks like a duck]

He was doing research for a book alright, his Auto-Biography!

For those of you who think this is some kind of conspiracy, WAKE UP!!! I don't think his liberal views in a liberal area were having any ill effects on the administration.

Even if the details in his conversations were made up, he was making up sexually explicit stories about HIS OWN KIDS and HIS KIDS FRIENDS. This guy would have to have one wild imagination to come up with all of that disgusting stuff off the cuff for "research".

The pig now wallows in his own filth.

[joyce, james]

I must be the only one here who thinks Bernie got a very, very bad deal from the court. I have no problem with the courts giving 5, 10 or 20 years to people who actually molest children. It seems all Bernie did was forward some photos he'd picked up on the net. He molested no one.

[sfnative]

joyce.james,
Had you listened possibly to profiler Candace DeLong on Ronn Owens' show this a.m., you would perhaps not feel as you do. (1) Apparently, child porn photos are an indication of exploitation & abuse that is more than just sexual: terror, for example, to get them to comply; each image represents a series of violations against the personhood & defenselessness of a child. (2) As others have said, it was not just one casually transmitted photo, but more than a dozen, perhaps times 12. (3) Where others see a drawn-out, tortuous investigation which had BW waiting for the inevitable, I and some others see that the feds wanted to get all their facts straight before prosecuting, & thus they left no stone unturned. They do not prosecute someone for one minor thing. (4) Karel had said on the show that supposedly the only reason BW copped a plea was that he ran out of money. I don't buy that. I buy that (a) if this were accidental or casual, there would not also have been insidious chat to the level that there was; and (b) if in Court he had a substantial defense, supporters afterwords would have thrown a benefit, done fundraisers to pay his bills. The truth is, he lost many of his closest associates by tempting fate too far, by playing in the dark corners of experience, when as an educated person he should have known the risks inherent in his behavior. Even hosts like Christine Kraft & Karel note that he needs help, that he gambled dangerously, and that he brought this all on himself by these dangerous choices.

From a legal perspective most legal professionals who know the 'trail' which child porn reveals, do believe that some jail time is indicated. He was not important enough to be a political target, but unfortunately for him, he was very high profile and in-your-face, and in that respect, yes, he was a 'bigger catch' than Joe Schmo down the street with a first-time charge. Some of the KGO hosts have some penetrating insights into BW's battles with authority, battles that began in his youth by his own admission, that continued into the priesthood (which made his career there problematic), and definitely were prominent in his relationship with KGO management.

So additionally, from a moral & spiritual & psychological perspective, a jail sentence in a nonviolent federal prison may be very much what BW needs to redeem himself, face his demons, & heal.

[Rowdy R.]

bernie's comments about Polly Klass came back to BITE HIM IN THE A$$.
Hey bernie, you spewed garbage for so long about people JUST LIKE YOURSELF!
I hope you SOON FEEL THE WRATH of HELL IN JAIL! lmao!

[Rowdy R.]

He gets to wait 3 more months @ HOME before he is sentenced and for 4 or 5 years ONLY? WTF?
His MAIN JOB as "ULTRA-Loud-mouth of the Left" for THE LAST TWENTY YEARS should be mentioned more than his Priesthood THIRTY YEARS AGO!!
Hey bernie, what goes around, COMES AROUND, as your finding out now!
The next question is: will you be able to SURVIVE JAIL? haha!

[breaker]

I think it's time for Mr. Bernie to begin his "research" into prison rape.

[Tony]

This is too much. Kiddie porn gets a MAX of 5 years, probably less for good behavior?

An absolute outrage. And of course the corporate media doesn't lift a finger in protest.

FIVE YEARS FOR KIDDIE PORN?

Pathetic.

And the maximally subservient media is of course completely silent on the point.

[breaker]

Yes to go underground like this and even have your good name spoiled to research prison rape is highly commendable.

[breaker]

I suppose he'll be doing some role playing.

[MDS]

Giovanni33 (and other BW supporters): your attempts at justifying Bernie's crimes are laughable, and potentially inform on your mental state.

Bernie is a perverted and sick man who deserves to be severely punished (unfortunately, I sense that he’ll probably only serve a fraction of the time he’s awarded).

Bernie’s defense is also laughable. Researching a book, Ha! That some believe this pathetic excuse truly proves that “liberalism is a metal disorder” – as the good doctor professes. If he was doing “research” where’s the manuscript? Evidence of a book deal? Conversations with publishers? Evidence of an advance? A treatment? You don’t think that if these things existed that we would have herd about them? But we haven’t, and why is that? Duh, BECAUSE THERE IS AND NEVER WAS A BOOK DEAL! Stop dinking the cool aid you Bernie sycophants and accept the truth!

Moreover, as someone else posted, the chat log transcripts do not support his assertion that he was researching a book on hypocrisy.

