LONDON (AP) - Humingi ng paumanhin ang manunulat na si John Grisham noong Huwebes dahil sa kanyang sinabi sa isang panayam na marami ang nakukulong sa kasong child pornography sa U.S.

Sinabi ni Grisham sa The Daily Telegraph, na ang mga bilangguan sa U.S. ay “filled with guys my age. Sixty-year-old white men in prison who have never harmed anybody, would never touch a child.”Sinabi pa niya na marami sa mga bilanggo “got online one night and started surfing around, probably had too much to drink or whatever, and pushed the wrong buttons, went too far and got into child porn.”Marami ang mga pumuna at nagalit sa naging komento niya sa nasabing pahayagan, kasabay ng kanyang pagpapakilala sa kanyang bagong libro na Gray Mountain.

Sinabi ni Jon Brown ng National Society for the Prevention of Cruelly to Children, na “every image is a real child who has suffered and every time these images are clicked on or downloaded it creates demand that ultimately fuels more child abuse.”

Humingi agad ng paumanhin si Grisham at sinabing ang kanyang mga komento, “were in no way intended to show sympathy for those convicted of sex crimes, especially the sexual molestation of children.”

“I can think of nothing more despicable,” sabi ng manunulat. “I regret having made these comments, and apologize to all.”