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Max Hardcore Found Guilty in Obscenity Trial
Jurors find Max and his company guilty on all counts

By: David Sullivan

Posted: 06/05/2008

TAMPA - Producer Max Hardcore (a.k.a. Paul Little) was found guilty of 10 federal counts of distributing obscene materials over the Internet and through the mail.

Little's company Maxworld Entertainment was also found guilty on 10 related charges.

Earlier today, jurors asked U.S. District Judge Susan Bucklew for guidance today as the jury was having trouble reaching a unanimous decision.
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According to a report in the St. Petersburg Times, the jury foreman sent a note to Bucklew just after 3 p.m., asking: "If we make a decision on 10 of the 20 counts, but are unable to reach a decision on the other 10, will the 10 counts that we decide on stand?''

Bucklew said the jury's decision would count.

The jurors responded in another note: "There are people on both sides of the issues, and we do not believe we'll be able to reach a unanimous decision. How long must we deliberate?''

The judge urged jurors to try again.

"I'm not going to tell you how much time to deliberate, but I am going to ask you to deliberate again,'' she said.

According to the report, the jury then asked Judge Bucklew for permission to take a break, because "emotions were running very high."

Bucklew granted the break, asking attorneys to stay in the courthouse to give the jurors time to talk again. The jury returned its verdict at approximately 7 p.m.