LOS ANGELES - The Los Angeles Times reported today that Judge Alex Kosinski, who's presiding over the Ira Isaacs obscenity trial, had a personal website on which he posted sexually explicit photos and videos.
Kosinzki, who is chief judge of the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, said he was unaware that the public would be able to access the material. The site, http://alex.kosinski.com, has been taken down.
The site's content included a photo of naked women on all fours dressed to look like cows and another of a man cavorting with a sexually aroused farm animal. The judge conceded that some of the material was inappropriate but said that other parts were "funny."
Also posted were images of masturbation and public sex and a slide show of a striptease featuring a transsexual.
Kosinski, who is one of the country's highest ranking judges, said he used the site for his personal storage and wasn't aware the public could get access to it. He told a Times reporter that he didn't think any of the material posted would qualify as "obscene."
At issue is whether the judge should recuse himself from the Isaacs case. Kosinski said this afternoon that he was considering disqualifying himself.
"I didn't know about the [Times] story before the jury was sworn," Kosinski told reporters this afternoon in court. "I don't really have any comment on the story."
Attorney Roger Jon Diamond told the judge, "We would oppose disqualification."Judge Kosinksi replied, " I hope to move forward, but I would understand if counsel objects."
To read the complete report, click here.
