The preliminary hearing for former Vice Provost and Director of Libraries Paul Mosher -- charged with possession of child pornography -- was postponed until June 26 at the request of the defendant.
Mosher, whose hearing was originally scheduled for yesterday morning, has been charged with possession of child pornography, illegal use of a computer and possession of an instrument of crime, his computer. If convicted, he faces between three and seven years in jail.
Mosher was not present in the courtroom at the 18th District Police Station, located on 55th and Pine streets, yesterday. His attorney, Paul Messing, would not comment on his way out of the courtroom, except to say that the hearing was postponed until June.
The investigation into allegations of child pornography first became public on April 11, when Philadelphia Police confiscated Mosher's computer from his office in Van Pelt Library. It was later revealed that he had been under investigation by the Special Victims Unit of the Philadelphia Police since August, when University Police officials passed on a tip that Mosher had pornographic images of children on his laptop computer.
After his computer was confiscated, University officials placed Mosher on administrative leave on April 15. Two days later, he resigned from his post as vice provost and director of libraries and severed his professional relationship with the University.
Mosher allegedly possessed more than 2,000 images of child pornography, paid for with several credit cards, on both his home and office computers.
On April 21, Mosher turned himself in to the Philadelphia Police, bail was set at $15,000 and a preliminary hearing was scheduled for yesterday at 8 a.m.
A spokesperson from the district attorney's office noted that the hearing had indeed been continued, but could give no further explanation as to why the change had been made.
Messing did not return phone calls for additional comment yesterday.
The hearing is currently scheduled to take place at the Criminal Justice Center.
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