Gay Porn Allowed as Evidence in Navy Trial

WASHINGTON — A military judge has ruled that gay adult content on a Navy physician’s personal computer can be used as evidence against him to support charges that he secretly recorded midshipmen from the Naval Academy having sex at his home in Annapolis.

The decision underscores how materials downloaded for a user’s personal entertainment purposes can be used as evidence against a suspect — if the court deems those materials sufficiently relevant to some element of the alleged crime.

In the case at hand, Cmdr. Kevin Ronan has been charged with seven counts of conduct unbecoming an officer, three counts of illegal wiretapping and one count of obstruction of justice, all stemming from his alleged secret videotaping of Naval Academy students Ronan hosted in his home under a program established by the academy.

Prosecutors argued that the erotic materials establish a motive for Ronan’s alleged surreptitious recording of the midshipmen, while the defense asserted that allowing the material would be severely prejudicial.

“The effect of this is going to be to suggest, ‘This is a bad person, he’s got homosexual tendencies, and we certainly don’t want him in the Navy,’” William Ferris, Ronan's civilian attorney, said during a hearing in Washington, according to the Associated Press.

Ferris cited controversial comments made by Gen. Peter Pace as evidence of a “strong prejudice against homosexuals in the military.” Pace, until recently the country’s top ranking uniformed officer, recently said that he believed homosexuality is “immoral.”

Marine Col. Steven Day, the judge in Ronan’s case, conceded that allowing the evidence could be harmful to the defense, but concurred with the prosecution that the justification for allowing the evidence should outweigh the potential for prejudice. Day added that he would deter such bias through his jury instructions and by careful screening of jurors.

Day held that the content on Ronan’s computer could be used to prove motive, demonstrating a “possible need on his part” to watch “young, athletic males” engaged in sexual activity.

Ronan, who took the stand briefly at the hearing, denied any knowledge of the content on his computer, and said that he didn’t know how the images and video got there. Ronan observed that at one point there were approximately a dozen midshipmen staying at his house with regularity, and Ferris asserted that any of these men could have downloaded the content in question.

Day ruled that the evidence was admissible in part because the content was found in a file labeled “lectures” on the computer seized from Ronan’s home; the same word was used on a label on a DVD removed from Ronan’s home that allegedly shows one midshipman engaged in sex with his girlfriend, and another masturbating. Handwriting analysis of the disc’s label, Day said, indicated that the word “lectures” had been written by Ronan.

According to Steve Ralls, a spokesman for the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, an advocacy group that provides assistance to homosexual members of the military, the content from Ronan’s computer could be sufficient basis for the Navy to initiate an investigation into his sexual orientation. Hence, even if the jury in the criminal case acquits Ronan, his career in the Navy may well be terminated due to the gay erotica that allegedly was found on his computer.

Copyright © 2025 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More News

JuicyAds Launches Summer Advertiser/Publisher Promo

JuicyAds has launched a summer promotion for advertisers and publishers.

FSC to Honor Board Chair Jeffrey Douglas for 30 Years of Leadership

The Free Speech Coalition (FSC) will honor board chair Jeffrey Douglas for his 30 years of service to the industry at an event on June 27.

AEBN Publishes Popular Searches by Country for April, May

AEBN has released the list of popular searches from its straight and gay theaters by country in April and May.

French Court Suspends Age Verification Rule for EU Sites

The Paris Administrative Court has suspended enforcement of age verification regulations for sites based in other European Union member nations, pending a final judgment on whether France’s AV rules align with EU standards.

UK Parliament Weighs Proposals Targeting Adult Content

The U.K. Parliament this week debated proposed amendments to the pending Crime and Policing Bill, including clauses criminalizing “choking” content — and potentially outlawing paying for sex acts in cam performances and custom clips.

Rights Groups File Amicus Brief Supporting Backpage Defendants

Woodhull Freedom Foundation has joined Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, Reason Foundation, and Electronic Frontier Foundation in filing an amicus brief in support of an appeal by the former operators of Backpage.com.

UK Lawmaker Calls for Ban on Choking in Online Adult Content

British lawmaker Jessica Asato stated in an interview aired on Sunday that she plans to ask Parliament to outlaw online adult content featuring the act of choking.

Feet4Cash Joins Pineapple Support as Sponsor

Feet4Cash has joined the ranks of over 70 adult businesses and organizations committing funds and resources to Pineapple Support.

Report: VPN Usage Surges in France After Aylo Restricts Access to Pornhub

France has experienced a surge in virtual private network (VPN) signups after Aylo, which operates Pornhub, Redtube and YouPorn, cut off access to those sites in the country in the wake of new age verification regulations, business news site MENAFN is reporting.

New Creator Directory 'TrustyFans' Launches

TrustyFans, a newly launched directory designed to help fans discover their favorite creators, is now live.

Show More