City Rebuffs County by Awarding Fired Librarian Who Reported Illegal Internet Activity to Police

Mar 28, 2008

Lindsay, CA – In response to the firing of Brenda Biesterfeld by Tulare County library officials, the City of Lindsay honored her service to the community by presenting Biesterfeld with the Gold Star Award. The award, which came from the organization Family Friendly Libraries, was given to Biesterfeld at a City Council meeting on March 25, 2008 in appreciation for her action in reporting to police a library patron who was viewing child pornography. Tulare County operates the library located in Lindsay.
On February 28, Biesterfeld first noticed 39-year-old Donnie Chrisler viewing child pornography on one of the public-use computers. On March 4, when Chrisler returned, Biesterfeld saw him viewing more child pornography and summoned police. Upon arrival, they caught Chrisler viewing the pornography, arrested him, and placed him in the Tulare County Jail, where he remains in custody on a $100,000 bond. Further investigation uncovered more child pornography in his home.
When police confiscated the computer, Librarian Judi Hill claimed that law enforcement had no business interfering and that county librarians were handling the matter. She demanded to know who made the report. Police concealed Biesterfeld’s identity, but Hill, Brenda’s supervisor, claimed she knew it was her. She immediately called Biesterfeld and chastised her for reporting the incident. Two days later and without explanation, Biesterfeld was fired.
Liberty Counsel has requested that Biesterfeld be reinstated to her job along with a formal apology by the Lindsay library officials.  Liberty Counsel is prepared to file a lawsuit if there is no compliance.
Mathew D. Staver, Founder of Liberty Counsel and Dean of Liberty University School of Law, commented: “Child pornography is grave evil and does incalculable damage to children. There is no right to view it, posses it, or participate in it. Brenda Biesterfeld’s reporting of child pornography to the authorities was the proper moral and legal response that any person of common sense would do. It is outrageous she was fired for stopping a child pornographer.”
Liberty University School of Law provides its law students with the opportunity to work with Operation Blue Ridge Thunder, an Internet Crimes Against Children’s task force. This task force works to stop online child sexual exploitation.
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