Man Trying to Capture ‘Beauty’ Has Child Porn Conviction Upheld

A man who pleaded guilty to producing child pornography had his conviction affirmed Wednesday, when the Third Circuit blocked him from relying on an expert report that analyzed his psychology.

Michael Heinrich, who in 2017 undressed and photographed two preschool-aged girls, argued that he lacked the mental state to produce child pornography because he was trying to capture “beauty and innocence,” rather than sexually explicit conduct as required by the criminal statute. Heinrich tried to defend himself by presenting an expert psychological report that argued he had no sexual interest in the girls or the photos, and that his “painful ...