Did Former Priest "Bernie Ward" Indicted for Transmitting Child Porn violate Pretrial Release?

Bernard V. Ward (Bernie Ward) was indicted in December 2007 for receiving and TRANSMITTING child porn. His explanation: Doing research for a book. Every news report I hear talks about his "receiving child porn" nobody addresses the issue of "TRANSMITTING" it. Bernie Ward was a liberal talk show host on KGO-AM/San Francisco. The Indictment was returned September 20, 2007 and remained sealed until December 6, 2007. The United States DOJ issued this PRESS RELEASE regarding the matter.

According to the Indictment Ward is accused of not only receiving pornographic images of children but worse, he allegedly TRANSMITTED them. Why does anybody believe this is acceptable "research"? According to the Court's Docket there was a recent hearing regarding whether Bernie violated the terms of his pretrial release. I emailed the prosecuting US Attorney for comment, we'll see if she responds.

Since Bernie has not disputed he accessed child pornography but offers an excuse as to why he did, where does his "Research Exemption" fall? It doesn't. Let's apply some BERNIE LOGIC. I'm researching a story on how easy it is to access child porn, so I will engage in chats with people in chat rooms and obtain child porn in the interest of journalism. Then I will continue my research and transmit the very images to other people interested in child porn (maybe they're doing research too) and help them become involved in the illegal receipt of child porn. Then I'll research a story on serial killing. Obviously I'll have to kill a few people in the name of "Research" then its off to dealing in drugs, so that I may round out my "Research" project, after all I am going to write a book someday. My guess is that the book would be an autobiography and the title should be, "How I got Caught - Tales from a former Priest convicted of receiving and transmitting child pornography".

Judge Walker issued the Pretrial Scheduling Order for Bernie's case, it looks like he's going to trial on June 10, 2008. Do I smell a Plea?

Here are the documents for yourself:
Indictment
Court Docket
PreTrial Scheduling Order