Good luck trying to avoid getting butt-raped in prison, Bernie, LOL.

They should go after Michael Moore next; I hear he like the young boys (and that’s no joke).

[436rex]

I don't know how Bernie was able to get all the OJ JURY and supporters to get on here and support Bernie, but Bernie does the LORD'S WORK. What Bernie said he hated most in people was being a HYPOCRITE, just think how Bernie hated himself all these years, most likely from the sandbox on.

[Wyatt Burp]

Gio33, better go stand guard at the Golden Gate Bridge. It would be great if Bernie jumped off except for one thing. The tsunammi his fat lard ass would cause would wipe out the Bay Area. I have relatives in San Leandro and this really worries me. Plus all the K-Y Jelly in S.F. would would make that last oil spill look like nothin'. So, think about the gulls and fishes, Giovanni33! Besides, if he jumped and wiped out the Bay Area they'd just blame it on Bush like they did in New Orleans where those retards were too f--kin' stupid to put down thier crack pipes and get to higher ground.

[MichaelSF]

Well a lot of my predictions have proved correct, so I'll make another.

The way things are going, and the facts unfolding, I predict that Bernie is going to get at least 10 years in prison.

By the time August rolls around Judge Walker will have heard and seen too much to let Bernie slide with a minimum sentence.

When sentencing Bernie the Judge can take into account anything and everything he wants to determine an appropriate punishment.

Judge Walker watches TV, reads newspapers and shops at the same stores we all do. [I once saw him at CostCo filling up his trunk with stuff just bought at the store.] In other words, Judge Walker is human, he has feelings and he knows a vile Defendant when he sees one.

I suspect by August, after Bernie has been talked about to excess, Judge Walker will conclude Bernie lacks any remorse for what he has done, only regrets being caught, that he has gotten away with quite a bit over the last 30 years, and is simply a rotten to the core individual.

It was I who characterized Judge Walker as a "hanging judge." I said this after taking into account his rulings in past cases, where he has nailed lawyers and defendants.

He may be letting Bernie get his affairs in order and to attend family functions, but I bet he sentences Bernie 10 to 20 years.

And when he sentences Bernie he will lecture Bernie as a way of explaining his sentence [as all judges do. What might Judge Walker say? I think he will:

1. Discuss his lack of remorse;

2. That his selfish acts left a trail of victims;

3. That society demands punishment more than the statutory minimum;

4. That he needs to be the message bearer to anyone else who thinks it is not that serious to violate child pornography laws.

5. That if he received a minimum sentence that such would send out the wrong message, commit such crimes and you won't get much time.

6. That maybe a stiff sentence will provide his victims some sense of justice. A light sentence might be viewed by many as a slap on the wrist.

7. While Bernie has good deeds and works he has done over the years, it appears that Bernie had a dark side that diminishes his good deeds as mitigating factors when determining his sentence.

8. Those people supporting Bernie, in the media or in court, are of no moment. Each person said that he or she was not aware of Bernie's behavior or criminal acts. Each person said he or she would withdraw a good opinion of Bernie had they known what they know today. Therefore, their opinions are inconsequential since they did not know the Bernie that sits here in court for sentencing.

Just my hunch.

[Quacks like a duck]

Giovanni33... I mean Bernie, I thought you weren't allowed on the computer anymore? You really shouldn't be on here sadly trying to defend yourself.

The fact is (and these ARE facts) that you chatted online with at least one (if not more) person about dirty explicit things including your children and their friends. You also sent people (because you admitted to sending this to more then one person)explicit pictures of CHILDREN being sexually exploited.

There is NO EXCUSE for such actions. The fact that you deny it being anything other then "research" leads me to believe that you have a long way to go in the healing process. The first step is admitting you have a problem and apologizing to those you have hurt.

[Mark in Japan]

Bernie Ward claimed to be researching a book on hypocrisy. Was this to be his autobiography?

What about those poor kids in the photos? Perverts like Bernie are the reason those kids in the photos are victimized.

If Bernie had realized his problem and had turned himself in before this incident then he would deserve sympathy, but he is only sorry that he got caught.

He deserves no special treatment and is entirely responsible for his own downfall and the pain that he has caused to his family and his victims. Child Porn does produces victims.

[BobbyG]

Bernie Ward deserves at least 20 years in prison. He is a hateful flaming liberal who hates everything that is good about America. He hates the military, the Republican party, all patriots, and me. He loves all Democrats, all perverts, and all perverted Democrats. Hopefully Bubba will be his roommate and will give him some real "liberal love" that only a prisoner named Bubba can do for him.

[Quacks like a duck]

Giovanni33 seems to have gotten himself into lots of trouble on other sites (like Wikipedia)as well. He lives in Daly City and judging by all the stroking he is doing on this blog, he probably hung out with Bernie in that theater in San Mateo or perhaps he met him in as a young boy.

