Monday's Internet Edition, October 13, 2008.
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| John Daugherty |
News editor - John Daugherty, the man secretly videotaped Copperas Cove women as they undressed, was found guilty of two counts of improper photography/visual recording.
Judge Phillip Zeigler, of the 52nd Judicial District Court returned the verdicts Jan. 31 against Daugherty, 31.
Daugherty had originally been indicted in three cases in which four counts of improper photography/visual recording had been alleged. The district attorney’s office agreed to the dismissing of one case and three counts of the second case due to the fact that prior to the year 2000, improper photography/visual recording was not a felony offense.
Zeigler also sentenced Daugherty to the maximum term of two years and a $1,000 fine on all five of the remaining counts alleged against Daugherty.
Five witnesses, brought forward by the lead prosecutor for the State of Texas, David Castillo, gave testimony about the incidents, discovered by the Copperas Cove Police Department on January 19, 2003.
Three victims testified about the effect these events have had on their lives and two law enforcement officers testified to what was retrieved from the laptop computer in Daugherty’s possession, as well as evidence found in his hotel room.
Copperas Cove Police Investigator Lori Hix testified to observing 21 different victims in the Copperas Cove area who had been photographed or videotaped by the defendant without their knowledge or consent. Hix identified and contacted 14 of the victims. Hix and Federal Bureau of Investigation agent Edward Waigand testified to discovering between 30 and 40 photographs or videos of child pornography as well as hundreds of pornographic photographs.
Evidence showed that the pictures and videos were, for the most part, pictures and videos of 16 to 18-year old young women who were in various stages of changing clothes or bathing in their homes.
Evidence also showed that Daugherty would have had to go to some lengths to discover and video the victims in some of these cases, including at least one instance in which the defendant had to stand on a gas meter to videotape the victim.
Daugherty had previously live in Copperas Cove and had moved to New Jersey. He returned to the area on a work related matter when he was seen videotaping women through their windows.
When found, Daugherty was wearing dark blue sweat pants, dark blue shirt, black watch cap and black gloves.
Daugherty testified that he had started his behavior in Copperas Cove at age 25 by accident one night when he was walking and observed a female undressing in her room.
Stephen Blythe, defense counsel and Sandy Gately presented three witnesses including the defendant in requesting that Zeigler place the defendant on probation.
Because the offense is a state jail felony, Daugherty will serve the entire two years. All the sentences will run concurrently because the law does not allow for convictions of improper photography/visual recording to be stacked.