West Claims Gay Photos Was Stored Automatically

SPOKANE, WA -- Mayor James West claims that a large number of gay photos on his computer were placed there automatically, but a computer expert hired by The Spokesman-Review denies this and says that the pornographic pictures on West's computer were deliberately downloaded.

In an effort to keep the contents on his computer private, West and his lawyers are trying to get the court to seal the records on his computer. Superior Judge Richard Miller of Adams County is expected to render a decision on the issue tonight.

Earlier this week, West's lawyers filed a court document saying a city computer expert was able to prove that the Web site Gay.com automatically placed pictures and other material about gay men onto the computers of visitors to the site.

"All of the thumbnail pictures from the member profiles that I viewed had been automatically downloaded to the Internet cache folder," Garv Brakel wrote in his affidavit.

West, a longtime Republican state senator and opponent of gay rights, has acknowledged that he was a closeted homosexual but has denied breaking any laws. He has admitted that he visited Gay.com on his work computer, but denies that he deliberately downloaded some 1,800 files that The Spokesman-Review is demanding to see.