Long term victims tend to protect the people that abuse them. You see it all the time with battered women and molestation victims. The healing begins when you ask for help.

You think his investigative reporting about the Archdiocese of San Francisco was revenge for being shunned by the church? He turned in his fellow conspirators perhaps? Maybe his dark path started in the church when he was a young boy as well?

[Bill]

Bernies biggest sin was misrepresenting the true and living God to people who have no knowledge of the God of Bible. Bernie knew little and filled in the blanks with inaccuracy. He missed his chance.

Maybe he will read the Book in prison.

[Rowdy R.]

I just read the police narrative and IT'S QUITE GRAPHIC!!!
Read it here: http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/years/2008/0215081ward1.html

bernie says he is only doing research, so if he was only doing research then:
1.) why did he say in court that he only sent 1 or 2 pictures, but later PLEAD TO SENDING 150 pics PLUS?
2.) why does he know so much about the sexual activities of men in the porn theater?
3.) instead of observing online why is he instigating THE SENDING OF CHILD PORN?
4.) and WHY IS HE WRITING ABOUT HIS SEXUAL FANTASIES of his kids and their friends???
5.) it's ALREADY BEEN FOUR YEARS since his research so where is his book or at least the draft? Why didn't he produce it as evidence of his "research"?

Why, because bernie IS GUILTY AS CHARGED AND MORE that has not yet been investigated!
Good Ms.Boxer, I just wish she would assist ALL OF US the way she has assisted her good friend bernie.
Long live bernie...IN JAIL! haha.

[MichaelSF]

Rowdy R., the police report has been out for a time now. But, it is what the FBI for years.

Those questions you pose are precisely why the Government indicted Bernie. In other words, they knew a lot more than what the public knew, even after the indictment.

But many of us had been saying there was more to the story than just one picture and some innocent/legal sex chat. In fact I had said the Government does not indict a regionally famous person for just one pic or going into chat rooms.

So [sadly for the victims] we were right and Bernie's zealot "Kool-Aid drinking" supporters were wrong.

Turns out, as you note, there was no book. Instead Bernie admits to sending out at least 150 pictures [and we all know human behavior. If he is admitting to 150 the real number is probably in the thousands. Sidenote: the court and law enforcement know this. Defendants never admit to the total of their wrongdoing.]

More truths: Mr. Noyes' excellent ITeam investigation brought back to the forefront the accuracy of the child molestation acts Bernie committed 30 years ago.

That police report is the most disgusting thing I have ever read. And I have seen a lot. E.g., When I was a prosecutor during the XMAS holidays I was dealing with murders and sexual molestation of children.

Even though I consider myself hardened I got about 3/4ths through the chat and stopped reading it I was so disgusted.

Bernie deserves severe punishment and society needs protection. And he seems beyond redemption or rehabilitation.

Who knows how many victims of Bernie's acts are out there [victims too afraid or embarrassed to come forward. I mean, look at the way Bernie and his lawyer attacked that then-teenage victim Mr. Noyes interviewed. Bernie was sending out the message to anyone who dares come forward that they will be in for the same.]

Should BW not be locked up for a long time who knows the potential victims that would be out there. The reality is: criminal sexual deviants rarely can be rehabilitated. The only solution is to protect society from them. For sure, Bernie had his chance. He was not prosecuted 30 years ago for his crimes, he got a pass, a chance to live a normal life.

But look what he has done with that second chance. [I assume that even the most naive of Bernie's supports are not so stupid to believe that the only criminal acts Bernie committed were in the 1970s and in 2005 and that he has been an angel in between.]

The best thing that can happen now is for Bernie to be put away for good and for his supporters to acknowledge they were wrong [yes, that includes Karel.]

In fact, I think it almost criminal for anyone to be sending out signals to children, teens, and easily influenced adults that Bernie is a fine person, that it's a government conspiracy and that what Bernie did was not all that bad, so he should be given a break.

Maybe sounds a bit dramatic, but to me anyone defending Bernie at this point, knowing what we know, is almost akin to defending Charles Manson, Jeffrey Dahmer or the 9/11 attacks.

Sidenote: I bet Karel is doing everything he can to delete his initial radio shows from the KGO archives, the ones where he so strongly defended Bernie. My prediction is that Karel's behavior probably killed his chances to get the coveted 10-1 slot [Bernie's old slot.] So there was a cost to supporting his friend and railing against those who said there was more to the story than any of us knew at the time.

[Charlie]

I'm beginning to wonder if MichaelSF doesn't have "beefcake" pics of "Hanging" Judge Walker on his bedroom wall!!

[MichaelSF]

Charlie, only if you have appeared in front of Judge Walker could you relate to what I am describing.

