State v. Young

525 N.E.2d 1363, 37 Ohio St. 3d 249, 1988 Ohio LEXIS 213
CourtOhio Supreme Court
DecidedJuly 6, 1988
DocketNos. 86-1532 and 86-1728
StatusPublished
Cited by127 cases

This text of 525 N.E.2d 1363 (State v. Young) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Ohio Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State v. Young, 525 N.E.2d 1363, 37 Ohio St. 3d 249, 1988 Ohio LEXIS 213 (Ohio 1988).

Opinion

Douglas, J.

The question certified to this court in the two cases before us today is whether the state, consistent with the First Amendment to the United States Constitution, may outlaw the private possession of child pornography. This question has since been answered in the affirmative in State v. Meadows (1986), 28 Ohio St. 3d 43, 28 OBR 146, 503 N.E. 2d 697. The syllabus in Meadows reads:

“R.C. 2907.322(A)(5), which prohibits the knowing possession or control of material which shows a minor participating or engaging in sexual activity, masturbation, or bestiality, does not violate the First Amendment to the United States Constitution, as made applicable to the states by reason of the Fourteenth Amendment. (Stanley v. Georgia [1969], 394 U.S. 557, and New York v. Ferber [1982], 458 U.S. 747, construed, harmonized and followed.)”

Our ruling in Meadows concerned the constitutionality of R.C. 2907.322 (A)(5), while the cases before us today involve a related statute, R.C. 2907.323(A)(3). However, shortly after Meadows was decided, this court issued judgment entries in two cases involving R.C. 2907.323(A)(3), both of which were resolved solely on the authority of Meadows. State v. Modeen (1986), 28 Ohio St. 3d 64, 28 OBR 164, 502 N.E. 2d 634; State v. Robinson (1986), 28 Ohio St. 3d 65, 28 OBR 165, 502 N.E. 2d 634. Thus, the question certified to this court in today’s cases has already been decided.

However, it is well-established that “[c]ertification of the record of a case to the Supreme Court because of conflict between judgments of Courts of Appeals upon any question, brings the [251]*251entire case before the Supreme Court for review.” Couk v. Ocean Acc. & Guar. Corp. (1941), 138 Ohio St. 110, 20 O.O. 65, 33 N.E. 2d 9, paragraph one of the syllabus. On this basis, we turn now to a consideration of the remaining issues presented by the cases at bar.

In addition to the First Amendment issues resolved in Meadows, supra, appellants herein raise additional challenges to the constitutionality of R.C. 2907.323(A)(3) which were not addressed in that decision. In determining the validity of these challenges, we must remain mindful that all legislative enactments enjoy a strong presumption of constitutionality. State, ex rel. Dickman, v. Defenbacher (1955), 164 Ohio St. 142, 57 O.O. 134, 128 N.E. 2d 59, paragraph one of the syllabus.

Appellants first argue that R.C. 2907.323(A)(3) violates the constitutional prohibition against vagueness and overbreadth. The statute provides in pertinent part:

“(A) No person shall do any of the following:
"* * *
‘ ‘(3) Possess or view any material or performance that shows a minor who is not the person’s child or ward in a state of nudity, unless one of the following applies:
“(a) The material or performance is sold, disseminated, displayed, possessed, controlled, brought or caused to be brought into this state, or presented for a bona fide artistic, medical, scientific, educational, religious, governmental, judicial, or other proper purpose, by or to a physician, psychologist, sociologist, scientist, teacher, person pursuing bona fide studies or research, librarian, clergyman, prosecutor, judge, or other person having a proper interest in the material or performance.
“(b) The person knows that the parents, guardian, or custodian has consented in writing to the photographing or use of the minor in a state of nudity and to the manner in which the material or performance is used or transferred.”

Appellants contend that the statute is overbroad because it sweeps within its ambit other activities that constitute an exercise of constitutionally protected expression. For example, the use of the term “nudity” is challenged as overly broad, since that term encompasses morally innocent states of nudity as well as lewd exhibitions. Thus, it is argued, the statute fails to define in a sufficiently narrow manner the criminal conduct it prohibits. See, e.g., N.A.A.C.P. v. Button (1963), 371 U.S. 415.

We do not agree with this analysis. The First Amendment doctrine of overbreadth is limited in its application to laws in which the deterrence of protected activities is substantial. Where, as here, a statute regulates conduct rather than pure speech, its over-breadth “* * * must not only be real, but substantial as well, judged in relation to the statute’s plainly legitimate sweep.” Broadrick v. Oklahoma (1973), 413 U.S. 601, 615. For the following reasons, we find that R.C. 2907.323(A)(3) is not constitutionally infirm on the basis of overbreadth.

It is true that R.C. 2907.323(A)(3) does not expressly limit the prohibited state of nudity to a lewd exhibition or a graphic focus on the genitals. Furthermore, we are aware that “* * * nudity, without more is protected expression * * even where the subject depicted is a child. New York v. Ferber (1982), 458 U.S. 747, 765, fn. 18. However, when the “proper purposes” exceptions set forth in R.C. 2907.323 (A)(3)(a) and (b) are considered, the scope of the prohibited conduct nar[252]*252rows significantly. The clear purpose of these exceptions, quoted supra, is to sanction the possession or viewing of material depicting nude minors where that conduct is morally innocent. Thus, the only conduct' prohibited by the statute is conduct which is not morally innocent, i.e., the possession or viewing of the described material for prurient purposes. So construed, the statute’s proscription is not so broad as to outlaw all depictions of minors in a state of nudity, but rather only those depictions which constitute child pornography.

In the area of child pornography, the United States Supreme Court has directed that “[a]s with all legislation in this sensitive area, the conduct to be prohibited must be adequately defined by the applicable state law, as written or authoritatively construed.” (Emphasis added.) Ferber, supra, at 764. As we construe it today, R.C. 2907.323 (A)(3) prohibits the possession or viewing of material or performance of a minor who is in a state of nudity, where such nudity constitutes a lewd exhibition or involves a graphic focus on the genitals, and where the person depicted is neither the child nor the ward of the person charged.

Appellants further argue that R.C. 2907.323(A)(3) is impermissibly vague in that the term “minor” is not defined with sufficient precision. Appellants contend that in using only the term “minor” without elaboration, the statute fails to limit its proscription to “* * * works that visually depict sexual conduct by children below a specified age” (emphasis sic) as mandated by Ferber. Id. at 764. We cannot agree.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
525 N.E.2d 1363, 37 Ohio St. 3d 249, 1988 Ohio LEXIS 213, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-young-ohio-1988.