Pennsylvania court affirms life sentence for child pornography

The Pennsylvania Superior Court has confirmed a life sentence for Joseph J. Davis, a 69-year-old man from Edwardsville. He was convicted by a jury in Luzerne County for possessing and sharing child sexual abuse materials. Davis argued that he did not believe he did anything wrong. He claimed it is legal to view such materials in some other countries. However, the court maintained that his actions were serious and warranted a life sentence. Davis had a history of similar convictions, with previous offenses in 1987 and 1991 for receiving child sexual abuse materials through the mail. Because of this, he was sentenced to life in prison without parole under a law requiring harsh penalties for repeat offenders. During his appeal, Davis insisted that his sentence was unconstitutional, claiming it was "cruel and unusual punishment." He noted that others convicted of less severe crimes often receive far shorter sentences. However, the court disagreed, stating that Davis's actions were not minor and emphasized that he showed no remorse. The court also highlighted that Davis's previous convictions were serious and related to the same type of crime. Davis was arrested in October 2015 but faced delays due to issues with accessing evidence on his computer. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled that he did not have to provide a password that he claimed would incriminate him. Despite these challenges, prosecutors were able to secure a conviction using other evidence, including videos linked to Davis. He is currently serving his sentence at the State Correctional Institution at Dallas.