Local News in Brief : Judge Throws Out Porn Conviction

A Camden, N.J., federal court jury’s conviction of a Van Nuys man on two counts of interstate transportation of child pornography has been thrown out by the trial judge because of insufficient evidence.

U.S. District Judge Joseph H. Rodriguez agreed Tuesday with defense attorney Roger Jon Diamond that a verbal description of allegedly pornographic material was not enough to convict Robert D. Villard, 40, an agent for child actors.

Villard was convicted of carrying one pornographic magazine back and forth between California and New Jersey two years ago. The jury was only given descriptions of the magazine, not the publication itself.