PROVO -- As if the films already shown in the Movie Buffs pornography trial weren't racy enough, jurors will now be subjected to a "hard-core" sex flick.
Fourth District Judge Steven L. Hansen told the four-man, four-woman jury Tuesday they will view a brief clip of an X-rated movie so they can evaluate for themselves the difference between cable-edited versions of pornographic films and scenes found in X-rated titles.An excerpt of "Jugsy," an X-rated film that was seized during a police raid on American Fork and Lehi Movie Buffs stores in 1996, was scheduled to be shown to jurors Wednesday, in spite of the prosecution's objections.
The jury is determining the guilt or innocence of former Movie Buffs general manager Larry Wayne Peterman on 15 counts of distributing pornographic materials and, in the process, it could establish a community standard for pornography.
Peterman is accused of renting cable-edited versions of X-rated movies.
Meanwhile, a host of witnesses from a variety of entertainment suppliers testified Tuesday that sexually oriented films are not only readily available but are also being watched in Utah County.
Christopher Murphy, assistant general counsel for Los Angeles-based Direct TV, testified that 19,389 purchases of adult programs were ordered at Utah County residences between July 1998 and February 1999. Of those, Murphy said, those purchases came from approximately 2,000 to 3,000 households in the valley.
Among the channels offered by DirecTV to local subscribers are the Playboy Channel, The Spice Channel and the Adam and Eve Channel.
Chris Melton, corporate counsel for EchoStar Communications, testified that 235 households in the area are set up to receive programming from Playboy Channel, Erotic Network and AdultVision.
Three local hotels subscribe to LodgeNet Entertainment, a company that distributes interactive games and movies for hotel guests, according to Dan Johnson, director of legal affairs for LodgeNet. The firm provides adult entertainment, he said, adding that there were 1,464 non-rated adult movies purchased at Hampton Inn, La Quinta Inn and Cottontree Inn between July and December 1998.
Eric Hale of On-Command, an international firm that provides similar services for the Provo Marriott, said guests there watched an average of 287 adult films per month in 1998. The hotel has since stopped providing such movies.
A few local store managers also took the stand Tuesday. Justin Kallbaca, manager of Suncoast Motion Picture Co. in the University Mall, said 20 percent of the store's total sales in 1998 came from the "mature section."
Richard Ledford, manager of Sam Goody's in Orem, primarily a music store, sells between 12 and 24 adult films per week, he said.
The prosecution made the point during cross-examination that just because a movie is purchased in Utah County, it doesn't necessarily mean it was bought by a local resident.
Former Lehi City Councilman Reed Sunderland also testified Tuesday about his role in allowing Peterman to receive a business license. Sunderland said when residents learned that Movie Buffs was trying to set up shop in town, some "raised concerns. They didn't want a store in town that had a section of adult entertainment."
Sunderland also said Peterman was less-than-forthright in the way he defined adult videos and played up the fact the store was planning to offer G-rated and other types of films as well. Sunderland explained he and the other council members were unfamiliar with adult movie fare and should have done more investigating.