NEW ORLEANS (AP) — A federal appeals court has ruled that child pornography victims can recover money from people convicted of viewing their abuse without having to show a link between the crime and their injuries.
Today's decision by the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals conflicts with rulings by several other federal courts and possibly sets the stage for a Supreme Court challenge.
The court ruled that a woman, identified as "Amy" in court documents, was entitled to restitution from Texas resident Doyle Randall Paroline and New Orleans resident Michael Wright, both of whom pleaded guilty in separate cases to possessing child pornography that included images of Amy.
Amy sought more than $3.3 million from Paroline to cover the cost of her lost income, attorneys' fees and psychological care. A federal judge had rejected her request. She also sought more than $3.3 million from Wright and a federal judge ruled he owed Amy more than $500,000.
Audio: Upcoming
