Judge to rule on Ward evidence

The criminal trial of Marketing Professor Scott Ward is scheduled to begin October 24, according to Montgomery County District Attorney Mark Miller. But attorneys involved in the case are still awaiting Judge Bernard Moore's pretrial ruling on Ward's attorneys' motion to "exclude pornography and other evidence of the defendant's alleged interest in sex with young males," according to Miller. An official closely involved with the case said last week the material found in Ward's possession includes such books as For Money or Love: Boy Prostitution in America and It's Okay to Say Yes: Boy Love, in addition to explicit photographs and other publications -- such as correspondence from the North American Man-Boy Love Association. But Ward denies the relevance of any of these items to his case. "I have not been charged with possession of any illegal pornographic material," he said in an interview yesterday. The charges against Ward stem from an Oct. 3, 1993 sting operation in which he allegedly offered money for sex to Sean McMahon, an undercover state trooper posing as a 15-year-old boy. On Oct. 12, 1993, Ward turned himself in to authorities on charges that he had sexual contact with a boy several times in 1990 and 1991, beginning when the boy was 13. Ward is also alleged to have had oral sex with this boy -- known as "B.M." -- 50 to 100 times during that time. Ward has maintained his innocence throughout his legal proceedings. According to Miller, Ward faces a charge of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse in connection with B.M.'s case against him. The maximum sentence for these charges is between 22 and 44 years. He also faces four additional charges -- including criminal attempt at deviate sexual intercourse -- in connection with the McMahon case. He faces a comparable sentence for these charges, Miller said. Coordinators of the 1993 sting operation botched the recording of Ward's conversation with the state trooper. But authorities in a van parked outside of Ward's Ardmore home listened to Ward's conversation with McMahon via a wireless microphone hidden in McMahon's clothing. Moore ruled in early September that although the people in the van cannot testify in the trial, McMahon himself can. But Ward feels that McMahon's testimony will be problematic for his case. "The state trooper [McMahon] has said under oath three times that nothing illegal transpired during our [October 3] meeting," Ward said. He went on to say that B.M.'s charges were financially motivated. "The charges against me [in relation to B.M.'s accusations] stem from an extortion attempt," Ward said, adding that he has a videotape which backs up his claims. According to a statement released by Wharton spokesperson Chris Hardwick, Ward "continues his academic responsibilities during the legal process." He is currently teaching an MBA course at the University, entitled "Marketing Management: Program Design." Ward was one of eight professors to earn the Miller-Sherrerd MBA Core Teaching Award last year, for excellence in teaching of core MBA classes. Ward's attorney, Jean Green, did not return numerous phone calls to his office.

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