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FARMINGTON, Utah (AP) — A Utah man charged in a case that spurred a state law against revenge porn changed course Tuesday and decided not to enter guilty pleas.
Defense attorney Ed Brass did not explain why defendant Shon Handrahan changed his mind after a trial date was scrapped last month and a change of plea hearing was scheduled for Tuesday.
Handrahan, 31, of Layton appeared briefly in a Farmington courtroom alongside his attorney.
Handrahan is accused of sending nude pictures of his estranged wife to her acquaintances in 2012. He is facing nine charges, including distributing pornographic material and electronic communication harassment.
Handrahan pleaded not guilty to the charges last year. The couple is now divorced.
Outside court, he and Brass both declined to comment.
Davis County prosecutor Nathan Lyon said Handrahan has been offered a plea deal, and Lyon expects the defendant will eventually accept it.
The prosecutor declined to disclose the terms of the proposed agreement.
The case helped lead Utah lawmakers to pass a bill that forbids the sharing of images without the consent of the person pictured. A first offense is a misdemeanor and repeat offenses are felonies.
Salt Lake City Democrat Rep. Marie Poulson pushed for the law, saying the practice most often targets women and can cause some to lose their jobs.
The National Conference of State Legislatures says 13 states including Utah have passed laws to punish revenge porn in the past two years.
Arizona's law, passed this year, was put on hold by a federal judge last month after a civil rights groups sued over constitutional grounds.
A new hearing was set for Handrahan on Dec. 30.
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