I assume you don't want to be a defendant in front of him to find who is right.

Look up his past decisions in famous cases then you can comment on his sentenciing style.

[Charlie]

Michael...Michael...Michael! Do you honestly think that if it were YOU, or *I* or "Joe Blow" in front of him for the same crime he'd have let us have MONTHS on the loose to diddle the girls/boys at his son's graduation or diddle his daughter and the girls on her rowing team!?
Anyone who didn't have Nancy Pelosi or Barbara Boxer or KGO in their corner would be UNDER the goddam prison as we SPEAK!
Your "judge" is a JOKE!
Your protestations to the contrary, I am reminded of my favorite Latin legal saying:
RES IPSA LOQVITVR! ("The thing speaks for ITSELF!")
Find a NEW hero Michael! "Judge" Walker has feet of clay.

[Kelly O'Hara]

Hey Bernie

Good job destroying your career, reputation and your children's lives.

Keep researching...I will forward to your book....yeah right!!

"I don't like beer, I'm researching the effects of beer"

Think of your kids Bernie!!

[MichaelSF]

Is this as thread about Bernie or Judge Walker?

Be careful Charlie, you are starting to sound like Gio33.

Fact is, you don't know anything about fed courts except what you conclude from generalities that one can observe on the back of a cereal box.

Fact is, many, many criminal defendants awaiting incarceration are allowed to remain free so they can get their affairs in order.

If you know so much, provide me an example of any non-violent criminal defendant who has been taken into immediate custody.

Judge Walker is doing what many fed and state judges do, to "no-name" and famous defendants.

And do you really think Bernie has a U. S. Senator and others telling the U. S. Attorney and a federal judge to go easy on Bernie? Do you really think politicians would ever appear in a sexual offender's corner. Ha.... he wishes.

What's your source for those defamatory accusations, that the Speaker of the House is supporting Bernie Ward and implying that she is using her influence for him to remainin free on bail?

Better watch it or you will be the one on whom a warrant or subpoena is issued to find out who you are. As you see in the Ward case, it's pretty easy.

You are going to have to read something other than moronic blogs posts if you want to appear to know what you are talking about.

*** NOTE FROM DAN Thursday, May 14th: New blog posted with details of interview with Sex Fairy and the transcript of Bernie Ward's online chats with her. ***

[Charlie]

Wow Michael..THREATS!!?? I must've hit a lawyer's NERVE! Go ahead, SUBPOENA me jerkoff! I'll have lots of *company* (some of it quite famous) in the dock when it comes to expressing my distaste for "judge" Walker, Nancy Pelosi, Barbara "Bouncer" and the like. Typical shyster lawyer. When in doubt, THREATEN! It's no WONDER that you and your ilk are ranked below used car salesmen and telemarketers in the public esteem. I'll bet you were the little weenie geek who the REAL boys always picked on in the schoolyard, right? Ok, now you can reinsert your proboscis in Judge Walker's fundamental posterior orifice.
"What do you call 10,000 dead lawyers at the bottom of the ocean?.....A good START!"

[Charlie]

btw Michael...we're on the NEW blog now. Come on over when hizzoner gives you a break!

[Donny]

One thing that I have realized over time is that folks who are on the far left and the far right are actually the same "types" of folks; people who, for whatever reason, cannot see any viewpoint as legit other than their own narrow view. The left and rights of these are really the same kind of folks, they have just chosen to use opposite ends of the political spectrum to express their ideology.

The person on the left who vandalizes "gas guzzler" and other eco-unfriendly cars at a car lot or who blows up a lab or building they believe is used for animal testing for the benefit of humans is the same "type" as the person on the right who vandalizes places of worship other than his persuasion or blows up abortion clinics.

The person on the left who opposes any mention of religion at all is the same "type" as the one on the right who thinks their religion should be incorporated into every aspect of our lives.

The person on the left who has seen extra-terrestrials or been kidnapped by them is the same "type" as the one on the right who has seen angels, Mary or Jesus or has been temporarily been "caught-up" and given a preview of heaven.

And the person on the left who thinks that when one of it's own gets caught up in some kind of scandal that it has to be a right-wing conspiracy is the same "type" as the one on the right who does the same except they substitute "right-wing " with "left-wing" or "liberal." You may know this already, but many believe that Duane Garrets suicide was actually a part of Bill Clinton's left-wing conspiracy to get rind of anyone who might have evidence of his wrong doing.

What people must come to understand is folks like Mr. Ward or Mr.Savage are not that important for the government to be concerned about as their are lots of folks like them all across the country. In my 49 years of existence I have heard of many conspiracies on both sides of the political spectrum and I can't think of one that has ever been proved. The reason is you can't get a large amount of people to all keep the "secret" forever.