two counts of selling child pornography. It is unclear whether the indictment is for the Barnes and Noble stores located in four Alabama cities or for all Alabama store locations and possibly its Internet website, BarnesandNoble.com. If convicted in the indictment, Barnes and Noble will face fines of $10,000 for each count.
The investigation of Barnes and Noble was instigated by complaints from concerned citizens indicating the bookseller was selling books containing pornographic pictures of children. Two books of photographs were the targets of the investigation: The Age of Innocence by David Hamilton, a well-known English photographer; and Radiant Identities by Jock Sturges, a San Francisco photographer.
As of March 11, both David Hamilton's book, The Age of Innocence, and Jock Sturges's book, Radiant Identities, were available for purchase at BarnesandNoble.com. This situation appears to fly in the face of Alabama State Attorney General William Pryor. Pryor has stated, "We must protect children from those who would exploit their innocence for financial gain under the guise of so-called art."
